write tags -> The system cannot find the file specified.

[andre_v_r]

Hi
I tried to run "-FileName<CreateDate" and got the "No writable tags set" warning from some photos.
so I tried the "-FileName<ModifyDate" command on those ones. It worked for some but not all. However, the "-time:all -s" command revealed that ALL pics had at least these infos:
FileModifyDate                  : 2014:10:11 23:53:48+02:00
FileAccessDate                  : 2014:10:17 10:19:02+02:00
FileCreateDate                  : 2014:10:17 10:19:02+02:00
ModifyDate                      : 2014:10:11 23:52:59

In conclusion I think there is a bug in the rename command, since it claims no ModifyDate tag existed where "-time:all -s" found it DID exist

Next I tried writing the  ModifyDate tag over the supposedly missing CreateDate tag using this syntax:

exiftool '-timecreated<datetimeoriginal -datecreated<datetimeoriginal' DIR

but I repeatedly got the false message "The system cannot find the file specified." False because the DIR existed... i tried it with and without quotes but always the same negative result, but when i pasted the dir string into the cmd window it just opened the picture file.. so in fact the file as specified did exist.

My questions are
(1) can't there be a syntax such as "-FileName<CreateDate|ModifyDate|AnyOtherTag" which takes the create date if available and if not then the modify date, and if not that then any other tag you name?
(2) why does "-FileName<ModifyDate"not find the modifydate that exists in the files and is correctly found by "-time:all -s"? (I append such a file for your examination)
(3) why is the syntax for writing tags quoted above not working (win 7 64 bit)

I produce more than 1 TB of photos a year so any help would be appreciated!!
Thanks and best regards, Andre

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Andre,

In Windows, you need to use double quotes ("), not single quotes (') around arguments.

In Windows, you can't set the file name directly from a date/time value because file names can't contain colons.  You need to use the -d option to format the date/time properly.

There is no bug in the rename command.  If you provide more details about the commands you are using I can give more details about what you are doing wrong.

- Phil

[andre_v_r]

Hey thanks for taking the time to reply.
Double quotes is right (thank you) and I was already using the -d so for all nikon pics renaming worked, thanks.
So regarding the file I appended here now I get:

Code Select Expand

N:\>exiftool -time:all -s "C:\_Andre_17\__pics\test\2014_10_17_073528.png"
FileModifyDate                  : 2014:10:17 09:35:28+02:00
FileAccessDate                  : 2014:10:17 12:35:59+02:00
FileCreateDate                  : 2014:10:17 12:35:59+02:00

therefore i tried
exiftool "-timecreated<FileModifyDate" "-datecreated<FileModifyDate" "C:/_Andre_17/__pics/test/2014_10_17_073528.png"

and got the result:

Code Select Expand

N:\>exiftool "-timecreated<FileModifyDate" "-datecreated<FileModifyDate" "C:/_Andre_17/__pics/test/2014_10_17_073528.png"
Warning: [minor] Creating non-standard EXIF in PNG - C:/_Andre_17/__pics/test/2014_10_17_073528.png
    1 image files updated

Howerver "-FileName<CreateDate" did still not work. which tag do i need to artifically supply to make the renaming work?

Thanks and best regards, Andre

[Phil Harvey]

Howerver "-FileName<CreateDate" did still not work. which tag do i need to artifically supply to make the renaming work?

For this to work, the CreateDate tag needs to exist.  But it doesn't.  Try FileCreateDate instead.

- Phil

[andre_v_r]

thanks! Is there any way I can build an 'if' into my batch file (which I use for mass renaming based on date) so that I can do that automatically for all files which get the "No writable tags set" error?
best regards, Andre

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Andre,

Just do this:

exiftool "-filename<filecreatedate" "-filename<SOMEOTHERDATE" ...

if SOMEOTHERDATE doesn't exist, then FileCreateDate will be used.  Operations to the right take precedence.

- Phil

[andre_v_r]

Excellent thank you
now in my batch file (which I can run via a right-mouse context menu option in any folder I am browsing) I have

Code Select Expand

exiftool.exe "-FileName<FileCreateDate" "-FileName<FileModifyDate" "-FileName<ModifyDate" "-FileName<CreateDate" -d %FORMATTINGPARAMS% "%DIR%"

runs smoothy, no glitches

Thanks and best regards, Andre

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Andre,

Great.  You can remove the "-FileName<FileCreateDate" argument because FileModifyDate will always exist if FileCreateDate does.  The only time when FileModifyDate doesn't exist is when you don't give ExifTool a file name.  (eg. sending data through a pipe)

- Phil

[andre_v_r]

  thank you so much