Modify EXIF Date/Time for read-only and non-image files

[Photon]

I like Imatch to be able to change date/time not only for writable image files, but also for all other files including read-only files. Best would be, if the simple "Commands - Image - Modify EXIF Date and time..." can be used for this and this date/time is used in the same way for timeline and thumbnail display.

Regards, Martin

[Mario]

This command modifies the metadata in the file on disk. If the file is read-only or the user has no write privileges, ExifTool cannot modify the file.

[Photon]

Can't exiftool modify just the XMP sidecar files and IM read/write only this data?

[Mario]

This command modifies the EXIF timestamp. This is not XMP.
Otherwise you can just modify the XMP timestamp in the Metadata Panel.

[Photon]

But then the modified date is not correct in the time line and in the thumbnail view.

I remember this discussion some time ago in the old beta forum. What the user needs, is a simple solution for ALL file types with ONE date field also in the XMP sidecar or only in the Imatch database. This date shall be used for all views, search, time line, ... I understand that this wish might be either very unrealistic or very complicated to be realized.

I made big test with various file types some v5.0.xxx versions ago and with v3.6. For this I displayed ALL various date/time values of the files in thumbnail view and in the property window. Finally the situation was very inconsistent and confusing and I had impression, that ONE "major" date/time will never be possible for ALL files. I tried also external programs like GeoSetter for date change but the situation turned then even more complicated.

I think that a couple of users will or can never dig completely in all XMP, EXIF, IPTC, ... parameters. But most of users like to see and modify only ONE date.
It would be good if they know about best practice how to realize this. But may be this is not and never possible?

Thanks, Martin

[Mario]

But then the modified date is not correct in the time line and in the thumbnail view.

Of course. If you set IMatch to show the default date and time (which is extracted for most images from the EXIF timestamps) but you modify the XMP timestamp, you will end up with separate dates.

I understand that this wish might be either very unrealistic or very complicated to be realized.
...
Finally the situation was very inconsistent and confusing and I had impression, that ONE "major" date/time will never be possible for ALL files.

XMP is maybe the only common among all file formats. Many file formats don't even have date and time information (except the timestamp Windows records in the file system). Some image files have up to 10 or more different time stamps, and sometimes they are not even synchronized - especially if you work with multiple applications on them.

I think that a couple of users will or can never dig completely in all XMP, EXIF, IPTC, ... parameters. But most of users like to see and modify only ONE date.

Can't. Won't. Many corporate users don't care for any metadata and just use properties or Attributes in IMatch 5. Works across all file types, you can control if and how many dates you store and all that. You can easily edit, import and export the date. Show it in the file window and use it wherever you can use variables and so on. Maybe we will some day have a time line which can be set to use a date type Attribute as well.


But frankly, most users never run into the problem. They keep their files writable, and just update the EXIF timestamp in IMatch or another application (e.g. ExifTool) if this is required (e.g. because the camera clock was set wrong). And this allows IMatch to synchronize EXIF with XMP and all is well. If you need to keep your files read-only so you don't can adjust the embedded time stamps you have to come up with another solution.