Script requested for changing dates

I hired an AppleScript expert via Upwork.com and he created the script for me!

His name is Michele Percich and I highly recommend him for any relevant work you may have!

I am hereby releasing the script for public usage by anyone interested.

It is a perfect workaround for fixing the dates of your imported videos in Photos App.

Script and instructions follow:

-- Script to change date and time from filename 

--

-- Usage: select pictures/videos in Photo, then launch the script

-- Filenames must start with the desired date in the following format: 

-- YYYY-MM-DD-hh-mm

-- You must rename your images or videos BEFORE importing them to Photos App.

-- You can use a batch renamer from the web to do that, such as Renamer.com 

-- Make sure the date format is correct as above.

-- The script will change the date and time tag in Photos app according to the filename!

--



tell application "Photos"

	activate

	set theseItems to (get the selection)

	repeat with thisItem in theseItems

		set theFilename to filename of thisItem

		set theDate to text 1 thru 16 of theFilename

		set aDate to current date

		tell aDate to set {its year, its month, its day, its hours, its minutes, its seconds} to (words of (theDate & ":07"))

		set date of thisItem to aDate

	end repeat

end tell


I have found the full workaround to the date issue for all files!

Briefly, you do 3 steps:

1. You download and install ExifTool (free) to change the file creation dates and file modification dates to the exif (metadata) "Date/Time Original". The command for Terminal window is:

exiftool "-FileCreateDate<DateTimeOriginal" "-FileModifyDate<DateTimeOriginal" -r

...and then you drag and drop the directory tree where the pictures you want to modify are...

....YOU DOUBLE CHECK BECAUSE IT IS UNDOABLE FOR ALL SUBFOLDERS!!!...

...and you hit [enter]!

2. You use Renamer (.com - works for 15 days without subscription, then ~$10 or something) to batch rename all of them to "YYYY-MM-DD-hh-mm-ss old filename.ext". It's a simple app - you will learn how in 2 minutes.

3. You import them to Photos app and you apply my script

DONE!

ps. If you have already imported them, then you have a problem! Even if you delete them, Photos app remembers their previous filename! Try to wipe them well and wait for your Photos database to be updated. Maybe it will work.

Further, you can add a dialog that you know when the script finished running and display what it did.

Between lines "end repeat" and "end tell", add the following:

	display dialog "Adjusted the date and time of " & (the length of (get the selection)) & " items.

The last date is " & (aDate as date)