Please Help! Date and Time issues mp4 Encoded vs Created

[milkieed]

Please help. I have several mp4 files the normal attributes of date created is wrong. when I check mediainfo it gives me a encoded or tagged date and time which are correct. how do i update the created date to the encoded date. I have spent hours searching. I would even be happy renaming my files with the encoded date but i have not found any renamers that give me that field as an option.

Thank You

[Cornucopia]

Maybe you didn't realize this, but Windows keeps track of both "date CREATED" and "date MODIFIED" (as well as "date ACCESSED") attribute fields, and the one that usually shows up in the standard explorer details is the "modified" field.


You can, of course, change this by customizing your details columns.

A helpful tool for you might be a "Touch" app, that can adjust any and/or all of those 3...

Scott

[hello_hello]

xplorer² has the ability to change that sort of thing from it's Actions menu.

[El Heggunte]

Also:

BulkFileChanger (GUI) and ChangeFileTime (CLI).

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/bulk_file_changer.html

http://www.novell.com/coolsolutions/tools/18707.html

[Budman1]

Sktimestamp incorporates into Windows shell and adds tab to the properties screen so changing a file or folder is as easy as going to the properties of a file. You probably do this anyway to check the date time of the incorrect files. It free also

[milkieed]

Thanks. I am not sure I made myself clear. I know about modified, created, accessed dates. They are incorrect and I want to use the date which is fund in the metadata on mediainfo called encoded date or tagged date. I need to replace modified and created with this date. Is their an automatic way to do this?
Thanks

[poisondeathray]

You can use mpbox -itags to change the mp4 metadata tags

mp4box -itags :created=UTC_2014-01-16 -add "input.mp4" -new "output.mp4"

before

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 4.30 MiB
Duration : 9s 508ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 3 798 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2008-07-26 22:13:22
Tagged date : UTC 2008-07-26 22:13:22

after

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 4.30 MiB
Duration : 9s 508ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 3 797 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2014-01-16 16:45:02
Tagged date : UTC 2014-01-16 16:45:02

Is their an automatic way to do this?

What do you mean by "automatic" ? It can't GUESS what time you want it to be - the values have to be entered

Or did you mean batch process a bunch of files to "say" the same date ?

Or did you mean use the mediainfo data to change the windows file attributes (modified/created/accessed)?





So what is this for ? Late homework or something ?

"Really Professor, I finished my video project a week ago.... see the encoded date"

[milkieed]

Not for late Homework - funny

I have a bunch of mp4 videos from a flip camera. The date is incorrect so it is using created or modified date. I want to use the encoded date. I wish I knew how to do the code you showed but either way it is not what i need. I dont want to chang ethe encoded date. I want Modified Date or Created Date to be replaced with Encoded Date.


Any advice on how to do that?


PLEASE!!

[poisondeathray]

To clarify : you want to take the "encoded date" that mediainfo says , and use that to replace what windows explorer says about "modifed date" or "created date" attributes ?

I don't know how to do that other than manually copy & paste from mediainfo with one of the utilities in the links above

Since it's only "several" MP4's , it shouldn't take more than a few minutes

[milkieed]

That is exactly what a want to do. When I say several I mean close to 800 hundred clips.

[poisondeathray]

Just throwing out some ideas:

You can parse all the files in a directory (file=>open=>folder) with mediainfo and print a .csv or .txt output (file=>export) . It might be possible to use batch commandline with that ChangeFileTune CLI tool to process it , but it's way beyond my computer knowledge

If you don't get a good reply here, try asking in some programming forums

[Endoro]

Set the file creation date/time to the video container encoding date/time using nircmd and mediainfo CLI:

@ECHO OFF &SETLOCAL
for %%A in (*.mkv *.mp4 *.avi *.ts) do call:ProcessFile "%%~A"
goto:eof

:ProcessFile
setlocal
for /f "tokens=2-5delims=- " %%a in ('mediainfo "%~1" "--inform=General;%%Encoded_Date%%"') do set "TimeString=%%~c-%%~b-%%~a %%~d"
if defined TimeString (
    echo(Set encoded date/time %TimeString% for file creation time in "%~1"
    nircmd showerror setfiletime "%~1" "%TimeString%"
) else (
    echo(No encoded date/time found in "%~1".
)
exit /b

[Selur]

btw. does any one know a way to prevent MP4Box from adding the "Encoded date"&"Tagged date" infos?
I asked over in the gpac forum (http://sourceforge.net/p/gpac/discussion/287546/thread/d14b5320/), but that didn't really help.

[Endoro]

The syntax of tag handling in MP4Box besides the iTunes tags is unfortunately not well described. I got no one command working:

Meta handling Options
 -set-meta args       sets given meta type - syntax: "ABCD[:tk=ID]"
                       * ABCD: four char meta type (NULL or 0 to remove meta)
                       * [:tk=ID]: if not set use root (file) meta
                                if ID is 0 use moov meta
                                if ID is not 0 use track meta
 -add-item args       adds resource to meta
                       * syntax: file_path + options (':' separated):
                        tk=ID: meta adressing (file, moov, track)
                        name=str: item name
                        mime=mtype: item mime type
                        encoding=enctype: item content-encoding type
                       * file_path "this" or "self": item is the file itself
 -rem-item args       removes resource from meta - syntax: item_ID[:tk=ID]
 -set-primary args    sets item as primary for meta - syntax: item_ID[:tk=ID]
 -set-xml args        sets meta XML data
                       * syntax: xml_file_path[:tk=ID][:binary]
 -rem-xml [tk=ID]     removes meta XML data
 -dump-xml args       dumps meta XML to file - syntax file_path[:tk=ID]
 -dump-item args      dumps item to file - syntax item_ID[:tk=ID][:path=fileName]
 -package             packages input XML file into an ISO container
                       * all media referenced except hyperlinks are added to file
 -mgt                 packages input XML file into an MPEG-U widget with ISO container.
                       * all files contained in the current folder are added to the widget package

Furthermore I could not find one working example in the net. Do you have working code snippets?

[Selur]

Not sure if it helps, but I looked into that some time (years) ago, since I stumbled over a case where someone attached some file to the mp4 which contained some meta data, that some player used for validation (files without the proper meta data were not played back).

Here's what I remember what I did:
a. created a file with a meta box:

MP4Box -par 1=1:1 -add "G:\07_02_39_8310_01.m4v"#video:fps=25 -set-meta test -new "H:\Output\test.mp4"

b. added an item to the box:

MP4Box -additem test.txt;name=metadata;mime=text/plain "H:\Output\test.mp4"

after this:

MP4Box -info "H:\Output\test.mp4"

should return something like:

Root Meta type: "test" - 1 resource item(s)
Item #1 - ID 1 - Name:  - MimeType: application/octet-stream
URL:
* Movie Info *
        Timescale 600 - Duration 00:00:17.160
        1 track(s)
        Fragmented File: no
        File suitable for progressive download (moov before mdat)
        File Brand isom - version 1
        Created: GMT Tue Jan 21 06:11:46 2014
        Modified: GMT Tue Jan 21 06:11:46 2014

File has root IOD (9 bytes)
Scene PL 0xff - Graphics PL 0xff - OD PL 0xff
Visual PL: Advanced Simple Profile @ Level 5 (0xf5)
Audio PL: No audio capability required (0xff)
No streams included in root OD

Track # 1 Info - TrackID 1 - TimeScale 25000 - Media Duration 00:00:17.16
Media Info: Language "Undetermined" - Type "vide:mp4v" - 429 samples
Visual Track layout: x=0 y=0 width=640 height=352
MPEG-4 Config: Visual Stream - ObjectTypeIndication 0x20
MPEG-4 Visual Size 640 x 352 - Advanced Simple Profile @ Level 5
Pixel Aspect Ratio 1:1 - Indicated track size 640 x 352
Self-synchronized

Note the:

Root Meta type: "test" - 1 resource item(s)

Only problem is, I don't remember how to extract the text file I attached to the box again.
So if you figure out how to extract the file again, you might have what you were looking for.

Cu Selur

[Gravitator]

Found > disconnect "Deinterlace:Auto".

[Selur]

wrong thread?

[Budman1]

milkieed,

Okay here is the final version with the UTC to Local ability. Should work same as the last one except for this part. It's simple and error correction is minimal but it should work for you. It's downloadable at: (UPDATED BELOW)
New link available in other thread




[Attachment 23403 - Click to enlarge]

UPDATE 01-19-2016 New Version with manual set and remove function
If you Use Manual and do not enter a date it will remove the Encoded/Tagged dates.
Rough final test so remember to USE COPIES TO TEST AND NOT YOUR FAVORITE VIDEOS until you sure it works.
Be careful of the ALTER ORIGINAL check box.

Old Link

[Endoro]

Only problem is, I don't remember how to extract the text file I attached to the box again.
So if you figure out how to extract the file again, you might have what you were looking for.

Yes, thank you. I post the session protocol here:

C:Users\User>dir /b
BEST 90's Megamix.m4a
BEST 90's Megamix.txt

C:Users\User>mp4box -add "BEST 90's Megamix.m4a" -set-meta file "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a"
IsoMedia import BEST 90's Megamix.m4a - track ID 1 - HE-AAC (SR 22050 - SBR-SR 44100 - 2 channels)
Setting up iTunes/iPod file...
Saving to BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a: 0.500 secs Interleaving

C:Users\User>mp4box -info "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a"
Root Meta type: "file" - 0 resource item(s)
* Movie Info *
        Timescale 600 - Duration 02:25:17.001
        1 track(s)
        Fragmented File: no
        File suitable for progressive download (moov before mdat)
        File Brand M4A  - version 1
        Created: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014
        Modified: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014

File has root IOD (9 bytes)
Scene PL 0xff - Graphics PL 0xff - OD PL 0xff
Visual PL: No visual capability required (0xff)
Audio PL: AAC Profile @ Level 1 (0x28)
No streams included in root OD

Track # 1 Info - TrackID 1 - TimeScale 22050 - Media Duration 02:25:17.003
Media Info: Language "Undetermined" - Type "soun:mp4a" - 187705 samples
MPEG-4 Config: Audio Stream - ObjectTypeIndication 0x40
MPEG-4 Audio AAC LC - 2 Channel(s) - SampleRate 22050 - SBR SampleRate 44100
Self-synchronized


C:Users\User>mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -add-item "BEST 90's Megamix.txt":mime=text/plain
Setting up iTunes/iPod file...
Saving BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a: 0.500 secs Interleaving

C:Users\User>mp4box -info "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a"
Root Meta type: "file" - 1 resource item(s)
Item #1 - ID 1 - Name: BEST 90's Megamix.txt - MimeType: text/plain
URL: BEST 90's Megamix.txt
* Movie Info *
        Timescale 600 - Duration 02:25:17.001
        1 track(s)
        Fragmented File: no
        File suitable for progressive download (moov before mdat)
        File Brand M4A  - version 1
        Created: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014
        Modified: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014

File has root IOD (9 bytes)
Scene PL 0xff - Graphics PL 0xff - OD PL 0xff
Visual PL: No visual capability required (0xff)
Audio PL: AAC Profile @ Level 1 (0x28)
No streams included in root OD

Track # 1 Info - TrackID 1 - TimeScale 22050 - Media Duration 02:25:17.003
Media Info: Language "Undetermined" - Type "soun:mp4a" - 187705 samples
MPEG-4 Config: Audio Stream - ObjectTypeIndication 0x40
MPEG-4 Audio AAC LC - 2 Channel(s) - SampleRate 22050 - SBR SampleRate 44100
Self-synchronized


C:Users\User>dir /b
BEST 90's Megamix.m4a
BEST 90's Megamix.txt
BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a

C:Users\User>del "BEST 90's Megamix.txt"

C:Users\User>mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -dump-item 1

C:Users\User>dir /b
BEST 90's Megamix.m4a
BEST 90's Megamix.txt
BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a

C:Users\User>mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -rem-item 1
Setting up iTunes/iPod file...
Saving BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a: 0.500 secs Interleaving

C:Users\User>mp4box -info "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a"
Root Meta type: "file" - 0 resource item(s)
* Movie Info *
        Timescale 600 - Duration 02:25:17.001
        1 track(s)
        Fragmented File: no
        File suitable for progressive download (moov before mdat)
        File Brand M4A  - version 1
        Created: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014
        Modified: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014

File has root IOD (9 bytes)
Scene PL 0xff - Graphics PL 0xff - OD PL 0xff
Visual PL: No visual capability required (0xff)
Audio PL: AAC Profile @ Level 1 (0x28)
No streams included in root OD

Track # 1 Info - TrackID 1 - TimeScale 22050 - Media Duration 02:25:17.003
Media Info: Language "Undetermined" - Type "soun:mp4a" - 187705 samples
MPEG-4 Config: Audio Stream - ObjectTypeIndication 0x40
MPEG-4 Audio AAC LC - 2 Channel(s) - SampleRate 22050 - SBR SampleRate 44100
Self-synchronized


C:Users\User>mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -set-meta 0
Setting up iTunes/iPod file...
Saving BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a: 0.500 secs Interleaving

C:Users\User>mp4box -info "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a"
* Movie Info *
        Timescale 600 - Duration 02:25:17.001
        1 track(s)
        Fragmented File: no
        File suitable for progressive download (moov before mdat)
        File Brand M4A  - version 1
        Created: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014
        Modified: GMT Fri Apr 18 13:42:53 2014

Moov Meta type: "file" - 0 resource item(s)
File has root IOD (9 bytes)
Scene PL 0xff - Graphics PL 0xff - OD PL 0xff
Visual PL: No visual capability required (0xff)
Audio PL: AAC Profile @ Level 1 (0x28)
No streams included in root OD

Track # 1 Info - TrackID 1 - TimeScale 22050 - Media Duration 02:25:17.003
Media Info: Language "Undetermined" - Type "soun:mp4a" - 187705 samples
MPEG-4 Config: Audio Stream - ObjectTypeIndication 0x40
MPEG-4 Audio AAC LC - 2 Channel(s) - SampleRate 22050 - SBR SampleRate 44100
Self-synchronized


C:Users\User>

Command examples:

mp4box -add "BEST 90's Megamix.m4a" -set-meta file "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a"
mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -add-item "BEST 90's Megamix.txt":mime=text/plain
mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -dump-item 1
mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -rem-item 1
mp4box "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a" -set-meta 0

Combine commands:

mp4box -add "BEST 90's Megamix.m4a" -set-meta file -add-item "BEST 90's Megamix.txt":mime=text/plain -new "BEST 90's MegamixTS.m4a"

MP4Box General Documentation

[FaiqToro]

milkieed,

Okay here is the final version with the UTC to Local ability. Should work same as the last one except for this part. It's simple and error correction is minimal but it should work for you. It's downloadable at:
https://files.secureserver.net/0sdI6vs83gMRS5.


[Attachment 23402 - Click to enlarge]

[Attachment 23403 - Click to enlarge]

Thank you Budman1, your answer solved my problem. Is there a new version of this program ?

[Budman1]

UPDATE: I updated the program so you can go Date Created/Modified to Enocoded or Encoded/Tagged to Created. I've updated the image and my download link above also..


There is only one update and that was to handle the "MOD" extension some cameras save the pictures with. Other than that it was written for a specific use but made available for anyone who might want to do the same things. If there are errors or additional features needed, I could probably update it but for now it should change the date/time okay, using information from MediaInfo that it pulls.


UPDATE
Let me know if you need additional features, etc.
Thanks
Budman1

[DarrellS]

xplorer² has the ability to change that sort of thing from it's Actions menu.


[Attachment 22785 - Click to enlarge]

I've come upon a few programs that bring back some W2K functionality to Windows 7 without the need for changing start menu and using 3rd party explorer software.

First is to use the "Windows Classic" under "Personalize" (I use a solid background with a very dark blue). I use "Search Everything" to replace the POS windows search in Windows 7. Not sure where I got the "right click" "Change File Extension" to replace "Properties Plus" which I used in XP. I use a program called "Take Ownership" to take back most of my control of Windows 7. I also use "Unlocker" to change or delete stuff that Windows 7 will not let me touch, even with all the other ownership steps that I take. Windows 7 did away with column handlers so the Codecs column which Haali provided for XP does not work on Windows 7. I have found by digging and stumbling through the 200 or 300 extra columns that Windows 7 offers and found "Audio Tracks" and Video Tracks" which shows audio and video codecs. "Frame Width" and "Frame Height" give me video dimensions. Oh yeah, Western Digital Drive Manager to keep Windows 7 from shutting down my external HDDs and TeraCopy to see how fast my data is being transferred. Sometimes I can hardly tell that I'm using Windows 7. Here is what Windows 7 looks like now...

[wwaag]

Budman1,

Just found this thread and tried your software to change dates for lots of GoPro files. Works great. Thanks.

wwaag

[Budman1]

wwaag , It was very nice of you to let me know the results. So many times the experts here give great suggestions and solutions to people who request help and many times they do not receive feedback or solutions or results. Feedback helps not only the experts but also others that may come across these threads later looking for the same solutions.

It really means a lot to us to know it worked for you, especially since you were not even the original requester. Thanks you and it's good to know that it works for the Go-Pro files as well for others who may need that.

Thank You again!
Budman1

[wwaag]

You're quite welcome. I know exactly what you mean. I participate in a number of editing forums often trying to help the newbies. Sometimes, it's a bit discouraging when you really make an effort to help and get absolutely zero response.

One question about your program. Although it's always safer to make a copy, would it be possible to simply change the attributes of the original file? It certainly would be a lot quicker. Moreover, the "date created" changes once you copy the file back to the original location.

wwaag

[Budman1]

waab... Yes it is easy to make a version that renames the original or better yet creates a file with the SAME name as the original in another folder. I'm assuming you are copying the altered files back and renaming them to original names since Windows doesn't usually change the Created date by copying but if you change the name, Windows essentially thinks you are making a 'New" file and gives it the current date and time.

I made a copy because I'm sure someone out there uses the dates as a means to reference the jobs they do as a BUSINESS and if they don't watch their checkmarks and do a batch change, they have more encoded/created dates than they could ever remember.

Which way are you going? Encoded -> Created or Created -> Encoded? Would you want the files copied with the original Created date into a 'Dated' folder inside the folder that contains your original file? Or just a check mark that causes operations to be preformed on the original files?

budman1

[wwaag]

Thanks for the quick reply. My preferred workflow would be Encoded>Modified and simply a check mark to permit operations to be performed on the original files. No need for copying.

wwaag

[Budman1]

OK. I assume you do not care about Created then? Just Modified? I'll work on it but to be safe, when I send it, try a separate folder with copies in it to be sure. It should just change those without copying again.

[wwaag]

Thanks so much.

[Budman1]

Okay for WWAAG only I sent a private msg with the link for the program (Zipped EXE) to modify the originals or not. Just replace the EXE file and try it out with a folder with copies of videos to try initial test.