Appending image timestamps to filename

I’m having a problem with the newer versions of Advanced Renamer.

I have a saved method to append the image timestamp (Date Taken) as a prefix to the filename. It worked fine for versions of Advanced Renamer up to 3.85 but versions 3.87 and 3.88.1 don’t seem to be able to see the image timestamp in the Exif data.

Adding the Date Taken column to the Filename pane shows only blanks. So that’s what gets appended to the file name.

My work around is to revert to version 3.85 but then it keeps offering updates which I know don’t work. Annoying.

The method is a simple one – and works fine on older versions:-

<Img Year:00><Img Month><Img Day>_<Img Hour><Img Min><Img Sec>_

at index position 0.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? And is there a solution?

Check your settings - Program->Settings->Image files
In particular make sure that "Don't analyze image metadata" has not been selected.
Note that Image Date/Time tags will return blanks if the Exif metadata is not present - ARen does not default to file times.

Reply to #2:

Thanks David, but I’ve not changed any settings from the defaults. “Don’t analyse image metadata” has not been selected.

And the Exif data is all present in the images files. I was working with version 3.88.1 and not seeing Date Taken so I uninstalled it and reinstalled version 3.85 and it was all there again – same image files . My saved method worked properly with 3.85.

After seeing your reply I went through the whole process again – install version 3.88.1 > check Settings > try some test images, then uninstall 3.88.1 and reinstall 3.85 > check Settings > test same images.

All settings were at defaults and identical in both versions. And the results were the same – 3.85 sees the Date Taken, 3.88.1 does not.

No doubt.

Reply to #3:

It would be helpful if someone using the latest version of ARen could test it with an actual image file known to have the Date Taken in the Exif data.

You don’t need to create a method or go as far as renaming a file. All you need to do is add the Date Take column to the ARen’s files pane via the Columns button drop-down menu.

Add your image file to the file list and look at the Date Taken column. Does it contain the proper date or is it blank?


And, just to avoid confusion, the date I’m referring to is NOT the file dates added by the computer OS – Created, Modified, Accessed. It’s the date the picture was taken – placed in the Date Taken field in Exif by the camera.

Reply to #4:

OK - I've loaded files taken by a Panasonic Lumix compact camera into Advanced Renamer ver 3.88.

These files do NOT contain "Date Taken" EXIF tags - however The "Date Taken" value IS always recognized UNLESS Settings-> Image files specifies...

EXIF field for image date time operations: Date digitized
AND
Always use ExifTool for retrieving metadata

By default "Date digitized" is selected however "Always use ExifTool" defaults to "off".