set filesystem datetime of jpg and mp4 files

set-datetime-of-pics-vids.ps1

#!powershell

<#
.SYNOPSIS
    Use exiftool to set file system datetimes values to those found within embedded media
    tags of .mp4 and .jpg files.
.DESCRIPTION
    Use exiftool (https://exiftool.org/) to set file system datetime attributes
    FileModifyDate, FileAccessDate, FileCreateDate.

    The various datetime values can be seen with command:
    
       exiftool.exe -time:all -groupHeadings -duplicates file.mp4
.PARAMETER Path
    File system path to search for .jpg files and .mp4 files.
.PARAMETER Help
    Print the help message and return.
.LINK
    https://gist.github.com/jtmoon79/eea39c3f9b3d37a169286da8f7788512
.NOTES
    Author: James Thomas Moon
    Date: 2022
#>

[Cmdletbinding()]
Param (
    [string] $Path,
    [switch] $help
)

New-Variable -Name SCRIPT_NAME -Value "set-datetime-of-pics-vids.ps1" -Option ReadOnly -Force

if ($help) {
    Get-Help "${PSScriptRoot}\${SCRIPT_NAME}" -Full
    Return
}

# save current values, restore at script end
$erroractionpreference_ = $ErrorActionPreference
$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"

#Set-PSDebug -Trace 1

function PrintDates
{
    Param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][String]$file
    )
    Write-Verbose "$exiftool -time:all -groupHeadings -short -duplicates '$file'"
    & "$exiftool" -time:all -groupHeadings -short -duplicates $file
}

# functions Process*
# set the file system file attributes (`File:FileAccessDate` is typically not writable)
#
# XXX: `File:FileAccessDate` sometimes ends up matching the last changed datetime value,
#      i.e. a change to `File:FileModifyDate` has a side-affect of setting `File:FileAccessDate`
#      to the same value.
#
# BUG: `File:FileCreateDate` often fails to change, will `ForceCreateDate` help?
#      most likely failure is due to the file being on a Unix Samba share, and
#      the Samba share settings disallowing this change due to some combination
#      of factors
function ForceCreateDate {
    Param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][String]$file
    )
    $date_lastwritetime = (Get-Item $file).LastWriteTime
    (Get-Item $file).CreationTime = $date_lastwritetime
}

function ProcessJPG
{
    Param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][String]$file
    )
    Write-Verbose "$exiftool '$file'"
    # first use `EXIF:DateTimeOriginal` which is sometimes available and sometimes correct
    # then use `EXIF:CreateDate` which is sometimes avilable and often correct
    # hopefully the most appropriate date is used
    #
    # XXX: the camera picture file embedded tagging varies tremendously; this works for my
    #      set of .jpg files
    & "$exiftool" -verbose -verbose -extractEmbedded `
        '-EXIF:DateTimeOriginal>File:FileCreateDate' `
        '-EXIF:CreateDate>File:FileCreateDate' `
        '-EXIF:DateTimeOriginal>File:FileModifyDate' `
        '-EXIF:CreateDate>File:FileModifyDate' `
        $file
}

function ProcessMP4
{
    Param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][String]$file
    )
    Write-Verbose "$exiftool '$file'"
    # set the file system file attributes (`File:FileAccessDate` is typically not writable)
    & "$exiftool" -verbose -verbose -extractEmbedded `
        '-Quicktime:CreateDate>File:FileCreateDate' `
        '-Quicktime:CreateDate>File:FileModifyDate' `
        $file
}

function ProcessAVI
{
    Param(
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)][String]$file
    )
    Write-Verbose "$exiftool '$file'"
    # set the file system file attributes (`File:FileAccessDate` is typically not writable)
    & "$exiftool" -verbose -verbose -extractEmbedded `
        '-RIFF:DateTimeOriginal>File:FileCreateDate' `
        '-RIFF:DateTimeOriginal>File:FileModifyDate' `
        $file
}

try {
    # XXX: fallback path is hardcoded to my location
    $exiftool = "$HOME\Apps\exiftool-12.42\exiftool.exe"
    if ($null -ne (Get-Command "exiftool.exe" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
        $exiftool = (
            Get-Command "exiftool.exe" -CommandType Application -TotalCount 1 | ForEach-Object {
                "$_"
            }
        )
    }
    # verify exiftool can run
    & "$exiftool" -ver

    $compare = [System.StringComparison]::CurrentCultureIgnoreCase

    # user passed single .jpg file
    if ((Test-Path -Path $Path -PathType Leaf) -AND (
            $Path.EndsWith(".jpg", $compare) -OR $Path.EndsWith(".jpeg", $compare)
        )
        ) {
        # see datetime attributes before
        PrintDates $Path
        ProcessJPG $Path
        # see datetime attributes after
        PrintDates $Path
    # user passed single .mp4 file
    } elseif ((Test-Path -Path $Path -PathType Leaf) -AND $Path.EndsWith(".mp4", $compare)) {
        # see datetime attributes before
        PrintDates $Path
        ProcessMP4 $Path
        # see datetime attributes after
        PrintDates $Path
    # user passed single .avi file
    } elseif ((Test-Path -Path $Path -PathType Leaf) -AND $Path.EndsWith(".avi", $compare)) {
        # see datetime attributes before
        PrintDates $Path
        ProcessAVI $Path
        # see datetime attributes after
        PrintDates $Path
    # user passed directory
    } elseif (Test-Path -Path $Path -PathType Container) {
        Get-ChildItem $Path -Recurse -File -Filter "*.jpg" `
            | Sort-Object -Property FullName `
            | ForEach-Object { ProcessJPG $_ }
        Get-ChildItem $Path -Recurse -File -Filter "*.jpeg" `
            | Sort-Object -Property FullName `
            | ForEach-Object { ProcessJPG $_ }
        Get-ChildItem $Path -Recurse -File -Filter "*.mp4" `
            | Sort-Object -Property FullName `
            | ForEach-Object { ProcessMP4 $_ }
        Get-ChildItem $Path -Recurse -File -Filter "*.avi" `
            | Sort-Object -Property FullName `
            | ForEach-Object { ProcessAVI $_ }
    # user passed unhandled file
    } else {
        Write-Error "Unhandled file $Path"
    }
} catch {
    # set `$ErrorActionPreference` *before* calling `Write-Error`
    $ErrorActionPreference = "Continue"
    Write-Error $_.ScriptStackTrace
    Write-Error -Message $_.Exception.Message
} finally {
    # restore to original shell value
    $ErrorActionPreference = $erroractionpreference_
    # presumably was already 0
    #Set-PSDebug -Trace 0
}