Files on MTP device shown with date 01.01.1970

[PaulHH]

Dear FFS-users!

When I want to transfer files from a Fujifilm camera to the SSD (Win10 Pro) all files are shown and transferred with date 01.01.1970 01:00:00. Windows explorer itself dates the files with correct times.
The camera is connectet with USB-C to the computer, and recognized as MTP device. Windows10 22H2, FFS version 11.28.
Is this behaviour known? Can it be avoided?

Thank you for help or hints!
Paul

[therube]

(I know nothing of MTP, but...)

Missing time stamps: Many MTP-attached devices, particularly older ones, do not report file timestamps via the protocol, causing them to be lost when files are copied/moved to or from a computer. Files such as JPEG photos with embedded Exif data still have timestamps internally (and utilities exist to restore the file timestamps based on these), but this workaround is not available for other types of files without such internal metadata.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Transfer_Protocol

Right-click one of the column headers in Explorer, and select to enable the "Created" and/or "Modified" columns.

https://superuser.com/questions/1104645/show-file-dates-from-mtp-device

(so, kind of basically what you've said...)

[Zenju]

Is this behaviour known? Can it be avoided?

Possibly. FFS could certainly do whatever Explorer is doing (if it makes sense). But first we need a sample, i.e. a screenshot of the attributes of a particular file, both in Windows Explorere and the WPD tool:

viewtopic.php?t=4953

https://www.mediafire.com/file/esuors6i88u1ahf/WPD_Tools_32-bit.rar

[PaulHH]

Hello therube,
thank you for your hints! The Fujifilm camera is more or less brand new, but nevertheless the time stamp is missing. In explorer I had activated the column "created", so I could see the create time stamp.

[PaulHH]

Hello Zenju,
also thanks for your tool! That's what explorer and WPD tool are showing:

wpd tool file _DSF0887.JPG (209.41 KiB) Viewed 1097 times

Here is a screenshot of what explorer shows:

explorer ansicht sd karteninhalt.jpg (61.09 KiB) Viewed 1097 times

(Hm. I don't know how to place the sreenshots correctly...)

The WPD_Object_Date-Created value is correct.

The third screenshot displays the view in FFS.

FFS ansicht sd karteninhalt.jpg (45.34 KiB) Viewed 1097 times

[Zenju]

Thanks! Windows Explorer doesn't show the modification time. The column "Geändert" remains empty. But it shows "Bild aufgenommen am", which is apparently the creation time. The question is how does Explorer behave during file copy? What modification time does a file get when its copied off the MTP device to a local folder?

[Zenju]

Here's a version that falls back on creation time if modification time is not available for the MTP device: https://www.mediafire.com/file/x5ffgwrbzql3et3/FreeFileSync_11.29_%255BBeta%255D_Windows_Setup%25283%2529.exe

[PaulHH]

Thank you, Zenju, for the beta version. Unluckily date time behavior remains.

FFS 11.29beta view sd content.jpg (38.61 KiB) Viewed 1066 times

(Now I lost the donation installation, so I will revert to FFS 11.28 ;)

Maybe for your interest...? There are 4 possibilities of time stamps in explorer for JPGs: Date of photography (Aufnahmedatum), date (Datum), date of creation (Erstelldatum), and modification date (Änderungsdatum). The first two are identically and represent the date of taking the picture. Third and fourth identically, too. They show the time when further meta data where written to the JPGs.

explorer view meta data appl.jpg (27.29 KiB) Viewed 1066 times

It seems to be an unusual, specific problem... I changed the way to backup photo files, because my card reader cannot read the new sd xc card. So I try to do it directly from the camera via FFS. I didn't expect any difficulties. Now I know it better: MTP has it's disantvantages. I will buy a new card reader.

Thanx a lot for your time and investigation!

[Zenju]

Programming error fixed: https://www.mediafire.com/file/8kr7hm56f77kjru/FreeFileSync_11.29_%255BBeta%255D_Windows_Setup%25284%2529.exe

[PaulHH]

That's very kind of you! Unfortunately this beta doesn't work. Installation creates five different error messages, and than quits. (It is 1 MB smaller than the first beta or the 11.28 installation routine...) This is the first error message:

FFS 11.29beta error message.jpg (19.34 KiB) Viewed 1053 times

Apparently I am the only one who 'suffers' on that problem. But never mind, Zenju, buying a new card reader should pass around the MTP disadvantages.

Thank you very much! I use FFS for years, and never had problems with your program. Great job the program as well as your support!

[Zenju]

Oh my: https://www.mediafire.com/file/bf03iww3igj28y1/FreeFileSync_11.29_%255BBeta%255D_Windows_Setup%25286%2529.exe

[PaulHH]

Oh yes! ;) Works!