I’m setting up a database to hold statements, some old, stored elsewhere. So, with these older statements, I import directly to global inbox, through print. But I want to change the create date to the date of the statement. I use a utility to change the file from finder, and when using get info, I confirm that the file has a new date, even when I use Preview. Except DT. It always stays at the imported date. Even if I launch Preview through DT, Preview displays the modified create date. So does this mean DT stores the file info in the database, instead of accessing the file real time?
If I understood your post correctly, you used a utility external to the database to modify Creation Date of files stored inside the database package file.
If so, DT wasn’t aware of your actions. Select one of those files in a database view and choose File > Synchronize. What’s the Creation Date?
Synchronize doesn’t change the date displayed in DT. Is there an easier way to change the date so DT is aware? Aside, of course, from importing to, say, the desktop, changing the date, then importing into DT.
Install the script in /Home/Library/Application Support/DEVONthink Pro 2/Scripts/Dates/.
In DEVONthink Pro/Office, choose its Scripts menu (stylized scroll symbol) and choose ‘Update Scripts Menu’.
Now select a document in the database and invoke that script. Enter a date in the suggested format. Both the Creation and Modification dates will be reset.
Also looking for a solution to the same problem, but the link (provided above) is broken. Is the script still available, or is there another (easier) way to change the create date (in metadata) for a file?
Thanks, but that script seems to apply to the Modification Date, not to the Create Date. Also, it comes back with a format error, if no changes are made.
Presumably not that difficult to edit, and replace Modification Date with Create Date, thou my attempt would not compile for some reason. Also, the Create Date should be prior to any Modification.
Getting date format errors whenever I try to use that script. Possibly because the USA date format is inverted and different from the rest of the world? (ie. Not in logical ascending or descending order)! Eg.
DTP sample error message:
Invalid date and time 11/24/2012.
Bill_DeVille wrote:
What date format are you using, MM/DD/YYYY, or DD/MM/YYYY?
Reply:
We are using DD/MM/YYYY for all applications, which is the worldwide standard. (And far more logical)! All of the DTPO date fields on my setup are populated correctly in that DD/MM/YYYY format.
The change-date scripts come up as MM/DD/YYYY. However, if only the day is changed (for example) it still objects and shows an error message. So, does the script need to be edited to match the DD/MM/YYYY standard?
Perhaps we should look at other applications to change the dates, such as “A Better Finder Attributes”. Thou I don’t know how that might impact the metadata. And it would be a lot of extra work.
Is there any chance that this feature could be provided in a future release of DTP?
Agreed, YYYYMMDD would certainly be best. May write to Congress to request a new law, but they probably have other priorities (darn it).
Tried entering DD/MM/YYYY into the existing (supplied) “change modified-date” script, and it appears to work somehow. An ugly work-arround until a better option show up. Or, until I learn how to edit scripts so that they actually compile.
Perhaps the boffins at DT will add the date-change option to a future release. It would seem to be a very useful, widely-requested feature.
Ok, but changing the OS-X global time/date setup affects EVERYTHING else. All other applications, file etc. And there is no telling what sort of chaos that might cause. Plus, when the DT database is exported, there may be further “issues”. For example, selecting a UK Region seems to force Pages to default to A4 format paper. Toodlepip.
What may be useful would be a way to set such formats directly from within DT.
That custom date setting didn’t affect localization and causes no problems with other applications. I’ve been doing this for years. It’s just part of Apple’s bag of tricks provided to users of OS X.
If I send a file from my Mac to a different Mac, the Creation and Modification dates of the file will be displayed in the date format set for the second Mac. There’s no problem.
If a script asks for date entry in the form MM/DD/YYYY, that’s how I will enter it. OS X understands dates and can display them as the user wishes.
