Changing Timestamp

Post any Bulk Rename Utility support requirements here. Open to all registered users.

Changing Timestamp

Postby jjrogers » Sat Apr 01, 2006 3:38 am

I have just downloaded your latest version and pleased to see the new enhancements.

I have been attempting to change the Creation date of my files, but I am unable to do this, unless I change the filename first (which is alluded to in the help file). Is there a reason I just can't change the creation date, without changing the file name?
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No further luck

Postby jjrogers » Sat Apr 01, 2006 6:29 am

I have renamed all the files, but the Timestamp feature stubbornly refuses to work. I have somehow managed to change the date of all the files in the folder (not sure how I did this), but I still can't seem to change individual files.
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Postby Admin » Sat Apr 01, 2006 2:06 pm

Yes, at the moment you have to also rename the files in order to activate the attributs/timestamp functionality. I'm in two minds as to whether to change this or not - I do *not* want BRU to become anything other than a File Rename utility!

Not sure why you can't get the timestamp change to work; however I've just uploaded a new beta, perhaps you could give that a try?


Jim
Last edited by Admin on Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby jjrogers » Mon Apr 03, 2006 4:11 am

I will give the beta a try when I get a moment. It would be really good for me if you could make the timestamp a stand-alone facility. The main use I have for the bulk rename utility is to update my digital photos. I can get a really good set, listed in order and with sensible names (instead of P0308090.jpg!) however on the odd time that my camera battery has run out, and I have neglected to reset the date and time, it would really have been helpful to be able to just change all the timestamps before I started on the rename.

Another question, how soon do I have to change the timestamp after I have changed the names? I went through and updated all the names, then wanted to go through and change the timestamps, and once again it wouldn't work. Do I have to change the name then immediately change the timestamp?
(I realise this question may be redundant if the new beta works).
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Postby Admin » Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:08 am

No, all you do is make your settings in the Timestamps dialogue box. Then when you rename the files the timestamps will be set according to your preference. There's no concept of "how long", it all happens as part of the process.


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Postby BRUFolio » Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:57 pm

Jim,

It would seem to me that BRU is more than just a filename utility but a "file identity" utility. In other words, it changes all sorts of identifying characteristics of a file, the name, the attributes and the date/time stamps.

I don't think that enabling a seperate functionality to change just one file identifying characteristic and not others would compromise your original vision of BRU as being, basically, a file-identity-changing-utility. On the contrary, it just appears to be a natural extension of your brilliance in what you have come up with in BRU.
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Postby Admin » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:15 pm

I'll think on it. It's not a trivial change, as all the "rename" logic is based upon the filenames being different, but I'll see if it's practical.


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Postby Admin » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:07 am

This change is in the latest beta.
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My observations with beta 2,3,2,8

Postby BRUFolio » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:30 pm

Jim,

I have observed the following:

the attributes are working backwards.
if i set to clear, it sets,
if i set to set, it clears.

the display is not updating correctly for the attributes.
any file that i select, the attribute display in the "attributes" column changes according to my setting like what the "new" attribute setting will be, but if i unselect that file by clicking on another one, that display remains as though the file had been changed. This is unlike the "New Name" column which changes when selected and unselected...

i have set one file's attributes several times, and now BRU will not display it's proper attributes the same as Win Explorer shows. but if i close BRU and then open BRU again, and go to that folder, it then displays the attributes properly.

When I do an AUTO-DATE, and have it set to change the date, it previews the old-file-date in the "New Name" column and that is what the filename is changed to.

I can under several conditions, get an error message stating:
"an unnamed file was not found"
I "think" this is because after a renaming, the BRU display does not do an automatic refresh, which I think that it should, after any renaming or re-dating or re-attributing change is made... so what i think is happening is that i change an attribute or a filename, and after this operation the old filename is still displaying in the "Name" column and i select that file to rename again, but i don't know it has already been renamed because the display did not refresh and i didn't press F5... If i press F5, then all is well.
But, just now having done it again, i am not too sure of my assesment of the reason...

there appears to be a discrepancy between the hours, perhaps due to the daylight savings setting of Windows, now that we have entered daylight savings time? Perhaps BRU is getting the time from some other low-level location other than what the Windows System Clock is displaying? If i set windows clock to not automatically adjust for daylight savings time, then it appears to work well. there may be nothing more that you can do other than document this to your users?


also, BRU's uninstallation routine does not clean out all registry settings and keys. It should. Updating is one thing, but when someone wants a program removed it is only polite and correct to remove all reg keys and settings, cleanly. This may be the fault of the tarma installer? we use install shield and it does a great job of cleaning up all its tracks upon an uninstall/removal...



Also, I really NEED that "last accessed" date included as well, if possible. I know that date changes a lot but when we burn a master disc to send to replicators it does matter to us to have that set. it does not change when the burning software accesses it and it does come through on the burned disc with all three dates set like we wish (usually always all three dates and times the same).


sorry, i am not trying to be critical, but trying to be helpful...
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Postby Admin » Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:13 pm

Hi, and many thanks for beta-testing this release. That's what beta-testing is all about :-))


the attributes are working backwards.
if i set to clear, it sets,
if i set to set, it clears

A Typo by me, this should be sorted now.

the display is not updating correctly for the attributes.

This should also be fixed.

When I do an AUTO-DATE, and have it set to change the date, it previews the old-file-date in the "New Name" column and that is what the filename is changed to.


It depends what you ahd the auto-date value set to. Was it Created (Curr) or Created (New)? I found a strange issue in this area, which should now be fixed anyway.


an unnamed file was not found"


It doesn't relate to the refresh, but seems to relate to a Windows "feature". It only started happening since I introduced the SetStatus call, to update the timestamps. I can recreate it myself if I try to chaneg the attributes on a read-only file (now fixed) or ona folder (now disabled). But I've yet to work out the precise cause.

there appears to be a discrepancy between the hours


Seems fine to me. I'm in GMT, and am now in summer-time (e.g. BST, or GMT+1) and the time seems accurate. I'm calling the GetLocalTime routine, so everything should be in local time.


BRU's uninstallation routine does not clean out all registry settings and keys


You haven't qualified your note, so I'm not sure what it's leaving behind. Can you clarify? Try with the latest version (just uploaded, .9) as I've done a sanity-check.

I tried InstallShield, but found it to be complete bloatware. Tarma is nice and light - and very manageable.

last accessed"


It's unlikely to be added I'm afraid. It might happen, but it would be another phase. I've spent a lot of time on BRU lately and need to take a step back for a while, so I'm ot adding any new features now for this phase.

Hope this helps. Thanks again for your excellent and thorough testing.



Jim
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Postby BRUFolio » Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:43 pm

Jim,

thanks, I do a lot of beta testing but this is the first of any real sort i've done for you, so, wasn't sure how you would react :D

Registry Cleanup:
I went through the registry after uninstalling and searched for bulk or rename and found several references. This key i found searching for willsher:
HKEY_USERS\S-x-x-xx-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxx\Software\Jim Willsher

I removed the exact numbers to not divulge identifying info, if there was any in that exact key name,,,

here is another one:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Jim Willsher\Bulk Rename Utility

there may be other keys, but you should be able to check what Tarma puts in and do an install and remove on a virgin machine and see if any other traces are scattered???



AUTO-DATE
My bad: I forgot about that drop-down. Sorry...




unnammed file not found
I tried renaming a file with AUTO=DATE and it did rename the file with the correct auto-=date but it failed to change the attribute as i had specified to set to R/O and clear the H and A attributes. I got this error message and the filename was changed but the attribute was not, it is still an A.




discrepancy between the hours
Within BRU, i have set the dialog to set the time to 02:10:06 and the display in BRU shows it will be changed to 3:10:06, and when i make the change Win Explorer shows it to be set at 2:10:06 but BRU still shows it to be set to 3:10:06. I close BRU and open and it still displays it at 3:10:06.



Installshield
We have heavy duty needs and this is not a fast/light installer. Tarma may well be just what you need for a small utility and it perhaps just needs some settings changed so it can remove all reg keys,,,


Last Accessed
Can't use BRU for dates without last accessed being included.
I'll keep BRU for names, but use the other utility for filedates if BRU don't do all three.
Of course, there is NO other utility like BRU for renaming, so, i'll be keeping track of your progress in this area,,,

thanks so much for your great strides in this arena...[/b]
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Postby Admin » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:19 pm

I'll be able to add the Last Accessed data in a future release. It won't be a new column on the screen, but you will have the ability to update it via the Timestamp screen.
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Postby BRUFolio » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:33 pm

Jim,

Not having a "Last Accessed" column is quite acceptable.
we always set all three dates to the same identical "release date" so not having a column is no biggie since we'll be looking at them in explorer after the fact anyways...

when this gets polished with these last date/time/attributes features, i plan to do an advertising blitz for you on forums i frequent that have users who "need" BRU and just don't know it yet...

and i plan to "strongly" suggest that they donate...

I also will be donating more later as well...

thanks again for all your efforts on our behalf...
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Postby Admin » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:38 pm

We'll have to see if we (yes we :-) ) can solve this time-offset feature. I'm in GMT (BST) which makes it difficult to test, but I guess you're in a different timezone so you might be able to assist.

Anyway, I'll see if I can add this last date....


Jim
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Postby BRUFolio » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:41 pm

I am only too happy to help.
I am an experienced beta tester, for some rather large (and small) software development companies...

and we develop our own software and i test that as well,,,

i really like BRU and want to see it evolve for sure, especially in this arena.
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