Level 1

20 points

Video dates always wrong (and not only)

I couldn't wait to use my new full-extra MacBook Pro 16'' to add all my past photos and have a complete and ordered library, until I started using this very problematic Photo app. Sorry, but this app is not at all Apple! I will attempt to make a list of the issues and bugs that I encountered, but right now what is most urgent is the first:

Dates in imported videos are always ignored and the current date is applied to all of them: You change the file creation dates before you import the files, you change the file modification dates, heck you even use special utilities to change the EXIF and metadata whatnot dates, but no. Nothing. You import your lifetime's videos in Photos and you realise that your whole life lasted no more than one second! Everything happened the exact same date and time: Today and now!
No batch-edit of dates: Given the above huge bug, Photos app doesn't even give you the chance to correct the mistake! You can't batch-edit a number of videos (or photos for that matter). You can't simply grab all the videos from your daughter's birthday and make their dates equal to your daughter's actual birthday! No! You have to edit them o.n.e.-b.y.-o.n.e. And very s...l...o...w...l...y too. Because otherwise you'll get tendonitis from right clicking, selecting Get info, typing the date and time on the window, clicking ok, and clicking the next picture or video, for each and every one of the hundreds or thousands you might have!
All of the above, combined with a very slow and buggy database and combined with the extremely low speed of the iCloud for uploading, makes your life miserable and messes up even your corrected photos.
You can't edit your photos and your videos like you do on your iPhone or iPad! There is an edit button, but it does a lot less than on the mobile devices! Crazy. You can't rotate videos. You can't crop them. You can't light them. You can't trim them and keep the original...
Lastly, what happens to your photo and video files when you import them is also a mystery! The "package" of your library (if you open it) is very complicated. The photos appear to be randomly located in various random folders with random names. There is absolutely no order. No years. No months. No Album names. Nothing. It's all such a big secret what Apple does to your photos after you entrust them to their messy Photos App. And if you decide that the Photos App is not good for you (shame on you!) then sorry, but you can't get your pictures back out in an orderly fashion. You'll have to get them with random names and in various random folders so that you do all the job of sorting them out! You should have kept a backup! You should keep them twice on your hard disk!

I am really disappointed with the unnecessary complexity and with the lack of functionality of Photos App. Please Apple. Make your Photos App the Apple way. This is not you.

MacBook Pro 16", macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 21, 2020 6:04 PM

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stuartfromtwickenham

Level 1

23 points

Posted on Mar 27, 2020 10:18 AM

You say, “No batch-edit of dates”. I am not sure what you mean. I do it all the time. Select a bunch or photos or videos and Image, Adjust Date & Time. The time changes for them all (using the offset between the time displayed and the time you enter for all the photos, which is ideal if they have upload time as they are still grouped and in the same order).

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19 replies

Yer_Man

Level 10

166,332 points

Mar 22, 2020 9:09 AM in response to NikoSilver

The editing panel is the one that arrives when you click on the edit button, and offers something like this:

That's about half of the options on that panel. Scroll for more.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that your idea of how Photos should work is important. Apple make it and it works the way they want it to work. It offers the features that they think it should have. They give it away for free. It is, in fact, a cost to them. This is not a debate. This is what they offer. You like it? Good. You don't. Well use something else then. (Which, incidentally, is what I have done.)

There are other apps that also available across all platforms - Adobe's Lightroom or Mylio being two off the top of my head. So, neither compulsory or even necessary. You'll find that almost all Apple's software works on the basis of offering basic, useful features that are limited. If you want more, go to a third party developer. Want to make a cute newsletter? Use Pages. Want to layout a PhD thesis? Buy Word or Mellel or whatever you prefer. So, not happy with Photos, check out other apps that offer similar features (or better in most cases), and find one that works for you.

The innards of the Library is the that way because of cloud syncing. No photo app that Apple has ever made has been interchangeable with the Finder, and, in fact, making changes via the Finder was always a very good way to corrupt them. If you find exporting tedious then I'm afraid Apple's answer might be a diplomatic version of 'tough.'

So why not use an app that does not only you want but also in the way you prefer. Frankly, that's what I did.

NikoSilver Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 22, 2020 10:30 AM in response to Yer_Man

Thank you again, Terence

The editing panel is the one that arrives when you click on the edit button, and offers something like this:

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/70a413e7-dca8-41ec-9bbe-52988423dea7

That's about half of the options on that panel. Scroll for more.

This editing panel -in my case- appears only for pictures. For videos everything is greyed out as I said. Like in the attached screenshot below: Am I doing something wrong?

Don't make the mistake of thinking that your idea of how Photos should work is important. Apple make it and it works the way they want it to work. It offers the features that they think it should have. They give it away for free. It is, in fact, a cost to them. This is not a debate. This is what they offer. You like it? Good. You don't. Well use something else then. (Which, incidentally, is what I have done.)

I'm not sure it works this way with Apple, but we don't need to start a debate. Apple takes great pride in the quality and simplicity of their proprietary software and this is the main reason that their hardware is sold 5 times more expensive than anything comparable (without such software).

There are other apps that also available across all platforms - Adobe's Lightroom or Mylio being two off the top of my head. So, neither compulsory or even necessary. You'll find that almost all Apple's software works on the basis of offering basic, useful features that are limited. If you want more, go to a third party developer. Want to make a cute newsletter? Use Pages. Want to layout a PhD thesis? Buy Word or Mellel or whatever you prefer. So, not happy with Photos, check out other apps that offer similar features (or better in most cases), and find one that works for you.

I'm really interested in what you have chosen to replace the cross-platform Photo Album and how this integrates with the photos you take, you receive and you share with your iPhone. Also if that software does the things I request above.

The innards of the Library is the that way because of cloud syncing. No photo app that Apple has ever made has been interchangeable with the Finder, and, in fact, making changes via the Finder was always a very good way to corrupt them. If you find exporting tedious then I'm afraid Apple's answer might be a diplomatic version of 'tough.'

Wrong. The photos app for pc used to be with folders etc and I have its backup folders right in front of me. Perfect order. Changes via the Finder cannot corrupt a database if it works in a clever way: Let Photo App database keep only everything ELSE that is not included in the files and directory trees and attributes and dates! Anyway, that's also a big debate we better avoid...

So why not use an app that does not only you want but also in the way you prefer. Frankly, that's what I did.

I seriously doubt you can get a photo right now with your phone and it will be automatically included in all your libraries without doing anything, but I wish you can prove me wrong!

Incidentally, I found one script for keeping the same date. Thanks.

Are there any scripts for choosing the File Modification (or Creation) Date for the import? (this should be pretty simple).

Thanks again for your time and for your willingness to help.

Old Toad

Level 10

217,256 points

Mar 27, 2020 10:03 AM in response to NikoSilver

Sorry but I cannot follow the logic of the excuse. Photos for Mac app should be able to edit videos just as well as it does it on my iPhone.

That's why they call it Photos. If you want to edit videos use iMovie.

It is what it is. If you don't like what Apple offers tell Apple what missing features you'd like restored or new features added in Photos via Feedback - Photos - Apple

The rest of us have learned to use the tools offered with the Macs.

Yer_Man

Level 10

166,332 points

Mar 27, 2020 10:52 AM in response to NikoSilver

You are the one who was trying to convince me that videos can be edited on the Mac like the can on the iPhone, and you even posted a screenshot to show me how, when in fact you thought we were talking about pictures...

Yes, I misunderstood you. I was showing you that Photos for the Mac has a large number of editing tools. So your point is?

when it is absolutely awkward for a computer app to have less features than its version for a phone!

Apparently not. Apple are doing it with no awkwardness at all.

File dates vs non-existent video metadata dates is a very simple and basic thing which doesn't need more than 10 lines of code in the next update.

Lovely. So what? Why do you keep telling me this? I don't make the app. You're back to this imaginary photos app that you think should exist. Here in the real world...

Changing the field where the imported videos get their timestamp from is not a "feature" compared to all that! It is a bug fix! It is a tiny improvement!

I'll ask you for a source for that assertion, but on previous experience you'll just ignore it. Again, here in the real world... so what? You're welcome to that opinion. Now, what does that actually achieve? How much closer are you to solving your problem?

and frustration from thousands of users

Source for that number? No?

Stop acting like it's a special and sophisticated "feature request" because this does not help.

Well it does actually. Apple don't promise to read any thing on this forum. They do promise to read the feedback forms. You want them to know your thoughts/ideas/wishes... that's how you do it. So, I was pointing you to a method that might get to the people with the power to fix your issue. What's that? A Thank you? Your welcome.

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Video dates always wrong (and not only)