Aperture 3 Exif-data date is incorrect

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Level 1

35 points

Aperture 3 Exif-data date is incorrect

I have searched the discussions data-base but could not find a solution for my problem;

I upgraded my hard-disk this week and imported Aperture library from a back-up. Had to erase my back-ups when I started a new TimeMachine back-up (have two hard-disks in my MacBook Pro now, HDD and SSD).

Yesterday I noticed that Aperture exif-data date is incorrect in all my photos - execept the very new ones taken this year.

There is no specific time-difference between the actual time and the time that Aperture but in all photos the year is 2013. The time, day and month seem to be correct.

Exif is shown correctly in Reveal and in Preview, so this narrows the problem to Aperture 3.

I tired to repair and to rebuild the data-base, without a luck with this problem. Many distorted previews were corrected though.

Does anyone have experienced the same, or do you have any idea on how to fix this without exporting and re-importing all the pictures after re-installing aperture???

I tried to re-import a picture, but the exif-date stays the same, y. 2013 despite it's real date is in 2009.

Aperture 3

Posted on Mar 9, 2013 1:05 AM

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Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Mar 9, 2013 1:54 AM in response to mwaltari

imported Aperture library from a back-up

How exactly did you "import" the Aperture Library from your backup? Did you restore the library or import it into a new library?

What kind of backup was it? A vault, a Time Machine backup, a clone? Or the Time Machine Backup you just erased?

Are all dates incorrect or only the EXIF dates? The Info panel can also be set to show

EXIF > Date

Image > Date Created

Aperture > Last Modified Date

Aperture > Import Session

Are the "Date Created" and "Last Modified Date" o.k.?

Regards

Léonie

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Answer 2

mwaltari Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 9, 2013 2:12 AM in response to léonie

It was a TimeMachine backup that I have already deleted from my Time Capsule, and I imported the last backup file of my library to the new SSD, whereas the referenced library backup I imported to my newly formatted 1TB HDD (which is replacing my old DVD drive).

EXIF date and date created are incorrect (2013 instead of the real 2010).

However, when I exported an original file in to a folder year/month/date, the folders are named correctly 2010/09/30.

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Mar 9, 2013 2:29 AM in response to mwaltari

It was a TimeMachine backup that I have already deleted from my Time Capsule, and I imported the last backup file of my library to the new SSD, whereas the referenced library backup I imported to my newly formatted 1TB HDD (which is replacing my old DVD drive).

When I restored my library from Time Machine the Setup Assistant copied the library from the TM backup to the SSD, and my dates are all correct. You did not use the intial setup or Migration Assistant, but copied or restored the library from Time Machine? Did you dive into the TimeTunnel to let Time Machine restore it, or did you copy it from the backup using the Finder?

Maybe the different method of copying from the backup accounts for the date differences.

What is your Aperture 3 version? Mine is AP 3.4.3.

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Answer 4

mwaltari Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 9, 2013 2:51 AM in response to léonie

Hi Leonie

my Aperture is also 3.4.3.

I did not use migration assistant or timetunnel, I simply dived in to the finder to get what I needed.

This might be the reason for the problem.

Perhaps I should re-install everything, and my Aperture library of about 11k pictures needs to be re-created... any tips to solve this?

Appreciate your opinion.

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Answer 5

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Mar 9, 2013 3:31 AM in response to mwaltari

It is a pity, that you had to erase the original TM backup.

And you are saying, that repairing and rebuilding the library did not help.

Perhaps I should re-install everything,

Reinstalling Aperture will not help, since the problem is with your library and not with the program.

So you'll have to fix the library that you have now. It will be a lot of work to manually correct the dates. Before you start, make sure your backup is current and readable.

I see two ways to get this fiexed.

You said, that exporting the originals and reimporting gave the correct dates, but this way you will lose your edits and captions (you could use the lift&stamp tool however to stamp the annotations and edits from your current versions onto the reimported images).
Since only the years seem to be off, you could use "Metadata > Adjust Date and Time" to batch change the dates for one project at a time. I would refrain from writing the changes to the EXIF, since your EXIF dates are o.k.

Léonie

P.S. One more thing to try: Aperture recreates the library when importing into a new, empty library. You could try to import your current library into a new library and see, if the EXIF are interpreted correctly.

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Answer 6

mwaltari Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 9, 2013 5:28 AM in response to léonie

I tried to create a new library, and after exporting originals from one album, I imported these photos to the new one. The result is the same: summer 2013, even though the exif data in the originals is correct.

So I quess I'll have to go deeper and re-install OSX.

Anyway, your advice helps me to advance.

m

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Answer 7

mwaltari Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 9, 2013 7:26 AM in response to mwaltari

Needless to say, I was very stupid to wipe both of my backup disks too soon after installation. Everything SEEMED to be ok, but I was wrong.

A real spring-cleaning of my library is unavoidable ;-)

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Answer 8

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Mar 9, 2013 7:41 AM in response to mwaltari

Good luck!

At least your photos are all save.

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Answer 9

mwaltari Author

Level 1

35 points

Mar 19, 2013 3:00 AM in response to mwaltari

To end the story happily; Fortunately it was just enough to re-instal Aperture and use the old library file. I did re-import it to the SSD, but didn't move the referenced files around from the HDD. Problem solved.

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