Windows Explorer

[Louise Coffey]

What I'm trying to do is to set up a timeline procedure
for digital photos, which needs to be acceptable in a
court of law.
I've been trying to do this through Windows Explorer's
standard view which shows Name, Size, Type, Date
Modified, etc.
When I download the photos, the time and date (from the
camera) is shown under Date Modified. Date Created and
Date Accessed will show the time the photos were
downloaded and the file created. If I make any changes
to the photos, the date and time will change in Date
Modified (which means that I lose the time they were
taken).
I notice there is an option for Date Picture Taken.
However, when I select this, nothing is shown. Can
anyone tell me how this option works. If this would
work, then I would have everything I need...I would have
when the pictures were taken (Date Picture Taken), when
they were downloaded (Date Created), and if any changes
were made (Date Modified).
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Yves Alarie]

Date Picture Taken will be displayed if you have a fairly recent (probably 3
years or so) camera. Attached to the jpg file is an EXIF file and this
contains a lot of info about the photo including date and time taken. To see
if you have this, right click on a photo and click on Properties and then on
the Picture tab. Is date and time listed there? If so you should be able to
display it when you select Details view and add the column Date Picture
Taken.

If you can see the date from the Picture Tab, but the date is not displayed
under the column "Date...." (the column is blank) fix this this way:
Click on Start, click on Run and type the following in the opening textbox:
REGSVR32 SHIMGVW.DLL
and press the Enter key.
Note that there is a space between ...32 and SHI....

You should then be able to see the date. You can also sort (list) the files
by date by simply clicking on the column heading to sort ascending, click
again for descending order. Then you can click on the Name heading to sort
by name again.

You should be aware that if you copy the files to a CD-R, the date will not
be listed in the Date Picture Taken column. The column will be blank. In
order to get the date you will have to go to Properties and Picture tab.

 

[Louise Coffey]

The cameras are less than 3 years old. When I right
click on a photo in Windows Explorer and select
properties, the only tabs I have are General, Security
and Summary. I don't know where to find the Picture tab
you're referring to.
My operating system is Windows XP.

 

[Yves Alarie]

Then run
REGSVR32 SHIMGVW.DLL
and see if you get a Picture Tab after running it.
Something is wrong if you don't get a Picture Tab. This is standard with XP.
If you don't get a Picture Tab, the date picture taken is not available and
so XP cannot list it. Even if your camera does not save an EXIF file, when
you right click on a photo and then on Properties you should have a Picture
Tab.
What kind of camera (model # etc.) do you have?
There is perhaps another possibility. Your folder is not set as a Picture
folder. Right click on the folder name, click on Properties, click on the
Customize tab and select Picture for folder type.
Or perhaps you edited the photos with older photo editing software not
capable of reading and saving the EXIF file, but even then you should have a
Picture tab.

 

[John Inzer]

Then run
REGSVR32 SHIMGVW.DLL
and see if you get a Picture Tab after running it.
Something is wrong if you don't get a Picture Tab.
This is standard with XP.

===========================================
Yves, the Picture tab must be added by something you
installed...possibly PhotoShop. I know I don't have it and
my system is operating correctly. There is an Advanced
button on the Summary tab that lists the EXIF info.

--

John Inzer
Picture It! MVP
return e-mail disabled

Picture It! Support Center
http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=pic

 

[John Inzer]

The cameras are less than 3 years old. When I right
click on a photo in Windows Explorer and select
properties, the only tabs I have are General, Security
and Summary. I don't know where to find the Picture tab
you're referring to.
My operating system is Windows XP.

===========================================
On your Summary tab do you have an Advanced Button?

--

John Inzer
Picture It! MVP
return e-mail disabled

Picture It! Support Center
http://support.microsoft.com/?pr=pic

 

[Yves Alarie]

You must be right that this Picture tab may have been installed by Photoshop
or some other photo editing software I have. Darn. I hate this when
something is added to XP with no warning.
But not all is lost, as you wrote, there is an Advanced button on the
Summary tab and the EXIF information is also listed there.
Thanks for picking this up. I have to keep this in mind in future answers.

 

[Yves Alarie]

There is an easier way to find out if you have Date Picture taken.
Just place your mouse pointer over a photo file name or thumbnail. A textbox
will open.
The first item listed will be Dimensions of the picture in pixels. The
second item will be Date and time picture taken. If this is listed there,
you can then see it in the Details view if you add the column Date picture
taken.
Just in case, if not listed do the following:
Click on Start, click on Run and type the following in the textbox:
REGSVR32 SHIMGVW.DLL
and press the Enter key.
Note that there is a space between ...32 and SHI...

Then try again to see if the date is listed.