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Forum Discussion
Why does DropBox rename photos based on modification date rather than creation date?
Previously, DropBox renamed camera uploads based on the photos creation date (EXIF: Date/Time Original). This makes sense because you want the photos to be name-sorted based on when they were taken. ...
So I kept going down this rabbit hole and found some useful info at DropBox. It doesn't address the actual renaming of photos, but it does address the modification date changes. Here's a sample of what DB addresses:
BEGIN:
Will Dropbox preserve the modified date of a file or folder if I upload or download it to my account?
To preserve the modified date of a file, upload or download the file using the Dropbox desktop app.
Note: A file’s modified date will not be preserved if the file is uploaded or downloaded using dropbox.com or a mobile device.
#END#
I also learned from another forum that if you move (not copy, move) a file or folder from one system to another, such as from your computer to online DropBox, the files are basically first copied over and then the original deleted by that action, which is officially a "modification." Sometimes even a new "creation." If you move it within the system, such as from one folder to another on your hard drive, it preserves the creation/modification dates. Anyway, I hope this helps us rabbits get closer this finish line.
https://help.dropbox.com/files-folders/sort-preview/modified-date
It's months later, but this is very good information! Thanks! It does explain a few things I didn't catch onto. If have it straight, I have to COPY or MOVE or UPLOAD photos onto my DESKTOP/LAPTOP hard drive FIRST (and no other kind of device), which my computer considers a move, not a modification, (but DB would consider a modification if I didn't make this pit stop first and went straight from Photos to DB), then I can MOVE them from the hard drive to the DropBox local folder or to the Dropbox folder on the web via my computer browser, preserving the creation date.
Problem had been: If I MOVE / COPY / UPLOAD photos directly from my iPhone or iPad directly into a Dropbox local folder or onto a Dropbox online/web folder anywhere (desktop or laptop via local DB folder or browser to DB online, iPhone/iPad DB folder via the app, iPhone/iPad DB folder via a browser), the date is not preserved because DB sees all these as "copies" and thus as modified. To reiterate: BUT when I COPY or UPLOAD or MOVE photos from my iPHONE/iPAD to my DESKTOP/LAPTOP hard drive file folder FIRST, the creation date is preserved; then when I MOVE them from there to the local Dropbox folder located on my hard drive (and then synced with the DB cloud server), the creation date is preserved.
Remaining question I don't dare test: If I MOVE photos (not copy) from a computer hard drive desktop folder to a DB file opened on the WEB via a BROWSER on my computer, does DB once again consider them to be COPIED, not MOVED, and thus MODIFIED with the upload date? One day I'll test that.
Meantime, thanks for the explanation.
This is a continuation of this thread, but not of the last comment...
What exactly is the information element that is used to create the dropbox filename? It doesn't appear to be consistent with anything listed in the exif information stored in DropBox. For instance I have this file with the following exif fields:
2022-12-10 10.03.37-2.jpg
File Modification Date/Time : 2022:12:10 10:03:36+01:00
File Inode Change Date/Time : 2022:12:10 10:03:36+01:00Date/Time Original : 2022:12:10 10:03:37
Create Date : 2022:12:10 10:03:37and this file with its associated exif fields:
2022-12-10 10.03.38.jpg
File Modification Date/Time : 2022:12:10 10:03:38+01:00
File Inode Change Date/Time : 2022:12:10 10:03:38+01:00
Date/Time Original : 2022:12:10 10:03:39
Create Date : 2022:12:10 10:03:39In one case it seems to follow the File modification time, in the other it seems to follow the Creation date field.
(only difference is the seconds)
This is important to me because I am exporting the files via another app and trying to check that everything is properly backed up, but that is difficult to do because the filenames differ (slightly)
Files are being backed up automatically from an iphone 11 using the dropbox app on the iphone.
What data field does the dropbox app actually use, because it doesn't seem to be consistent with what is in the metadata associated with the file.
