Copying files between Media Drive and iPad - Modifying file dates & Select All

[vanteer]

When I transfer  files from the media drive to my iPad, the file is getting “today’s” date.  This is not good.  I take 500 pictures, over a three week trip,  on my camera.  I put the SD card in the Media Drive and copy/transfer the pictures to my iPad.  Now all the file dates have been updated to the date I transferd the pictures.  Sorting by date now becomes impossible.

The original date of all the files that pass through the media drive must be preserved.  Does this happened to be on the “enhancement” list?

This could be a show stopper for me, and force me to return it to Amazon.

Also, i see there is a “Select All” for video files but not for picture files.  Why is that?  We need a select all for all file types.

Bob… (aka Vanteer)

[drlucky]

The date created field will always change when you copy a file. It is a new file so the date created will change to reflect the date the new file was created. That said I am not sure how many sorting options iPad has but in a windows computer you can view the folder in “Details view” Here at the top you will see a bar with the different attributes you can sort by. “Date created”, “date modified”, etc. You can right click that bar and add more attributes to sort by. If you click more there will be a “date taken” attribute add that to your details pane. Transferring to or from the WMD the date taken field is retained then you can sort by date taken. 

[vanteer]

Drlucky,

Thanks for the explaination on Date Created, date modified, date copied etc…  I get all of that.

My point is that when i use an  iPad Camera Connection Kit (such as the Sharkk “5 in 1 card reader for iPad”), i can import all the photos from the SD card.  They appear in my iPad camera role sorted by the date the picture was taken. 

So to build a clear test case,  yesterday i took 2 pictures  with my Canon Camera. (Date is set correctly on the camera).

Today i used my Connection Kit to import one picture to my camera role on my iPad.  It shows up grouped with pictures i took with my iPad yesterday.  Since I have iCloud setup, in a few seconds the picture showed up in my iPhone Photostream folder, i then copied it to my iPhone camera role.  And through all that, the picuture shows up with the pictures i took yesterday with my iPhone.  So the date is somehow maintained through all those transfers.

Now i take the second picture (taken yesterday with the Canon), use the SD Media Drive and their iPad APP , and transfer the picture to the camera role on my iPad.  It shows up in today’s collection of pictures (not good).

 I recommend that the developers of the Media Drive app, buy the apple connection kit, figure out how that device manages to move files around and maintain whatever date is used by the iPad and iPhone.  I would think it could be  done, as i am not even using the certified Apple Connection Kit, but the one made by SHARKK.

Vanteer

[vositis]

I have to say that this answer is absolutely incorrect.  If I burn a file to a CD, the creation date remains the original creation date.  If I copy a file from one computer to another, the creation date remains the original creation date.  If I copy a file from an SD reader to my computer, the creation dates remain unchanged. If I download pictures from my iPhone, the creation date remains the creation date.  If I download pictures from my camera over Eye-Fi, the creation date remains the same.

I cannot cite a single example where the creation date is modified by copying or moving a file.  Not one.  Can you?

Doing it differently is a BUG plain and simple and makes the device totally useless for saving pictures.

While we are on the topic, mine has the wrong date altogether.  All my pictures are showing up with April 28th dates in August.  So, not only is it failing to preserve the creation date, it is replacing it with a date MONTHS before the picture was actually taken.

I’m on firmware 2.93.

My return policy expires in 20 days.  You have 20 days to fix the bug or take it back.  Sorting pictures based on an upload date is unacceptable, sorting based on a wrong upload date is inconcievable.

[drpeej]

I 100% agree.  I have just bought one of these for my wife for Christmas.  It’s a complete disaster because all the photos we have copied from an SD card onto the dvice have been given today’s date.

This is not good.  Is it going to be fixed?

[seesiang]

i am unsure if this is similar to http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/274907-preserving-date-time-stamp-all-files-copied.html

The timestamp will be a pain for moving large number of items.

[drpeej]

With some difficulty I have upgraded the firmware to the latest (2.93) version.  However the file date problem remains.

I cannot believe that Sandisk have not fixed this problem.  It is totally unacceptable and makes the device totally useless for any serious photographer.

I will give support a chance to contact me about the support ticket I have submitted but if there is not a fix for this I will be taking this back to the Apple store for refund as it’s not fit for purpose.

I must admit to being really disappointed with this device.  It looks great and the hardware seems excellent.  The software/firmware however really lets it down.  The iPad app is really clunky.   Why on earth is there no option to upload files to a particular folder on the drive.   It only uploads to ‘Media Drive Upload’ but then to add insult to injury it is not possible to move files to a new folder except by the complicated method od copying, pasting and deleting the file.

My wife is not good with technology and I hoped this would be easy to use and allow her to manage and organise her files easily.  She does not have a PC or Mac so needs to do everything via the iPad app.

This is a real opportunity for Sandisk to produce something really useful.  As a server for music files I am sure it is very useful but clearly photographers were not consulted about usability.

[macguy]

i have run into the same problems listed above and have to state that i am extremely disappointed in this product.

luckily, i’ve still got 30 days to return my Sandisk media drive. unless something happens in the next couple of days, it’s going back.

if you are thinking about buying this product, DON’T.

[tj61]

FYI - Just noticed that firmware version 3.04 is out, and says it preserves the date taken info.