deleting "Date Taken" from batches of files

[JeffGreenberg]

Wanted to do this.  Tried two ways:

a. Windows folder > Organize > Remove properties > Remove the following properties** > Select all

**also tried other choice = create copy with all metadata deleted

b. Photoshop CS6 action recorded to apply to batch > File Info > Origin tab > manually deleted Date Taken > saved, closed

Both ways result in Date Taken becoming "1/1/1900 5:28:04 AM" with specific time varying but not real time action occurred...

I am trying to eliminate as much Date related metadata as possible, especially Date Taken;

date modified ie today's date is OK if not deletable...  Advice appreciated.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Sounds like a job for ExifTool…

Installation instructions can be found here.

Here are some general tips on running and first use.

To view all metadata in a file, use the following command:

exiftool "C:\path\to\file or folder"

To limit the view to date related info, you can use this command:

exiftool -AllDates "C:\path\to\file or folder"

To remove date related info (as much as possible):

exiftool -AllDates= -XMP-xmp:MetadataDate= "C:\path\to\file or folder"

[JeffGreenberg]

Thanks, but I've tried that free tool in past.

It requires deleting data one image-file at a time, doesn't it?

Impractical for 40K images...

I was hoping for way to remove 1/1/1900 false date

appearing in Origin tab via Photoshop action...

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Thanks, but I've tried that free tool in past.

It requires deleting data one image-file at a time, doesn't it?

Impractical for 40K images...

I was hoping for way to remove 1/1/1900 false date

appearing in Origin tab via Photoshop action...

Ah, I missed that bit about there being 40,000 images… hang on, you did not mention that apparently critical piece of information. :]

I would suggest that you post your question in either the Photoshop or Bridge scripting forums. I don’t know scripting or if what you wish to do is even possible with Adobe apps, however the regulars in those forums should be able to help. I’d suggest that you reference this topic in your new post so that others are aware of the background information.

There is a good reason why ExifTool is considered the standard tool for editing metadata, and it is not because it is free.

Yes, ExifTool is going to rewrite the metadata and the entire file, copying the binary image data without change. So there will be re-write time, in addition to creating a backup duplicate file for safety. You would perhaps need to work in batches. To turn off the duplicate backup file, an overwrite switch would be added to the previous command (however I would test on copies and or ensure that there is a backup first).

exiftool -overwrite_original -AllDates= -XMP-xmp:MetadataDate= "C:\path\to\file or folder"

[JeffGreenberg]

Photoshop action recording the deletion of "Date Taken" does the

trick in batches of hundreds or thousands.  The problem is that

the Date Taken is replaced by 1/1/1900.  Hoping someone knows

how to prevent that from happening, & instead, NOTHING appears

in Date Taken field...

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

This makes no sense! Photoshop batch actions rewrite files one at a time with more overhead. ExifTool would be faster and it would remove most date info as originally requested. Again, look into scripting.

[JeffGreenberg]

Thanks but OP knows nothing about scripting.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Neither do I, however the regulars in the previously linked scripting forums do know scripting and what is possible.