After Effects changing Modified Date of files. Wtf?

[w m d]

Why does After Effects CC (happens on multiple versions) change the modification date of ALL FILES in a folder when I browse to import files. This means ALL FILES regardless if one or any is selected, imported, previewed.

This is a huge problem because modification date of my files is critical for project organization, management. And I see no reason that After Effects is modifying files that it's not using or modifying. 

I thought this problem went away with an upgrade but no, it's conttinuing.  I'm using Mac OS X 10.7.5  And I am avoiding using After Effects until this bug or whatever goes away.  It's too late now that so many of my files have been disturbed.  This bug or feature is really problematic when file Mod times are important to a user, a script, or a manager.

Maybe there's a setting to tell AE to not screw around with file timestamp properties?  Or is AE actually modifying all files without indicating what or why?

So frutrating, Adobe

William

[Mylenium]

This is a huge problem because modification date of my files is critical for project organization, management.

*yikes* Seriously, this makes me wanna cry, stomp my feet with rage and facepalm myself until my forehead turns blue at the same time. It's just very, very, very bad procedure, not to call it sloppy. *oops* Other than that on OS X these dates can get modified by using certain views in the file dialog and Spotlight updating its indices plus a few otehr things, but honestly, you need to think about your workflow and your reliance on a feature that was never meant to be used in this manner....

Mylenium

[w m d]

Thanks Mylenium for the quick reply.  I appreciate it.  I know that being frustrated about it and complaining shouldn't be part of my workflow but it's a major problem when it happens.

I absolutely hate having to choose to not use AE as the solution to this, but it's where I am right now

[Szalam]

Mylenium is saying that it's not only AE that does that. Sometimes Finder and Spotlight in the OS itself can mess with those timestamps and dates too, so you should not rely on them. He was being frustrated at the fact that you were even using that date as part of your workflow.

Check your AE preferences. Is the Write XMP IDs to Files on Import box checked in your Media & Disk Cache settings?

[w m d]

Thanks Szalam,

The Write XMP IDs box is unchecked.

Yes I realized later that Mylenium was facepalming because I said I relied on the Modification time of files.  Sometimes I do, yes.  I also used versioning, subfolders, and naming conventions as part of the workflow.

AE is the only program where i have this issue with the OS changing all files' Mod times right before my eyes as I look at them.  I will try to figure out what's going on.  It's not really a workflow problem as it is my not knowing what is making these modifications to my files.

Thanks for your help!

William

[Rick Gerard]

MS Word, Quick Time Player, and a bunch of other apps change the mod time right before your eyes also. This is nothing new.

[w m d]

That's good to know. AE is the the only app that I've used where this has been a problem. And I haven't had this problem in AE until recent versions (maybe the past year or so?)

Thanks!

[w m d]

I don't know what you mean about a feature that was not intended to be used this way.

File import in AE? Or using properties of a file in a workflow?

[Rick Gerard]

You need to understand your finder and the columns available. You have available Last Opened, Modified, Created, Date Added.. If you are going to rely on dates you need to be looking at the right column. It's not only files opened in AE that have some of the dates changed, it's files opened in just about any app. You just have to look at the dates. For example, my desktop, which is mostly clear, is arranged by Last Opened, but my Finder Folders first column is Date Added. I have a bunch of columns available as my default finder view. Here's an example of the folder for the footage I have for a current project. The folder only contains footage from my DJI drone, is named with the production number and scene numbers, is in a sub folder with the client number and production number. Spend some time and set up a standard and you will be able to go back 10 years and find the exact shot that needs to be changed in three or four clicks.

Professional project management requires a consistent folder structure, naming conventions, and a lot more thought than relying on the dates.

[w m d]

Thanks Rick.  I do understand the differences between the date columns, and  I am looking at the correct column. The problem is that the mod date of the files is being updated to the current time/date. Every file in a folder as I browse to a folder and to the next one. I can see the modified date change instantly to the current date. This new date is rflected in the file when I view it in Finder, Terminal or another app.

I appreciate your reply, thanks!

William

[w m d]

Here's a better description of what's happening

Double-click to import files.  Browse to a folder to select files.  Even without selecting or importing I can see the file modification time of ALL FILES in the folder update to the current time and date. The files (sometimes hundreds of them or more) now have a new Modification time.  When I view those files in Finder, Terminal or another app, they have the new Modification time. Which is frustrating and unacceptable. 

[w m d · Accepted solution]

I should not have said that the Modification time of files is critical to a project. So I understand the replies/solutions are suggesting I change my work flow. Thanks for the suggestion to not rely on time properties of files.

I can work around this issue in the future. It's just a pain sometimes to instantly lose all of the modification date info on hundreds of files in a project folder and its subfolders.  I'll post an answer here if I ever figure out exactly what is making the change to the files. Thanks!