Folder creation date timestamp method - any thoughts?

Hello, and here's wishing you all a great and healthy 2024.

In later versions of AREN timestamp method, I am unable to change the creation date of a folder using date data in THAT SAME folder. I'm pretty sure that in earlier versions (I'm talking years ago) I was able to do that.

I used to be able to do this (I think):

On a folder named "Some_Information_&_Stuff_20200828_More_Stuff" I would use the timestamp method with "Filename Pattern" and the pattern set to "<Year><Month><Day>". The creation date would become "08/28/2020".

Am I crazy? I'm pretty old, so I could be misremembering. But I don't think so.

Is there something I'm missing here? Using the latest versions, including 3.92, I can rename files all day but not folders.

Any chance there's a script out there to do that? Or an older version that works on Win 11?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Best,
Daniel

Reply to #1:
Hi.
First of all I also wish you a great 2024 year.
Maybe I have misinterpreted your question. English is not my native language.
If what you want is change the format date 20200828 to something like "08/28/2020" (month, day, year)
You can use a regular expresion for that.
TEXT TO BE REPLACE: (\d\d\d\d)(\d\d)(\d\d) As you can see the format is year,month,day
REPLACE WITH: $1-$2-$3
USE REGULAR EXPRESION.

This will change the format to 2020-08-28 (You must know that you can´t use the slash in files and folders names in Windows.)
Play with the order of Replace. If you change to $2-$3-$1 you will have Month-Day-Year.
I hope help you

Reply to #2:

Hello Miguel! And thanks for trying, my friend. I must say, your English is outstanding, especially in comparison to my ability to understand or write – well, ANY other language! :)

The problem has nothing to do with changing the folder name. I need to change the Windows system value for Date Created so that it matches a date value already embedded in the folder name, in the form YYYYMMDD. I can do this for filenames but not folder names using the TIMESTAMP method.

Thank you, sincerely. I'm just happy to get a response so fast. And best wishes from central Texas!

Reply to #3:
IMHO this timestamp method by definition in user guide sets timestamps of files only. Looks like it doesn't work with folders at all.

But I agree it would be very useful to work with folders by this timestamp method. I would use such functionality too.

P.S. I tried it today with older 3.88 version. Same thing it is not working with folders only with files.

Reply to #3:
Now I understand.
I'm sorry I couldn't help you.
Hugs from the Canary Islands - Spain

EDIT: I have found a cheat that work with 3.88 version but not with 3.92. If you select "Filename Pattern" instead "Directory pattern" work.

https://i.ibb.co/yspp011/Captura-de-pantalla-10- 01-2024-31-seg.png

Keep in mind that in Spain the date format is day-month-year

Reply to #5:

Yes, that's the way I remember it working before - although I got the same results (in other words, failure) when I tried the 3.88 portable 64-bit version. Which version did you use?

Wow, Canary Islands... pretty exotic! I always thought that would be a great place to visit.

Best,
Daniel

Reply to #6:
Hi, I have used the portable 3.88.1 version.
https://www.advancedrenamer.com/down/advanced_re namer_portable_3_88_1.zip

Miguel

Reply to #7:

Hey Miguel,

Well, I'm not sure what I did wrong the first time but I tried 3.88.1 portable again and it worked. Thank you, Miguel, for responding, as you probably saved me from my own stupidity! :)

I'm going to have to review the functionality of 3.92 vs. 3.88.1; I know I like the layout better without the menu all over the top of the window. It just seems like more wasted space to me. No offense, Kim.

Best regards,
DF

Reply to #8:
Not at all.
Would be nice if Kim fix this problem in future version of his fantastic program.

Miguel

It should work for folders also. Remember "Dirname" refers to the name of the parent folder, not the folder itself.

Reply to #10: With files work but with folders and version 3.92 din´t worked. If i make the same with 9.88.1 work.

Regards

Reply to #12:
Hi.
I've done it again and it works. In the latest versions it does not work
See the image.

https://i.ibb.co/KLzyyd1/Captura-01-02-2024-36s. png
https://i.ibb.co/LdRG640/Captura-01-02-2024-00s. png

Miguel