Metadata: Use file mod time instead of birth time as fallback #4157

Signed-off-by: Michael Mayer <michael@photoprism.app>

internal/photoprism/import.go

@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func (imp *Import) Start(opt ImportOptions) fs.Done {
 					directories = append(directories, fileName)
 				}
 
-				folder := entity.NewFolder(entity.RootImport, fs.RelName(fileName, imp.conf.ImportPath()), fs.BirthTime(fileName))
+				folder := entity.NewFolder(entity.RootImport, fs.RelName(fileName, imp.conf.ImportPath()), fs.ModTime(fileName))
 
 				if err := folder.Create(); err == nil {
 					log.Infof("import: added folder /%s", folder.Path)

internal/photoprism/import_worker.go

@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func ImportWorker(jobs <-chan ImportJob) {
 				} else {
 					destDirRel := fs.RelName(destDir, imp.originalsPath())
 
-					folder := entity.NewFolder(entity.RootOriginals, destDirRel, fs.BirthTime(destDir))
+					folder := entity.NewFolder(entity.RootOriginals, destDirRel, fs.ModTime(destDir))
 
 					if createErr := folder.Create(); createErr == nil {
 						log.Infof("import: created folder /%s", folder.Path)

internal/photoprism/index.go

@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func (ind *Index) Start(o IndexOptions) (found fs.Done, updated int) {
 				}
 
 				if !errors.Is(result, filepath.SkipDir) {
-					folder := entity.NewFolder(entity.RootOriginals, relName, fs.BirthTime(fileName))
+					folder := entity.NewFolder(entity.RootOriginals, relName, fs.ModTime(fileName))
 
 					if err := folder.Create(); err == nil {
 						log.Infof("index: added folder /%s", folder.Path)

internal/photoprism/mediafile.go

@@ -158,21 +158,23 @@ func (m *MediaFile) FileSize() int64 {
 	return fileSize
 }
 
-// DateCreated returns only the date on which the media file was probably taken in UTC.
+// DateCreated returns the media creation time in UTC.
 func (m *MediaFile) DateCreated() time.Time {
 	takenAt, _ := m.TakenAt()
 
 	return takenAt
 }
 
-// TakenAt returns the date on which the media file was taken in UTC and the source of this information.
+// TakenAt returns the media creation time in UTC and the source from which it originates.
 func (m *MediaFile) TakenAt() (time.Time, string) {
+	// Check if creation time has been cached.
 	if !m.takenAt.IsZero() {
 		return m.takenAt, m.takenAtSrc
 	}
 
 	m.takenAt = time.Now().UTC()
 
+	// First try to extract the creation time from the file metadata,
 	data := m.MetaData()
 
 	if data.Error == nil && !data.TakenAt.IsZero() && data.TakenAt.Year() > 1000 {
@@ -184,6 +186,7 @@ func (m *MediaFile) TakenAt() (time.Time, string) {
 		return m.takenAt, m.takenAtSrc
 	}
 
+	// Otherwiese, try to determine creation time from file name and path.
 	if nameTime := txt.DateFromFilePath(m.fileName); !nameTime.IsZero() {
 		m.takenAt = nameTime
 		m.takenAtSrc = entity.SrcName
@@ -198,19 +201,16 @@ func (m *MediaFile) TakenAt() (time.Time, string) {
 	fileInfo, err := times.Stat(m.FileName())
 
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("media: %s (file stat)", err.Error())
-		log.Infof("media: %s was taken at %s (now)", clean.Log(filepath.Base(m.fileName)), m.takenAt.String())
+		log.Warnf("media: %s (stat call failed)", err.Error())
+		log.Infof("media: %s was taken at %s (unknown mod time)", clean.Log(filepath.Base(m.fileName)), m.takenAt.String())
 
 		return m.takenAt, m.takenAtSrc
 	}
 
-	if fileInfo.HasBirthTime() {
-		m.takenAt = fileInfo.BirthTime().UTC()
-		log.Infof("media: %s was taken at %s (file birth time)", clean.Log(filepath.Base(m.fileName)), m.takenAt.String())
-	} else {
+	// Use file modification time as fallback.
 	m.takenAt = fileInfo.ModTime().UTC()
+
 	log.Infof("media: %s was taken at %s (file mod time)", clean.Log(filepath.Base(m.fileName)), m.takenAt.String())
-	}
 
 	return m.takenAt, m.takenAtSrc
 }

internal/query/folders.go

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func FoldersByPath(rootName, rootPath, path string, recursive bool) (folders ent
 	folders = make(entity.Folders, len(dirs))
 
 	for i, dir := range dirs {
-		newFolder := entity.NewFolder(rootName, filepath.Join(path, dir), fs.BirthTime(filepath.Join(rootPath, dir)))
+		newFolder := entity.NewFolder(rootName, filepath.Join(path, dir), fs.ModTime(filepath.Join(rootPath, dir)))
 
 		if err = newFolder.Create(); err == nil {
 			folders[i] = newFolder

pkg/fs/birthtime.go

@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-package fs
-
-import (
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/djherbis/times"
-)
-
-// BirthTime returns the creation time of a file or folder.
-func BirthTime(fileName string) time.Time {
-	s, err := times.Stat(fileName)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return time.Now()
-	}
-
-	if s.HasBirthTime() {
-		return s.BirthTime()
-	}
-
-	return s.ModTime()
-}

pkg/fs/birthtime_test.go

@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-package fs
-
-import (
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
-)
-
-func TestBirthTime(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Run("time now", func(t *testing.T) {
-		result := BirthTime("/testdata/Test.jpg")
-		assert.NotEmpty(t, result)
-	})
-	t.Run("mod time", func(t *testing.T) {
-		result := BirthTime("./testdata/CATYELLOW.jpg")
-		assert.NotEmpty(t, result)
-	})
-}

pkg/fs/modtime.go

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package fs
+
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/djherbis/times"
+)
+
+// ModTime returns the last modification time of a file or directory in UTC.
+func ModTime(filePath string) time.Time {
+	stat, err := times.Stat(filePath)
+
+	// Return the current time if Stat() call failed.
+	if err != nil {
+		return time.Now().UTC()
+	}
+
+	// Return modification time as reported by Stat().
+	return stat.ModTime().UTC()
+}

pkg/fs/modtime_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package fs
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestModTime(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("ValidFilepath", func(t *testing.T) {
+		result := ModTime("./testdata/CATYELLOW.jpg")
+		assert.NotEmpty(t, result)
+	})
+	t.Run("InvalidFilePath", func(t *testing.T) {
+		result := ModTime("/testdata/Test.jpg")
+		assert.NotEmpty(t, result)
+		assert.True(t, result.Before(time.Now()))
+	})
+}