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[imeric]

I just tried this and it worked for me to change the read-only Date Imported Field!!
Use at your own risk and make sure you backup your library first. I've only tried this once and it worked for me on one album so use at your own risk!!!

Example:
You have an album of 12 tracks. 9 of them have the correct [date imported] value, three of them do not.

• To correct this, select one of the correct tracks and the three incorrect tracks.
• Go up to the menu in the top bar, and choose "File > Export playlist"
  
• You will export to an mpl file. See the dialogue attached if you are unsure.
• Remember to change the the last option to "Selection" to just get the four tracks you want. "All" ignores the selection and exports the entire list.
• Once exported, find the exported mpl file and open it with a good text editor. By 'good', I mean one with find and replace capability. I use an old copy of Ultra Edit I have, but I believe the free Notepad++ can do this too.
• You will see that the file contains a line for each file, followed by all of its tags. Find the good file data and then find its Date Imported data. Copy that line. It will look like so: <Field Name="Date Imported">1270710596</Field>
• Using UltraEdit, I use find and replace to look for any instance of <Field Name="Date Imported">*</Field>, and replace it with <Field Name="Date Imported">1270710596</Field>
• UltraEdit treats the star as being anything, so as long as the stuff either side of it matches, it replaces. I'm sure you get the drift of what we're doing here. Find the quickest way that works for you.
• Once done, save your changes.
• Back in MC, go up to the menu in the top bar, and choose "File > Import playlist" and choose your edited mpl file.
  
• The three errant files will now have corrected [date imported] fields that match the other nine files.

This will only work if you use the File > Import/Export tools.
Whether or not that is useful to you depends on just exactly how out of whack your library is.

Hope it helps.

-marko

I did this with notepad++
Wow this is excellent!!! I whish I had seen this before! Works like a charm!!

[blgentry]

Yes, the MPL export/import can work very well.  It's a little quirky though.  Sometimes, you have to import the playlist *twice*.  The first time doesn't pick up any changes.

Most of the time though, these problems that are solved by this are self created.  If you move things inside of MC, instead of externally, then you'll avoid re-import problems.  Or, if you like doing it externally, turn off auto import, do your moves, and then use RM&C to update to the new locations.  Again, no re-import will happen if you do it this way.

There are, of course, other circumstances that can cause this to happen.  I'm just saying it's wise to avoid the common cases of blindly moving files externally in a monitored directory.

Brian.

[imeric]

I agree.  Now that it's smarter at bringing every file within a folder I will start doing it more within MC.. Only issue is Some PC's don't have the same config, some are audio only, others with TV. So backup and restoring would have to be discrete for audio, video and TV for this to work 100% within MC.
thx for your comment Brian.

[glynor]

I'm not sure why you're editing [Date Imported] but, if you are essentially "re-ripping" existing content (or editing it so that it needs to be re-imported), a possible alternative that works awesome for Windows:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=76147.msg528833#msg528833

Watch the little demo video I have on Vimeo.

[imeric]

WOW!!! This looks amazing!!!! Why didn't I see this before??
I will definitely give this a try next time I swap mp3 files with alac or alac to hi-res.

Thx Brian!!!

[blgentry]

That's MC super friend GLYNOR giving you the pointers.  Not me. 

I do that substitution stuff manually.  ..and it works fine, but it's a 3 step process.  I can't run Glynor's tool; I'm not on Windows.

Brian.

[imeric]

I do the 3 step process now as well...It can sometimes be a 5 step process if tags or filenames are slightly different but it works.

I will still give glynor's tool a try for larger number of files!  Amazing work glynor!
Brian you've been really helpful for other stuff so just take the credit

[glynor]

Thanks!  It really works quite well. I have scripts that run and replace things every single day with it (and with the associated MCVideoRedoer tool, which uses the same code), and don't really have any issues.

I know the post (which is old) says it is Alpha quality, but that was a long while ago. If you find any dark, unused corners of it that don't work right, though, let me know and I'll fix em.

I can't run Glynor's tool; I'm not on Windows.

When they add native async support to Swift I plan to start on a project for OSX. But not till then, because I'm not keen on learning Grand Central Dispatch just to have to rip it all out in a year.