Parsing a File Name into A Timestamp and Applying it as Metadata

Question

Hello,<br /><br />I am working on a lo-fi photographic documentation project, and the camera I am using does not record EXIF information. The extent of the metadata it provides is in the naming convention which is in the format of "DD-MM-YY_HHMM.jpg". What I am trying to do is create a script to take a selection of images and parse the filename into a timestamp to apply it into the IPTC and EXIF properties and also add in the EXIF Make, Model, et al.<br /><br />The following code I am in the process of working on but have hit a block. After the line: "var md = file.metadata;" nothing seems to happen. I have placed an arbitrary "Window.alert("Hi")" in just to see if it would get executed and it did not. Can anyone explain why this is and why I get no error response if something is in fact wrong?<br /><br />     #target "bridge" <br />     <br />     normalize = new MenuElement( "command", "Normalize Motorola v220 Images", "at the end of Tools");<br /><br />     normalize.onSelect = function() {<br />     <br />          // Get The Selected Images<br />          var images = app.document.selections;<br /><br />          for (i=0; i<images.length; i++) {<br />          <br />               // Declare File Variable<br />               var file = images[i];<br />               <br />               if (images[i].mimeType == "image/jpeg") {<br />                    // Parse filename into date<br />                    var fn = file.name;<br />                    var timestamp = "20"+fn.substr(6,2)+"-"+fn.substr(3,2)+"-"+fn.substr(0,2)+"T"+fn.substr(9,2)+":"+fn.subst r(11,2)+":00";<br /><br />                    // Get Metadata<br />                    var md = file.metadata;<br />                    <br />                    // Apply Date to EXIF Metadata<br />                    md.namespace = "http://ns.adobe.com/exif/1.0/";<br />                    md.DateTime = timestamp;<br />                    md.DateTimeOriginal = timestamp;<br />                    md.DateTimeDigitized = timestamp;<br />                    <br />                    // Apply Date to IPTC Core<br />                    md.namespace = "http://ns.adobe.com/photoshop/1.0/";<br />                    md.DateCreated = timestamp.substr(0,10);<br />          <br />                    // Apply Motorola v220 Related Metadata<br />                    md.namespace = "http://ns.adobe.com/tiff/1.0/";<br />                    md.Make = "Motorola";<br />                    md.Model = "Motorola v220";<br />                                        <br />                    // Apply User Specific Data<br />          <br />                    // Rename file<br />                                   <br />               } else {<br />                    <br />                    // Give an Alert that the Image isn't a JPEG<br />                    Window.alert(file.name+" isn't a JPEG");<br />                    <br />               };<br />               <br />               file.refresh();<br />          <br />          };<br />     };<br /><br />I would also like to rename the files to the timestamp sans the colons but that will come after.<br /><br />Help.

Answer 1

That didnt seem to work, the same full filename (minus the extension) still prints.  Here is more of the script. I tried to attach the whole thing but it wouldnt upload.
var originalRulerUnits = preferences.rulerUnits;
preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PERCENT;
try
var docRef = activeDocument;
// Create a text layer at the front
var myLayerRef = docRef.artLayers.add();
myLayerRef.kind = LayerKind.TEXT;
myLayerRef.name = "Filename";
var myTextRef = myLayerRef.textItem;
//Set your parameters below this line
//If you wish to show the file extension, change the n to y in the line below, if not use n.
var ShowExtension = "n";
// Insert any text to appear before the filename, such as your name and copyright info between the quotes.
//If you do not want extra text, delete between the quotes (but leave the quotes in).
var TextBefore = "";
// Insert any text to appear after the filename between the quotes.
//If you do not want extra text, delete between the quotes (but leave the quotes in).
var TextAfter = "";
// Set font size in Points
myTextRef.size = 24;
//Set font - use GetFontName.js to get exact name
//myTextRef.font = "TimesNewRomanPSMT";
myTextRef.font = "Arial";
//Set text colour in RGB values
var newColor = new SolidColor();
newColor.rgb.red = 255;
newColor.rgb.green = 255;
newColor.rgb.blue = 255;
myTextRef.color = newColor;
// Set the position of the text - percentages from left first, then from top.
myTextRef.position = new Array( 2 , 99);
// Set the Blend Mode of the Text Layer. The name must be in CAPITALS - ie change NORMAL to DIFFERENCE.
myLayerRef.blendMode = BlendMode.NORMAL;
// select opacity in percentage
myLayerRef.opacity = 100;
// The following code strips the extension and writes tha text layer. fname = file name only
di=(docRef.name).indexOf(".");
fname = (docRef.name).substr(0, di);
//use extension if set
if ( ShowExtension == "y" )
I really appreciate the help.