What date and time changes can Attribute Changer make to files, folders and photos?

Attribute Changer (petges.lu, version 11.50a) can set absolute date and time stamps, add or subtract time values, randomize or synchronize dates, apply sequential ordering, and edit or add EXIF date and time information in JPEG photos. It also supports partial updates (changing only the day or minute, for example), date and time limits, and re-dating a folder based on its newest or oldest file or subfolder. These operations can be combined with filters and run in batch, with changes logged and exportable.

Core date and time operations

The tool's date and time engine covers the following actions:

• Absolute timestamps – assign a specific date and time to selected objects.
• Add/Subtract values – shift existing timestamps forward or backward by a chosen amount.
• Randomise date and time – scatter timestamps within a range, useful for testing or anonymizing metadata.
• Synchronise date and time – align timestamps across multiple objects.
• Sequence order – assign dates in a defined order across a batch of files.
• Partial updates – modify only one component, such as the day or the minute, while leaving the rest intact.
• Date and time limits – constrain results to a permitted range.

Photo-specific changes (EXIF)

For JPEG files, Attribute Changer can modify the meta date and time information stored in EXIF. This includes adding missing photo date and time information, which is useful when a camera or import process left the field empty. The same absolute, relative, random, and partial-update options apply to this metadata as to filesystem timestamps.

Folder-level re-dating

Folders can be re-dated based on their contents:

• Set a folder's date to match its newest or oldest file.
• Set a folder's date to match its newest or oldest subfolder.

This keeps folder timestamps consistent with the material inside them, which matters when sorting or archiving by date.

Applying changes to the right objects

Date and time operations can be scoped with filters so only specific objects are processed:

Wildcard expressions also accept -T, -D, and -F directives to tag specific object types. A simulation mode lets you preview a batch before committing it.

Tracking and verifying results

Changes are tracked in real time. The Reporting tab logs failed actions, and a detailed view shows old and new values side by side for comparison. Logs can be exported as comma-separated text files for review in a spreadsheet or for archiving. To verify a batch, run it in simulation first, then compare the exported log against your intended values.

Practical notes

• The software is free of charge for personal and commercial use. The author states it should be obtained directly from petges.lu, warning that some download portals bundle nagware or malware and that other sources may charge for it.
• Batch processing, randomization, and synchronization are the options most likely to produce unintended results at scale; use filters and simulation to limit scope before applying.