OS X question -- missing dates on files?

[jdc]

This is on an external drive.

When I search this drive -- using by name, then newest date... all the files seem to "show" fine... but most of them are missing dates. There are 168 files found in thei search.

If I open the file, it shows in the list -- but otherwise... nada?

Is this a spotlight thing? Reindex the drive? Or run First aide on the drive?

Heres a screen shot... the file at the top, 13.2 V2 was actually created 2 months ago... but shows up as "- -" in the search. I opened and closed it (no saving) and it date jumps to today...

TIA

[Sarcany]

That's showing date last opened, not creation or modification date.

Widen your window.

If you still don't see another date-column then control-click on one of the column-headers and you'll be able to select which columns are displayed.

[GGD]

The Find results window seem to force using "Date Last Opened" as the only date to display instead of potentially more useful dates like "Last Modified" or "Created".

How were those files created? It's possible that they were never opened after they were initially created.

[jdc]

Thanks so far...

I guess I should have been a little more specific -- "date last opened" is the last entry. Nothing past it. I specifically use DLO to view past files.

All files have a number in their title, to denote issue -- 12.4, 10.2, etc -- with 13.2 being the newest from 2 months ago.

The list should start with 13.2 and work downwards, since its the newest file -- then 13.1, 12.6, 12.5, etcs

If I change from "last created" to "last opened" files are still missing dates, so no help.

Its like the files no longer have dates, or the finder has forgotten the dates. But if you :get info: on the file, it looks fine.



I keep coming back to an indexing thing, or a drive repair issue -- but I just donk know

[jdc]

GGD wrote:
How were those files created? It's possible that they were never opened after they were initially created.

if it helps, they are PDFs I created from ID. I then open in Acrobat, run a script to set open options, then save.

So plenty of "date" hits.

[Sarcany]

You're saying that if you control-click on the "Date Last Opened" column-header, you can't select "Date Created" ...?

...Or are you saying that when you select "Date Created" you don't see any info in the Date Created column?

What version of the macOS are you running?

What is the file-system on the external drive? Is it initialized as MacOS Extended, or is it initialized as FAT?

[jdc]

Catalina — updated 2 months ago?. External is OS X extended. . Been in use for years, with Sierra.

The date created/modified/etc column is really irrelevant to the Issue.

It’s the files missing dates Is the problem. searching for past files is impossible

[Sarcany]

jdc wrote:
Catalina — updated 2 months ago?. External is OS X extended. . Been in use for years, with Sierra.

The date created/modified/etc column is really irrelevant to the Issue.

It’s the files missing dates Is the problem. searching for past files is impossible

Your description of the problem needs refining.

If you're not displaying the columns that would show the dates that you're looking for, and if the Get Info window shows the dates that you're looking for, how how can you say that the info is missing?

[jdc]

Thanks... I will have to try and figure it out later.