[BUG Identified] Photos Library - Photo Library Timeline Not Working

[saltyzip]

Server Version#: Version 1.20.1.3252
Player Version#: Plex Web Version 4.42.1

I’ve made many posts on said topic over the years and I feel compelled this morning as I am on holiday to provide another rant, in hope Plex development team sort this photo library timeline issue out once and for all.

The issue I am having is simple, my CCTV video files (MP4) drop into a plex photo library, get scanned and then are supposed to appear under the correct date/time order in the timeline.

Doing some investigation this morning I’ve discovered a couple of different defect scenarios. The first scenario was stopping new files being created under the correct date. The second which has taken me an age to get to the bottom of is taking a perfectly indexed set of videos under yesterday (18th Sept) and today’s date (19th Sept) and then by adding one additional file, I can change all files indexed under the 19th, to switch to the 18th instead.

I’m going to focus on the 2nd scenario, from my investigations this is what I have found out and it is easy for me to replicate.

The MP4 file (Front-053014-053046.mp4) exif extract below is a typical file that has been indexed correctly by Plex, it is the first file that shows under the 19th date in my Plex Web timeline:

D:\ServerFolders\Housekeeping>exiftool -a -G1 -s -time:all Front-053014-053046.mp4
[System] FileModifyDate : 2020:09:19 05:30:46+01:00
[System] FileAccessDate : 2020:09:19 17:36:51+01:00
[System] FileCreateDate : 2020:09:19 17:36:51+01:00
[QuickTime] CreateDate : 2020:09:19 04:30:46
[QuickTime] ModifyDate : 2020:09:19 04:30:46
[Track1] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00

This next file is the last file that is correctly showing under the 18th Date:
D:\ServerFolders\Housekeeping>exiftool -a -G1 -s -time:all Front-235743-235808.mp4
[System] FileModifyDate : 2020:09:18 23:58:08+01:00
[System] FileAccessDate : 2020:09:19 18:25:05+01:00
[System] FileCreateDate : 2020:09:19 18:25:05+01:00
[QuickTime] CreateDate : 2020:09:18 22:58:08
[QuickTime] ModifyDate : 2020:09:18 22:58:08
[Track1] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00

The file below is one of 4 my CCTV camera created, between 01:30 and 03:20 on the 19th that will trigger all files showing under 19th timeline to switch to all being under the 18th date instead. Yes you heard me correct, all files under 19th switch to all under 18th in the timeline. Any new files that will be added with dates of 19th, and likely 20th, 21st etc will now all be created under the 18th Date in the timeline, the timeline is now corrupt forever. Common sense tells me this file should reside under the 19th without question and depending on what field Plex evaluates to grab the time, will determine it’s position. The file is supposed to sit between the two files mentioned above as 03:20 is the time it was captured, shown via OSD when playing the video.

D:\ServerFolders\Housekeeping>exiftool -a -G1 -s -time:all Front-032032-032057.mp4
[System] FileModifyDate : 2020:09:19 03:20:57+01:00
[System] FileAccessDate : 2020:09:19 17:37:06+01:00
[System] FileCreateDate : 2020:09:19 17:37:06+01:00
[QuickTime] CreateDate : 2020:09:19 02:20:57
[QuickTime] ModifyDate : 2020:09:19 02:20:57
[Track1] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00

There however does appear an anomaly in the above file in that you would think the file access/create date time should be 15:37. I don’t know why it is 17:37, but my assumption is this field seems to be confusing plex on scanning and therefore completely messes up the timeline.

It might also be mixing it up with FileAccessDate and FileCreateDate of the last file under the 18th in the timeline, as those two fields have a date of the 19th set, likely as day is rolling over.

The difference between the system file meta data and the quicktime date values are where all the problems and corruptions are stemming from.

I don’t know how Plex calculates timeline date/time for each file, but if there happens to be a rogue file, if indeed this file could be called rogue, it shouldn’t impact all files before or after, screwing the complete timeline from that point forward.

When dealing with any video file, photos too, there is always a possibility the time of recording and time file created might be out of sync, NTP time wrong, daylight savings out. CCTV camera running at different date/time to server it is writing the files too. These sorts of issues should not in any way impact the timeline for anything other than the file in question.

So over to Plex Technical Support to get someone to look into this and fix this bread and butter functionality that is the foundation the product is meant to built upon.

[saltyzip]

I want to provide some further information which might help Plex developers which is in reference to scenario 1 defect I mentioned above, as again I woke up this morning to see my Camera Photo Library had new videos from the 20th, yet they were all being added under the 19th date in the timeline.

Only way to fix is to remove the perfectly valid files which are tripping plex up, then remove the remaining files and then put those same files back in again. Timeline is then restored fine.

After yesterdays testing it was easy for me to identify which files caused the timeline to be corrupted. It is the files that have the videos encoded date set to a different date to the file creation date.

Below is en exif extract of all the dates from one of these files, you can see the quicktime reference is the 19th, yet file time is 20th. Both dates are correct, quicktime is valid as quicktime values are in UTC, whereas file creation time is in local time.

D:\ServerFolders\Housekeeping>exiftool -a -G1 -s -time:all Front-004728-004753.mp4
[System] FileModifyDate : 2020:09:20 00:47:53+01:00
[System] FileAccessDate : 2020:09:20 11:29:49+01:00
[System] FileCreateDate : 2020:09:20 11:29:49+01:00
[QuickTime] CreateDate : 2020:09:19 23:47:53
[QuickTime] ModifyDate : 2020:09:19 23:47:53
[Track1] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track1] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] TrackModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaCreateDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00
[Track2] MediaModifyDate : 0000:00:00 00:00:00

Plex for some reason cannot cope with this scenario causing the timeline to get stuck on the 19th and will not move forward, despite there being plenty of other files created after, where both quicktime and system dates are matching the date of 20th.

[saltyzip]

Had the same issue again this morning timeline stuck on the 20th.

Only 1 file this time caused my Plex Photo Timeline to lose it’s mind, because my CCTV camera was only triggered by motion once in the time window between 12:00am and 12:59am on the 21st as shown in the picture below.

It is annoying that I have to remove this file in the first place, but even more annoying that despite me moving/deleting this file from the plex library monitoring folder, Plex still can’t resolve the timeline issue without further intervention. I tried scanning, analyzing all the options available on the library but plex won’t fix the timeline stuck issue itself. So I have to copy all the files out and back in again, minus the file that tripped it up to get everything back working again. [sigh]

[saltyzip]

Bump! I’m still needing a fix, would be good for plex support to acknowledge issue, so it can be put in the backlog.

[saltyzip]

Bump!

[DeltaTango]

I have so much issues with the timeline. There seems to be no support from PLEX. Any suggestions for an working program for replacement of google photos (no cloud, own NAS)?

[saltyzip]

I gave up a while back for viewing photos from Plex, mine are all in Google photos. I just use Plex for my CCTV camera videos and it can’t cope with that. Timeline is still buggered and Plex is back to crashing when I try to play video’s via it. Not sure if emby is any better at photos, if you want to keep them local.

[DeltaTango]

It seems that there is no software for a replacement for google photos where the media is not stored on a cloud, but on your own NAS. I would pay for such a program (once time, no ABO!), but apparently it is too difficult to code, or there is not enough demand for such a program? I wonder where all the people store their thousands of videos and photos and view them reasonably chronologically in the right order?

[shaunm1985]

Let me share my experience with timeline. It has never worked for me, and is still broken. Plex server is running on Nvidia shield, with clients on windows, android, shield and LG TV. The 1900 date is displayed on the same images irrespective of the client.

The 01 01 1900 date appears on lots of images - but they are displayed in the correct chronological order when viewing the time line.

Timeline Example shows a couple of images taken 4 seconds apart.

The following shows the plex metadata, as we can see it.
The metadata that produces a 1900 date

This produces the correct date for the image

Both images were part of a batch of around 20 uploaded using the plex camera uploader from the LG smart phone that took the photos. They were neither the first nor last images in the batch.

Shield Server: Version 1.18.5.2309
Windows client: Version 4.12.3
Android client: 8.13.0.22921

Looking in the database at the data for these 2 items - no obvious differences have been spotted in the records for these 2 items.

Happy to provide more info if it helps get a fix issued.

[cyberto]

Got the same problem on the Nvidia Shield

[Markster2020]

I guess we all have to get use to it. Plex is focusing on making $$$ from adverts on Live TV etc.
They do not know or do not want to attend to Photos anymore. It is sad… really sad that this is what is happening. Plex original vision is lost. For many months right now the core scanning code in Plex has been broken. Photos appear in a wrong date, photos previews are blank or do not generate. The list goes on and on and I don’t expect this will be fixed anytime soon.

[alfredborges]

Same issue here, was wanting a reason to go with plex subscription - a multiplatform, non cloud photo management/sharing/viewing app would have been a reason

but like with the TV/DVR mess - Plex isnt interested in supporting core functionality - Cross platform management and use of personal media

Photos apps are partcularly broken - No one want to play nice with each other - even google doesnt provide a way to view google photos on an Android TV

Emby is a possible solution -

I am trying a open source version of Emby called Jellyfin, not as polished as Plex but so far seems a workable solution

[ben-page]

bump - the fact that this has been an issue SINCE TIMELINE FEATURE WAS RELEASED is pathetic

[saltyzip]

I feel everyone’s pain, my timeline of videos is still all to ■■■■. Despite spending hours trying to help provide evidence and details behind the issue, I’ve still not heard a peep from Plex support that they’ve even identified this as a bug, let alone trying to fix it.

This is basic core functionality as others have said, it is a joke it’s not worked ever in my eyes. Plex should just acknowledge the issue and assign a graduate to look in to it, would be good assignment for them.

[Ethan-Copping]

It’s such a pain. I moved to Plex 2 years ago now for storing my photos and videos from my Phone and DLSR. My most frustrating issue is that photos have the same date tag but appear under different same dates (image makes sense). This makes it just unuseable on desktop and mobile as I have to scroll 2 or 3 times as much to find what I’m looking for. Just all this wasted space…

[andrew_fndc]

Bump. Bump Bump. Plex server version 1.24.3.5033 running on Debian 10, multiple client photo timeline issues including out of order by date, wrong date groupings (both inappropriately split and inappropriately grouped), many photos displaying 3x in a row (same file, same date), files with no thumbnails in timeline. Have wiped, de-garbaged, re-imported multiple times. Interestingly iOS clients have different timeline issues to desktop/web clients. iOS is generally more accurate but suffers from displaying dups especially when there is only one file in the folder. Has a Plex developer EVER posted a sympathetic post in ANY of the 100s of Photo Timeline threads in the forums? I’ve yet to see one. Very disappointing guys. I recently upgraded from monthly to Lifetime Plex Pass as I want to support a good product but FYI, endless crap digital TV channels does NOT improve Plex.