Creation Date vs. Copy Date of a File

[masahi007]

Hi all,
I want to know the Creation Date of a File (statical creation date) and NOT the date it was copy to my computer (general creation date). If I use this code, I obtein then copy date ... How can I know the Creation one?

thanks

Dim fSo As Object

Dim MyFile as string

Dim MyDate as date

MyFile = "c:\ThisFile.pdf"
Set fSo = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
MyDate = fSo.getfile(MyFile).datecreated
MsgBox "Creation Date: " & MyDate
Set fSo = Nothing

 

[rlv01]

The only source of information available to you is the file's properties, and this statement

MyDate = fSo.getfile(MyFile).DateCreated

Will provide the creation date stored in the file's properties.

 

[masahi007]

Thanks for the reply.
The problem is that I am getting the date the file was copied last time (5/6/2022) and not the original date the file was created (5/6/2020).
Any solution?

 

[Alex Blakenburg]

I don't suppose it is just one file so that you don't need VBA ?
You have a chance of getting what you want from an Excel file using the built in properties ThisWorkbook.BuiltinDocumentProperties("Creation Date").

Unfortunately you seem to be looking at a pdf file and although I can see a similar field in the pdf file (File > Properties > Description) if I open it in Acrobat, I don't know if you can access it using VBA.

 

[rlv01]

Thanks for the reply.
The problem is that I am getting the date the file was copied last time (5/6/2022) and not the original date the file was created (5/6/2020).
Any solution?

The problem is that some file operations will change the stored date and at that point your options are limited. There are 3 dates that can be accessed:

1. Creation date
2. Last accessed date
3. Last modified date

MyDate = fSo.getfile(MyFile).DateCreated
MyDate = fSo.getfile(MyFile).DateLastAccessed
MyDate = fSo.getfile(MyFile).DateLastModified

 

[masahi007]

Indeed, my problem is when I want to get the dates of creation, modification and last access in any type of file (PDF for example).
Especially the creation date (which is not the same as the modification date).

Thanks

 

[masahi007]

Thank you both very much.
Indeed I have tried with the three dates and now I do get the result I want. I can't understand why it didn't work before.
All the best