Add support for a date-range flag `--between`

[paramsiddharth]

Summary

A flag (could be --between), that allows the user to specify a date-range to download photos+videos for.

Examples:

icloudpd --between 2025-01-01:2025-03-01

icloudpd --from 2025-01-01 --till 2025-03-01

Context

Some users might want to download media only for a specific date-range. This enables those users to do that.

[toyo2333]

need +1

[toyo2333]

--skip-created-before 2025-06-01

this will not stop when finish checking 2025-0601 `s photo ?

2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0910.MOV, as it was created 2024-04-15 09:55:06+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0909.MOV, as it was created 2024-04-14 17:37:49+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0908.MOV, as it was created 2024-04-14 10:04:10+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0907.JPG, as it was created 2024-04-13 23:07:48+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0906.HEIC, as it was created 2024-04-13 17:21:40.661000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0905.HEIC, as it was created 2024-04-13 17:12:58.076000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0904.MOV, as it was created 2024-04-13 13:48:50+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0903.HEIC, as it was created 2024-04-13 13:48:45.994000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0901.HEIC, as it was created 2024-04-13 11:44:51.246000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0900.HEIC, as it was created 2024-04-13 11:44:43.328000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0899.HEIC, as it was created 2024-04-13 10:04:44.825000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0898.MOV, as it was created 2024-04-13 10:01:31+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0897.JPG, as it was created 2024-04-12 20:16:12.558000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0896.JPG, as it was created 2024-04-12 18:13:01.901000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0895.JPG, as it was created 2024-04-12 18:12:59.945000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0894.JPG, as it was created 2024-04-12 18:12:58.859000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.
2025-06-04 20:13:36 DEBUG    Skipping IMG_0893.JPG, as it was created 2024-04-12 18:12:57.271000+08:00, before 2025-06-01 00:00:00+08:00.

will it still go through all my photos?

[AndreyNikiforov]

will it still go through all my photos?

The order in which icloudpd receives photos from icloud.com is not by created date, so it does parse full output from icloud.com, but does not check local storage or download if created date is before specified one (==skip).

[paramsiddharth]

@AndreyNikiforov Should we have marked this issue as closed? The original idea was to support a date-range and not just a start date.

[AndreyNikiforov]

@AndreyNikiforov Should we have marked this issue as closed? The original idea was to support a date-range and not just a start date.

Valid point. What is the use care for selecting only old assets (~--skip-created-after)?

[paramsiddharth]

Valid point. What is the use care for selecting only old assets (~--skip-created-after)?

I can think of a scenario where, say, I was on a trip for 5 days and I clicked lots of photos and made lots of videos. Several weeks later, I wish to specifically download all iCloud media for those 5 continuous days. A --between flag would be nice.

[AndreyNikiforov]

I can think of a scenario where, say, I was on a trip for 5 days and I clicked lots of photos and made lots of videos. Several weeks later, I wish to specifically download all iCloud media for those 5 continuous days. A --between flag would be nice.

Sorry if I was not clear - I am much more interested in existing cases that users need improved. New and hypothetical will have much lower priority.

[toyo2333]

This IS the existing cases that users need improved。

just need download some photos other than go through the entire iCloud photo library

[AndreyNikiforov]

This IS the existing cases that users need improved。

just need download some photos other than go through the entire iCloud photo library

Let's say we'll have additional --skip-created-after parameter. What will your everyday/week/etc photo flow will look like?

[Humschi]

This IS the existing cases that users need improved。
just need download some photos other than go through the entire iCloud photo library

Let's say we'll have additional --skip-created-after parameter. What will your everyday/week/etc photo flow will look like?

The use case my girlfriend has, is to download all photos from the prior x months. Normally she will open the script once a month, and she wants to download all photos from the prior month(s) but not the photos made in this month since she will download them the next month. Should be same as in #779

[AndreyNikiforov]

added --skip-created-after param to v1.29.0