Reading Date property for an uploaded asset (FeatureCollection) in GEE

Question

I have 16 points imported as an asset in GEE. Each of these points has a date property (STARTDATE) in epoch format. I am stuck at extracting this date in and using it to acquire before and after images based on this date.

Here's the code I am trying;

var point = ee.FeatureCollection("users/wawerujohn/Laikipia_Forestland_Swarms_2020");

print(point)

//Read the date of the point asset
var pointdate = point.get('STARTDATE');
print(pointdate);

var pointdate1 = point.filter(ee.Filter.date('system:properties', 'STARTDATE'));
print(pointdate1);


//Add to the map
Map.centerObject(point)
Map.addLayer(point, {}, 'Invaded') 

I have tried using the .get and filter function to extract the date but not successsful. Here is the link to the code; https://code.earthengine.google.com/760c57ea612a0649ea0d634fbed91626

Answer 1

You have this issue because you are applying 'get' method to a feature collection in a not adequate way. If you want dates for each feature you can map Feature Collection as in following script:

var points = ee.FeatureCollection("users/wawerujohn/Laikipia_Forestland_Swarms_2020");

print("points", points);

var listOfPoints = points.toList(points.size());

print("points", listOfPoints);

var dates = listOfPoints.map(function (ele){
  
  return ee.Feature(ele).get('STARTDATE');
  
});

print("dates", dates);

//Add to the map
Map.centerObject(points);
Map.addLayer(points, {}, 'Invaded');

After running above script in GEE code editor, you will have a list with 'STARTDATE' property for each point instead a null value as with your script. Result can be observed in red rectangle of following image.