app.metadata - Spotlight Metadata API

Spotlight metadata queries and search.

Methods

app.metadata.get(path, keys?)

Get Spotlight metadata of a file.

Parameters:

• path (string) - file path
• keys (array, optional) - array of metadata key names to return

Returns: table, error - metadata dictionary

-- Get all metadata
local meta, err = app.metadata.get("/path/to/photo.jpg")
if meta then
    app.log.info("Creation date: " .. tostring(meta.kMDItemContentCreationDate))
    app.log.info("Pixel height: " .. tostring(meta.kMDItemPixelHeight))
end

-- Get specific keys
local meta, err = app.metadata.get("/path/to/file", {
    "kMDItemContentType",
    "kMDItemFSSize",
    "kMDItemContentCreationDate"
})

app.metadata.search(query, scope?, limit?)

Spotlight search.

Parameters:

• query (string) - Spotlight query string (MDQuery format)
• scope (string, optional) - search scope (directory path)
• limit (number, optional) - maximum number of results (default 100)

Returns: array<table>, error - search results, each containing path and matched metadata

-- Search for PDF files in the current directory
local results, err = app.metadata.search(
    "kMDItemContentType == 'com.adobe.pdf'",
    context.currentDirectory,
    50
)

-- Search for files containing a keyword
local results = app.metadata.search("kMDItemTextContent == '*swift*'")

-- Search for images modified in the last 7 days
local results = app.metadata.search(
    "kMDItemContentTypeTree == 'public.image' && kMDItemFSContentChangeDate >= $time.today(-7)"
)

Common Metadata Keys

Examples

View Image EXIF Information

function MyPlugin:handleExifInfo(context)
    local file = context.selectedFiles[1]
    local meta, err = app.metadata.get(file, {
        "kMDItemPixelWidth", "kMDItemPixelHeight",
        "kMDItemColorSpace", "kMDItemBitsPerSample",
        "kMDItemFocalLength", "kMDItemExposureTimeSeconds",
        "kMDItemFNumber", "kMDItemISOSpeed"
    })

    if not meta then
        app.dialog.alert("Error", err or "Failed to get metadata")
        return
    end

    local info = ""
    for k, v in pairs(meta) do
        info = info .. k .. ": " .. tostring(v) .. "\n"
    end
    app.dialog.alert("Image Info", info)
end