mac OS X mdfind, mdutil, mdls, mdimport. file metadata utilities

mac OS X file metadata utilities

mdfind -- finds files matching a metadata query

mdfind [-live] [-count] [-onlyin directory] query

Consults the central metadata store and returns a list of files that match the metadata query.
The query can be a string or a query expression.

-0 outputs an NULL after each result path. useful with xargs -0.
-live Causes the mdfind command to provide live-updates to the number of files matching the query. When an update causes the query results to change the number of matches is updated. The find can be cancelled by typing ctrl-C.
-count
-onlyin dir Limit the scope of the search to dir
‑interpret as if the user had typed the string into the Spotlight menu. For example, the string "search" would produce the following query string:
(* = search* cdw || kMDItemTextContent = search* cdw)

-literal don't interpret
EXAMPLES returns all files with any metadata attribute value matching the string "image":

  mdfind image

returns all files that contain "MyFavoriteAuthor" in the kMDItemAuthor metadata attribute:

   mdfind "kMDItemAuthor == '*MyFavoriteAuthor*'"

This returns all files with any metadata attribute value matching the string "skateboard". The find continues to run after gathering the initial results, providing a count of the number of files that match the query.

   mdfind -live skateboard

To open all the files in Preview :

 
$ mdfind -onlyin /Users/shared/books "kiss kate" | xargs open

To make the search term more selective, use grep and regular expressions.

$ cat file1.txt 
Kiss me 
$ cat file3.txt 
Kiss me, kate 
$ mdfind -onlyin /Users/saruman/splotlight-test "kiss me," 
/Users/saruman/splotlight-test/file1.txt
/Users/saruman/splotlight-test/file3.txt

The comma is ignored by spotlight. Using grep:

$ mdfind -onlyin /Users/saruman/splotlight-test "kiss me," | xargs grep -i "Kiss me,"
/Users/saruman/splotlight-test/file3.txt:Kiss me, kate
grep: /Users/saruman/splotlight-test/file: No such file or directory
grep: 4.txt: No such file or directory
$

Use grep to make the search term case sensitive. The command failed on the filename file 4.txt because it contains a space. Specify option -0 (zero) to both mdfind and xargs .

$ mdfind -0 -onlyin /Users/saruman/splotlight-test "kiss me," | xargs -0 grep -i "Kiss me,"
/Users/saruman/splotlight-test/file3.txt:Kiss me, kate
/Users/saruman/splotlight-test/file 4.txt:Kiss me, kate

mdfind, mdutil, mdcheckschema, mdls

mdimport -- import file hierarchies into the metadata datastore.

mdimport [-VXLrg] [-d level | category] [-w delay] file | directory import metadata from files or file system hierarchies.

-A output the attributes and their localizations in the current language
-X output the schema
mdimport -X 2008-03-27 20:54:56.169 mdimport[287:10b] Schema: id(501) (null)

-r Ask the server to reimport files for UTIs claimed by the listed plugin.
reimport all of the chat files on the system to be :
mdimport -r /System/Library/Spotlight/Chat.mdimporter

-L list of installed importers
-d level set debug level 1-4
-p output performance information
-V output timing information
-n Don't actually set the attributes on the file. Useful for debugging.
‑w msecs Wait for the specified interval between scanning files.
-g plugin Load the plugin at the provided path, ignoring system installed plugins. Useful for testing plugins that have not yet been installed.

mdfind, mdimport, mdcheckschema, mdls

mdutil -- manage the metadata stores used by Spotlight

mdutil [-pEsav] [-i on | off] volume ...

-i on | off Sets the indexing status for volumes .
may be delayed due to low disk space or other conditions.
-a all volumes.
-s output status
-v verbose
mdutil -s -a /Volumes/PHOTOS: Indexing and searching disabled. /: Indexing and searching disabled. /Volumes/BACKUPS/Backups.backupdb: Indexing enabled. Scan base time: 2008-03-24 19:29:35 -0400 (264962 seconds ago), reasoning: 'scan required - mount side' /Volumes/DATA-1: Indexing disabled. /Volumes/DATA: Indexing and searching disabled. /Volumes/BACKUPS: Indexing and searching disabled.

-p Flush local caches to the network device.
-E erase. The stores may be rebuilt

mdfind, mdimport, mdutil, mdls

mdcheckschema schema.xml [...]

The mdcheckschema command validates the mdimporter schema files provided as arguments and indicates whether the schema could be successfully parsed.

mdfind, mdimport, mdutil, mdcheckschema

mdls -- lists the metadata attributes for the specified file

mdls [-name attributeName] [-raw [-nullMarker markerString]] file ...

outputs the values of all the metadata attributes associated with files

-name attributeName only matching metadata attribute. multiple occurances permitted
-raw output raw attribute data in the order that was requested.
Fields separated with a NULL useful with xargs -0.
-nullMarker markerString Sets a marker string to be used when a requested attribute is null. Only with -raw . Default is null

> mdls 0installScreen-090502 kMDItemContentCreationDate = 2009-05-03 10:16:14 -0400 kMDItemContentModificationDate = 2009-05-03 10:16:14 -0400 kMDItemContentType = "public.data" kMDItemContentTypeTree = ( "public.data", "public.item" ) kMDItemDisplayName = "0installScreen-090502" kMDItemFSContentChangeDate = 2009-05-03 10:16:14 -0400 kMDItemFSCreationDate = 2009-05-03 10:16:14 -0400 kMDItemFSCreatorCode = "" kMDItemFSFinderFlags = 0 kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon = 0 kMDItemFSInvisible = 0 kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden = 0 kMDItemFSIsStationery = 0 kMDItemFSLabel = 0 kMDItemFSName = "0installScreen-090502" kMDItemFSNodeCount = 0 kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID = 80 kMDItemFSOwnerUserID = 501 kMDItemFSSize = 185107 kMDItemFSTypeCode = "" kMDItemKind = "Plain text" kMDItemLastUsedDate = 2009-05-03 10:16:14 -0400 kMDItemUsedDates = ( 2009-05-03 00:00:00 -0400)

mdattributes

ContentTreeType

public
 .data, .item, .folder, .directory, .content .text, .plain-text, .html, .executable
 .unix-executable, .composite-content, .source-code, .shell-script, .script, .content,
 .perl-script, .log

    com.microsoft.word.doc,
    com.adobe.pdf,
    com.netscape.javascript-source,
    com.microsoft.excel.xls,
    com.apple.log,
    com.apple.finder.burn-folder,

Mac OS X                         Oct 27, 2004

`-0`	outputs an NULL after each result path. useful with xargs -0.
`-live`	Causes the mdfind command to provide live-updates to the number of files matching the query. When an update causes the query results to change the number of matches is updated. The find can be cancelled by typing ctrl`-C.`
`-count`
`-onlyin dir`	Limit the scope of the search to `dir`
`‑interpret`	as if the user had typed the string into the Spotlight menu. For example, the string "search" would produce the following query string: (* = search* cdw \|\| kMDItemTextContent = search* cdw)
`-literal`	don't interpret

`-i on \| off`	Sets the indexing status for `volumes` . may be delayed due to low disk space or other conditions.
`-a`	all volumes.
`-s`	output status
`-v`	verbose mdutil -s -a /Volumes/PHOTOS: Indexing and searching disabled. /: Indexing and searching disabled. /Volumes/BACKUPS/Backups.backupdb: Indexing enabled. Scan base time: 2008-03-24 19:29:35 -0400 (264962 seconds ago), reasoning: 'scan required - mount side' /Volumes/DATA-1: Indexing disabled. /Volumes/DATA: Indexing and searching disabled. /Volumes/BACKUPS: Indexing and searching disabled.
`-p`	Flush local caches to the network device.
`-E`	erase. The stores may be rebuilt