NAME

       git-annex-metadata - sets or gets metadata of a file

SYNOPSIS

       git annex metadata [path ...]

DESCRIPTION

       The content of an annexed file can have any number of metadata fields attached to it to describe it. Each
       metadata field can in turn have any number of values.

       This command can be used to set metadata, or show the currently set metadata.

       When run without any -s or -t parameters, displays the current metadata.

       Each metadata field has its own "field-lastchanged" metadata, which contains the date the field was  last
       changed.  Unlike  other  metadata,  this  cannot  be  directly  modified  by  this command. It is updated
       automatically.

       Note that the metadata is attached to git-annex key corresponding to the content of  a  file,  not  to  a
       particular  filename  on  a  particular git branch.  All files with the same key share the same metadata,
       which is stored in the git-annex branch. If a file is modified, the metadata of the previous version will
       be copied to the new key when git-annex adds the modified file.

OPTIONS

       -g field / --get field

              Get the value(s) of a single field.

              The  values  will  be  output one per line, with no other output, so this is suitable for use in a
              script.

       -s field=value / --set field=value
              Set a field's value, removing any old values.

       -s field+=value / --set field+=value
              Add an additional value, preserving any old values.

       -s field?=value / --set field?=value
              Set a value, but only if the field does not already have a value set.

       -s field-=value / --set field-=value
              Remove a value from a field, leaving any other values that the field has set.

       -r field / --remove field
              Remove all current values of the field.

       -t tag / --tag tag
              Set a tag. Note that a tag is just a value of the "tag" field.

       -u tag / --unset tag
              Unset a tag.

       --remove-all
              Remove all metadata from the specified files.

              When a file is modified and the new version added, git-annex will copy over the metadata from  the
              old version of the file. In situations where you don't want that copied metadata, you can use this
              option to remove it.

       --force
              By default, git annex metadata refuses to recursively set  metadata  throughout  the  files  in  a
              directory. This option enables such recursive setting.

       file matching options
              The git-annex-matching-options(1) can be used to specify files to act on.

       --all -A
              Specify instead of a file to get/set metadata on all known keys.

       --branch=ref
              Specify instead of a file to get/set metadata on all files in the specified branch or treeish.

       --unused
              Specify instead of a file to get/set metadata on files found by last run of git-annex unused.

       --key=keyname
              Specify instead of a file to get/set metadata of the specified key.

       --json Enable JSON output (and input). Each line is a JSON object.

              The format of the JSON objects changed in git-annex version 6.20160726.

              Example of the new format:

               {"command":"metadata","file":"foo","key":"...","fields":{"author":["bar"],...},"note":"...","success":true}

              Example of the old format, which lacks the inner fields object:

               {"command":"metadata","file":"foo","key":"...","author":["bar"],...,"note":"...","success":true}

       --json-error-messages
              Messages that would normally be output to standard error are included in the json instead.

       --batch
              Enables batch mode, which can be used to both get, store, and unset metadata for multiple files or
              keys.

              Batch currently only supports JSON input. So, you must enable --json along with --batch.

              In  batch  mode,  git-annex reads lines from stdin, which contain JSON objects. It replies to each
              input with an output JSON object.

              The format of the JSON sent to git-annex can be the same as  the  JSON  that  it  outputs.  Or,  a
              simplified version. Only the "file" (or "key") field is actually necessary.

              For example, to get the current metadata of file foo:

               {"file":"foo"}

              To get the current metadata of the key k:

               {"key":"k"}

              Any  metadata  fields  included  in  the JSON object will be stored, replacing whatever values the
              fields had before.  To unset a field, include it with an empty list of values.

              To change the author of file foo to bar:

               {"file":"foo","fields":{"author":["bar"]}}

              To remove the author of file foo:

               {"file":"foo","fields":{"author":[]}}

              Note that file matching options do not affect the files that are processed when in batch mode.

EXAMPLES

       To set some tags on a file and also its author:

        git annex metadata annexscreencast.ogv -t video -t screencast -s author+=Alice

SEE ALSO

       git-annex(1)

       git-annex-view(1)

AUTHOR

       Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>

                                                                                           git-annex-metadata(1)