windows - Reading metadata with Python

Question

For the past two days I have been scanning the Internet to try to find the solution to my problem. I have a folder of different files. They run the gambit of file types. I am trying to write a python script that will read the metadata from each file, if it exists. The intent is to eventually output the data to a file to compare with another program's metadata extraction.

I have found some examples where it worked for a very few number of the files in the directory. All the ways I have found have dealt with opening a Storage Container object. I am new to Python and am not sure what a Storage Container object is. I just know that most of my files error out when trying to use

pythoncom.StgOpenStorage(<File Name>, None, flags)

With the few that actually work, I am able to get the main metadata tags, like Title, Subject, Author, Created, etc.

Does anyone know a way other than Storage Containers to get to the metadata? Also, if there is an easier way to do this with another language, by all means, suggest it.

Thanks

Answer 1

You can use the Shell com objects to retrieve any metadata visible in Explorer:

import win32com.client
sh=win32com.client.gencache.EnsureDispatch('Shell.Application',0)
ns = sh.NameSpace(r'm:musicAerosmithClassics Live!')
colnum = 0
columns = []
while True:
    colname=ns.GetDetailsOf(None, colnum)
    if not colname:
        break
    columns.append(colname)
    colnum += 1

for item in ns.Items():
    print (item.Path)
    for colnum in range(len(columns)):
        colval=ns.GetDetailsOf(item, colnum)
        if colval:
            print('', columns[colnum], colval)