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| <title>Spotlight syntax, mdfind examples, and metadata attributes</title> | |
| <h1>Spotlight syntax, mdfind examples, and metadata attributes</h1> | |
| <h2>Spotlight search syntax</h2> | |
| <p>See <a href="https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Carbon/Conceptual/SpotlightQuery/Concepts/QueryFormat.html">https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/Carbon/Conceptual/SpotlightQuery/Concepts/QueryFormat.html</a> for documentation about the Spotlight search syntax. Here are some examples:</p> | |
| <pre><code>name:file.txt | |
| kind:"jpeg image" | |
| date:today | |
| date:"this week" | |
| modified:12/31/11 | |
| created:12/1/11-12/31/11 | |
| kind:video AND size:<100000</code></pre> | |
| <h2>Commonly used attributes</h2> | |
| <p><code>kMDItemPath</code>: absolute path.<br> <code>kMDItemFSName</code>: basename.<br> <code>kMDItemFSSize</code>: size in bytes.<br> <code>kMDItemDisplayName</code>: display name.<br> <code>kMDItemContentType</code>: UTI.<br> <code>kMDItemContentTypeTree</code>: UTI and parent UTIs.<br> <code>kMDItemKind</code>: a localized name for the content type.<br> <code>kMDItemFSContentChangeDate</code>: modification time.<br> <code>kMDItemFSCreationDate</code>: creation time.<br> <code>kMDItemLastUsedDate</code>: date last opened.<br> <code>kMDItemDateAdded</code>: date moved or date first indexed.<br> <code>kMDItemFinderComment</code>: Spotlight comment.<br> <code>kMDItemTextContent</code>: plain text content of for example text, HTML, or PDF files.<br> <code>kMDItemDurationSeconds</code>: for example the duration of an audio or video file.<br> <code>kMDItemTitle</code>: for example the title of a webloc, PDF, or MP3 file.<br> <code>kMDItemURL</code>: for example the URL of a webloc file.<br> <code>kMDItemWhereFroms</code>: the URL or URLs that a file was downloaded from.<br> <code>kMDItemUserTags</code>: tags.<br> <code>kMDItemAuthors</code>: for example the artist of an MP3 file.</p> | |
| <h2>Shell examples</h2> | |
| <pre><code>mdfind '"exact phrase"' | |
| mdfind -name javascript -onlyin ~/Books | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemFSName=*.pdf' | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemFSName=mdfind&&kMDItemContentType=public.unix-executable' | |
| mdfind kMDItemContentType=com.apple.application-bundle -onlyin /usr/local | |
| mdfind kMDItemContentTypeTree=com.apple.bundle | |
| mdfind kMDItemContentTypeTree=public.movie | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemTextContent="*expose*"cd' # search for files whose text content matches `expose` ignoring case and diacritics | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemTextContent="*search phrase*"c' -onlyin ~/Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari/History | |
| mdfind kMDItemFSSize=$(stat -f%z file) # quickly find potentially duplicate files by size | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemFSCreationDate>$time.iso(2014-03-16T01:03:08Z)' -onlyin . # like `TZ=UTC0 find . -newerBt '2014-03-16 01:03:08'` | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemFSContentChangeDate>$time.now(-86400)' -onlyin ~/Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari/History|xargs mdls -n kMDItemURL|cut -d\" -f2 | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemDateAdded>$time.today(-7)' # find files that were moved or first indexed in the last week | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemLastUsedDate!=*' -onlyin . # find files that have not been opened before | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemKind=*movie&&kMDItemPixelHeight>=720' | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemAuthors="Artist Name"' -onlyin ~/Music | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemContentType=*' -onlyin . # list all indexed files (kMDItemFSName=* stopped working in 10.9) | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemURL=*stackoverflow.com*' -onlyin ~/Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari/History | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemFSSize>1e8' | |
| mdfind -0 -onlyin ~/Music 'kMDItemFSName=*.mp3&&kMDItemAudioBitRate<=192000'|xargs -0 mdls -n kMDItemAlbum|sort -u | |
| mdfind $'kMDItemFSName="*\n*"' | |
| mdfind -onlyin / # search only in the main OS X volume, like `mdfind -onlyin /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD` | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemDurationSeconds<=180&&kMDItemContentType=public.mp3' -onlyin . | |
| mdfind 'kMDItemUserTags=*' # find files that have tags | |
| mdfind -s example # like `mdfind "$(PlistBuddy -c 'Print RawQuery' ~/Library/Saved\ Searches/example.savedSearch)"` | |
| mdfind 'search phrase' -0|xargs -0 ls -l | |
| sudo mdfind com_apple_backup_excludeItem=com.apple.backupd # find files excluded from Time Machine backups | |
| mdls -rn kMDItemLastUsedDate -n kMDItemFSName *|tr \\0 \\n|paste - -|sort # sort by date last opened | |
| mdls -rn kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier "$(mdfind 'kMDItemContentType=com.apple.application-bundle&&kMDItemFSName=iTunes.app'|head -n1)" | |
| mdls -n kMDItemURL $(mdfind 'search phrase' -onlyin Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari/History)|cut -d\" -f2 | |
| for f in *.pdf;do echo $(mdls -rn kMDItemNumberOfPages "$f") "$f";done | |
| for f in *.txt;do echo $(mdls -rn kMDItemUseCount "$f") "$f";done|sort -n # sort files by times opened | |
| touch /tmp/a.tex;mdls -n kMDItemContentTypeTree /tmp/a.tex # show the UTI and parent UTIs for the .tex extension</code></pre> | |
| <h2>mdimport -A</h2> | |
| <pre><code>$ mdimport -A|sed $'s/\t\t/;/g;s/(null)//g'|tr -d \' | |
| _kMDItemUserTags;;; | |
| com_apple_ats_font_invalid;Invalid Font;Invalid Font; | |
| com_apple_ats_name_family;Family name;Font Family name; | |
| com_apple_ats_name_fond;FOND name;FOND name; | |
| com_apple_ats_name_full;Full name;Font Full name; | |
| com_apple_ats_name_postscript;PostScript name;PostScript name; | |
| com_apple_ats_name_style;Style name;Font Style name; | |
| com_apple_ats_names;;; | |
| com_apple_mail_attachmentKinds;;; | |
| com_apple_mail_attachmentNames;Attachment Names;A list of the names of attachments associated with a message; | |
| com_apple_mail_attachmentSpecificTypes;;; | |
| com_apple_mail_attachmentTypes;Attachment Types;A list of the types for attachments associated with a message; | |
| com_apple_mail_dateLastViewed;Date Last Viewed;The date a message was last viewed; | |
| com_apple_mail_dateReceived;Date Received;The date a message was received; | |
| com_apple_mail_flagColor;Flag Color;The color of the flag associated with a message; | |
| com_apple_mail_flagged;Flagged;Whether or not a message is flagged; | |
| com_apple_mail_messageID;Message ID;The message ID from the message header; | |
| com_apple_mail_priority;Priority;The numbered priority of a message; | |
| com_apple_mail_read;Read Status;Whether or not a message has been read; | |
| com_apple_mail_repliedTo;Replied To;Whether or not a message has been replied to; | |
| kMDItemAcquisitionMake;Device make;Make of the device used to acquire this document;make | |
| kMDItemAcquisitionModel;Device model;Model of the device used to acquire this document;model | |
| kMDItemAlbum;Album;Title for a collection of media, such as a record album;album, title | |
| kMDItemAlternateNames;Alternate display names;Alternate names of the file; | |
| kMDItemAltitude;Altitude;The altitude of the item in meters above sea level, expressed using the WGS84 datum. Negative values lie below sea level.;altitude | |
| kMDItemAperture;Aperture value;Size of the lens aperture as a log-scale APEX value;aperture, fstop | |
| kMDItemAppStoreCategory;Category;App Store Category item is a member of;category | |
| kMDItemAppStoreCategoryType;;; | |
| kMDItemAppleLoopDescriptors;Loop descriptors;Keywords describing the mood and other aspects of the loop; | |
| kMDItemAppleLoopsKeyFilterType;Loop scale type;Whether the loop uses the major or minor scale, neither scale, or can be used with both; | |
| kMDItemAppleLoopsLoopMode;Loop file type;Whether the file is a looping or non-looping file. Looping files adjust their tempo to the song tempo, while non-looping files keep their recorded tempo; | |
| kMDItemAppleLoopsRootKey;Loop original key;Shows the loops original key. The key is the root note or tonic for the loop, and does not include the scale type; | |
| kMDItemApplicationCategories;Application Categories;Categories application is a member of;categories | |
| kMDItemAttributeChangeDate;;; | |
| kMDItemAudiences;Audiences;Who the document is intended for;to, audience | |
| kMDItemAudioBitRate;Audio bit rate;Bit rate of the audio in the media;audiobitrate, bitrate | |
| kMDItemAudioChannelCount;Audio channels;Number of channels in the files audio data;channels | |
| kMDItemAudioEncodingApplication;Audio encoding application;Name of the application that encoded the data in the audio file;encoder, encodedby, audioencodingapplication | |
| kMDItemAudioSampleRate;Sample rate;Sample rate of the files audio data;audiosamplerate, samplerate | |
| kMDItemAudioTrackNumber;Track number;Track number of the song that is part of an album;tracknumber | |
| kMDItemAuthorAddresses;Author addresses;Addresses for authors of this item;from | |
| kMDItemAuthorEmailAddresses;Author Email addresses;Email addresses for authors of this item;from, email, mail | |
| kMDItemAuthors;Authors;Authors of this item;from, author, with, by | |
| kMDItemBitsPerSample;Bits per sample;Number of bits per sample;bitspersample, bps | |
| kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier;;; | |
| kMDItemCity;City;City of the item;city | |
| kMDItemCodecs;Codecs;Codecs used to encode and decode the media;codec | |
| kMDItemColorSpace;Color space;Color space model of this image;colorspace | |
| kMDItemComment;Comment;Comments about this item;comment | |
| kMDItemComposer;Composer;Composer of the song in the audio file;by, composer, author | |
| kMDItemContactKeywords;Contact keywords;Contacts associated with this item;contact, contactkeyword, keyword | |
| kMDItemContentCreationDate;Content created;Date when the content of this item was created;contentcreated, created, date | |
| kMDItemContentModificationDate;Content modified;Date when the content of this item was modified;contentmodified, modified, date | |
| kMDItemContentType;;; | |
| kMDItemContentTypeTree;;; | |
| kMDItemContributors;Contributors;People or organizations contributing to the content of the document;by, contributor, author, with | |
| kMDItemCopyright;Copyright;Copyright information about this item;copyright | |
| kMDItemCountry;Country;Country or location where the item was created according to the provider;country | |
| kMDItemCoverage;Coverage;Extent or scope of the content of the document;coverage | |
| kMDItemCreator;Content Creator;Application used to create the document;creator | |
| kMDItemDateAdded;Date added;Date when this item was last moved;dateadded, added, date | |
| kMDItemDeliveryType;Delivery type;Method used to deliver the media (Fast Start or RTSP);delivery | |
| kMDItemDescription;Description;Description of the content of the document;description, comment | |
| kMDItemDestinationRecipients;;; | |
| kMDItemDirector;Director;Director; | |
| kMDItemDisplayName;Display name;Localized name of the file;name, displayname | |
| kMDItemDocumentContainer;Document Container;Containing folder of item;container | |
| kMDItemDocumentLineage;;; | |
| kMDItemDueDate;Due date;Date this item is due;duedate, date | |
| kMDItemDurationSeconds;Duration;Duration of this item in seconds;duration, time | |
| kMDItemEXIFGPSVersion;EXIF GPS version;The version of GPSInfoIFD in EXIF used to generate the metadata; | |
| kMDItemEXIFVersion;EXIF version;Version of EXIF used to generate the metadata;exifversion | |
| kMDItemEditors;Editors;Editors of this item;editor | |
| kMDItemEmailAddresses;Email addresses;Email addresses associated with this item;email, mail | |
| kMDItemEncodingApplications;Encoding software;Software used to convert the original content;encoder, encodedby, encodingapplication | |
| kMDItemExecutableArchitectures;Executable Architectures;Architectures the item requires to execute;architectures | |
| kMDItemExecutablePlatform;Executable Platform;Platform the item requires to execute;platform | |
| kMDItemExposureMode;Exposure mode;Mode used for the exposure;exposuremode | |
| kMDItemExposureProgram;Exposure program;Type of program used by the camera to set the exposure: Manual, Normal, Aperture priority, ...;exposure, exposureprogram | |
| kMDItemExposureTimeSeconds;Exposure time;Time the lens was open during exposure;exposuretime, time | |
| kMDItemFNumber;F number;Focal length of the lens divided by the diameter of the aperture;fnumber, fstop | |
| kMDItemFSContentChangeDate;Modified;Date the file content was last changed;modified | |
| kMDItemFSCreationDate;Created;Date the file was created;created | |
| kMDItemFSExists;;; | |
| kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon;Custom Icon;Whether the file has a custom icon; | |
| kMDItemFSInvisible;File invisible;Whether the file is visible;invisible | |
| kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden;File extension hidden;Whether the file extension is hidden; | |
| kMDItemFSIsReadable;;; | |
| kMDItemFSIsStationery;Stationery;Whether the file is stationery;stationery | |
| kMDItemFSIsWriteable;;; | |
| kMDItemFSLabel;File label;Finder label assigned to the file; | |
| kMDItemFSName;Filename;Name of the file;filename | |
| kMDItemFSNodeCount;Number of items;Number of files and folders in the folder; | |
| kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID;Group;Group ID of owner of the file;group | |
| kMDItemFSOwnerUserID;Owner;User ID of the owner of the file;owner | |
| kMDItemFSSize;File size;Logical size of the file on disk in bytes;size | |
| kMDItemFinderComment;Spotlight comment;Spotlight comment for this item;comment, spotlightcomment | |
| kMDItemFinderOpenDate;;; | |
| kMDItemFlashOnOff;Flash;Whether the picture was taken using a flash;flash | |
| kMDItemFocalLength;Focal length;Focal length of the lens in millimeters (mm);focallength | |
| kMDItemFonts;Fonts;Fonts used in this item;font | |
| kMDItemGenre;Genre;Genre; | |
| kMDItemHasAlphaChannel;Alpha channel;Whether the image has an Alpha channel;alpha | |
| kMDItemHeadline;Headline;Publishable summary of the contents of the item;headline, title | |
| kMDItemISOSpeed;ISO speed;ISO speed of the camera when the picture was taken;iso | |
| kMDItemIdentifier;Identifier;Reference to a resource within a given context;id | |
| kMDItemInformation;Movie information;Movie information; | |
| kMDItemInstantMessageAddresses;Instant message addresses;Instant message addresses associated with this item;chat, imname | |
| kMDItemInstructions;Instructions;Other information concerning the item, such as handling instructions;instructions | |
| kMDItemIsApplicationManaged;Is Application Managed;The file is owned and managed by an application;appmanaged | |
| kMDItemIsGeneralMIDISequence;General MIDI sequence;Whether the MIDI sequence contained in the file is setup for use with a General MIDI device;ismidi | |
| kMDItemIsLikelyJunk;Is Junk;Whether the file is likely to be considered a junk file;isjunk | |
| kMDItemIsQuarantined;;; | |
| kMDItemIsScreenCapture;;; | |
| kMDItemKeySignature;Key signature;Musical key of the song in the audio file;key, keysignature | |
| kMDItemKeywords;Keywords;Keywords associated with this item;keyword | |
| kMDItemKind;Kind;Kind of this item;kind | |
| kMDItemLanguages;Languages;Languages of the content of the document;language | |
| kMDItemLastUsedDate;Last opened;Date when this item was last used;lastused, date | |
| kMDItemLatitude;Latitude;The latitude of the item in degrees north of the equator, expressed using the WGS84 datum. Negative values lie south of the equator.;latitude | |
| kMDItemLayerNames;Layers;Names of the layers in the file;layer | |
| kMDItemLogicalSize;Logical size;Logical size of the item in bytes; | |
| kMDItemLongitude;Longitude;The longitude of the item in degrees east of the prime meridian, expressed using the WGS84 datum. Negative values lie west of the prime meridian.;longitude | |
| kMDItemLyricist;Lyricist;Lyricist of the song in the audio file;by, lyricist, author | |
| kMDItemMaxAperture;Max aperture;Smallest F number of the lens in APEX value units, usually in the range of 00.00 to 99.99;maxaperture | |
| kMDItemMediaTypes;Media types;Media types present in the content;media, contains, mediatype | |
| kMDItemMeteringMode;Metering mode;The metering mode (Unknown, Average, CenterWeightedAverage, Spot, MultiSpot, Pattern, Partial);metering, meteringmode | |
| kMDItemMusicalGenre;Musical genre;Musical genre of the song in the audio file;genre, musicalgenre | |
| kMDItemMusicalInstrumentCategory;Instrument category;Instrument category to which the file belongs;instrument, instrumentcategory | |
| kMDItemMusicalInstrumentName;Instrument name;Name of instrument relative to the instrument category;instrument, instrumentname | |
| kMDItemNamedLocation;Location;Name of the location or point of interest;location | |
| kMDItemNumberOfPages;Pages;Number of pages in the document;pages | |
| kMDItemOrganizations;Organizations;Organizations that created the document;organization | |
| kMDItemOrientation;Orientation;Orientation of the picture (landscape or portrait);orientation | |
| kMDItemOriginApplicationIdentifier;;; | |
| kMDItemOriginMessageIDkMDItemOriginMessageID;;; | |
| kMDItemOriginSenderDisplayName;;; | |
| kMDItemOriginSenderHandle;;; | |
| kMDItemOriginSubject;;; | |
| kMDItemOriginalFormat;Original Format;Original Format; | |
| kMDItemOriginalSource;Original Source;Original Source; | |
| kMDItemPageHeight;Page height;Height of the document page in points;pageheight, height | |
| kMDItemPageWidth;Page width;Width of the document page in points;pagewidth, width | |
| kMDItemParticipants;Participants;Participants in this item; | |
| kMDItemPath;File pathname;Complete pathname of this file;path | |
| kMDItemPerformers;Performers;Performers; | |
| kMDItemPhoneNumbers;Phone number;Phone numbers associated with this item;phone, phonenumber | |
| kMDItemPhysicalSize;Physical size;Physical size of the item in bytes; | |
| kMDItemPixelCount;Pixel count;Total number of pixels in the document;pixelcount | |
| kMDItemPixelHeight;Pixel height;Height of the document in pixels;pixelheight, height | |
| kMDItemPixelWidth;Pixel width;Width of the document in pixels;pixelwidth, width | |
| kMDItemProducer;Producer;Producer of this item;producer | |
| kMDItemProfileName;Color profile;Name of the color profile used for the image;profile | |
| kMDItemProjects;Projects;Projects this item is part of; | |
| kMDItemPublishers;Publishers;Publisher of the document;publisher | |
| kMDItemPurchaseDate;Purchase Date;Date this item was purchased;purchasedate | |
| kMDItemRecipientAddresses;Recipient addresses;Addresses for recipients of this item;to | |
| kMDItemRecipientEmailAddresses;Recipient Email addresses;Email addresses for recipients of this item;to, email, mail | |
| kMDItemRecipients;Recipients;Recipients of this item;to, recipient, with | |
| kMDItemRecordingDate;Recording date;Date the song was recorded;recordingdate, date | |
| kMDItemRecordingYear;Year recorded;Year the item was recorded;yearrecorded, year | |
| kMDItemRedEyeOnOff;Red eye;Whether red eye correction was on or off;redeye | |
| kMDItemResolutionHeightDPI;Resolution height;Resolution height of this image in DPI;heightdpi, dpi | |
| kMDItemResolutionWidthDPI;Resolution width;Resolution width of this image in DPI;widthdpi, dpi | |
| kMDItemRights;Rights;Link to information about the rights held on the document;rights | |
| kMDItemScreenCaptureType;;; | |
| kMDItemSecurityMethod;Security;Encryption method used to make the document secure;security, securitymethod | |
| kMDItemStarRating;Rating;User Rating;starrating | |
| kMDItemStateOrProvince;State or Province;State or province of the item according to the provider;state, province | |
| kMDItemStreamable;Streamable;Whether the content is prepared for streaming;streamable | |
| kMDItemSubject;Subject;Subject of this item;subject, title | |
| kMDItemSupportFileType;;; | |
| kMDItemTempo;Tempo;Tempo of the music in the audio file in Beats Per Minute;tempo | |
| kMDItemTextContent;Text content;Text content of this item;content, contains, intext | |
| kMDItemTheme;Theme;Theme of this item;theme | |
| kMDItemTimeSignature;Time signature;Time signature of the song in the audio or MIDI file;timesignature | |
| kMDItemTitle;Title;Title of this item;title | |
| kMDItemTotalBitRate;Total bit rate;Combined bit rate of the audio and video in the media;totalbitrate, bitrate | |
| kMDItemURL;URL;URL of this item;url | |
| kMDItemUsedDates;Used dates;Dates when this item was used;used, date | |
| kMDItemUserTags;Tags;Tags associated with this item;tag | |
| kMDItemVersion;Version;Version number of this item;version | |
| kMDItemVideoBitRate;Video bit rate;Bit rate of the video in the media;videobitrate, bitrate | |
| kMDItemWhereFroms;Where from;Where the item came from;from, source, wherefrom | |
| kMDItemWhiteBalance;White balance;White balance setting of the camera when the picture was taken;whitebalance</code></pre> | |
No problem, happy to help.
Curious.. How'd you find this gist?
I searched for "mdfind -s". I was looking for a way to pass an absolute path to mdfind -s, because it's hard-coded to only work with saved searches in the ~/Library/Saved Searches directory. The trick in this gist, makes it possible to list the results of a saved search, using a single CLI command.
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This line was very helpful to me:
mdfind "$(PlistBuddy -c 'Print RawQuery' ~/Library/Saved\ Searches/example.savedSearch)". Thanks!