Created
August 16, 2018 09:34
-
-
Save sente/ada41497e2de7a848525b692145263a0 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Copied from http://osxnotes.net/spotlight.html
This file contains bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters.
Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters
| <!doctype html> | |
| <meta charset=utf-8> | |
| <meta name=viewport content=width=device-width,initial-scale=1> | |
| <style> | |
| * { | |
| line-height: 1.1; | |
| word-wrap: break-word; | |
| } | |
| body { | |
| font: 16px Georgia, serif; | |
| } | |
| pre, code { | |
| font: 14px Menlo, 'DejaVu Sans Mono', 'Bitstream Vera Sans Mono', monospace; | |
| white-space: pre-wrap; | |
| background: #e5e5e5; | |
| } | |
| blockquote { | |
| background: #e5e5e5; | |
| margin-left: 0; | |
| margin-right: 0; | |
| border-left: 4px solid #aaa; | |
| padding: 1em 0 1em 1em; | |
| } | |
| li p:first-child, blockquote p:first-child { | |
| margin-top: 0; | |
| } | |
| li p:last-child, blockquote p:last-child { | |
| margin-bottom: 0; | |
| } | |
| </style> | |
| <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> | |
Sign up for free
to join this conversation on GitHub.
Already have an account?
Sign in to comment
I searched for
"mdfind -s". I was looking for a way to pass an absolute path tomdfind -s, because it's hard-coded to only work with saved searches in the~/Library/Saved Searchesdirectory. The trick in this gist, makes it possible to list the results of a saved search, using a single CLI command.