File identifier

A file identification and metadata extraction software
File identifier permits easy identification of different file formats. Furthermore it permits to extract metadata from some file formats. Furthermore, the identification part of the software relies on a text database that can easily be modified.

Currently identifies about 600 file formats, and extracts metadata from about 30 major file formats. Optionally the metadata can be saved to a database that is compatible with 4DOS/4NT Description files so that the metadata can be shown at command line. Among others, it extracts metadata from the following formats: PDF, PNG, OLE (DOC), RIFF (AVI, WAVE), IFF (AIFF, ILBM), EXE, SGML (HTML).

File identifier also automatically detects the following embedded metadata: XMP and ID3.

File identifier maps all extracted metadata to XMP schemas (including dublincore) for easy understanding. Extraction of metadata stored in multiple languages is also supported. This is the freeware version.

Main features of File identifier:

The resource identifier database is a simple text file apparent to the UNIX magic file. It can be easily extended by end users.

Extraction of the metadata to a DEX (Description Explore software) database is also supported. This permits to use DEX database compatible tools to edit and view the metadata.

Create HTML or SFV compatible reports of the files that were analyzed

Create CSV reports (Professional version only – contact us to get access to this feature)

Identified resources have their file extensions identified, as well as a descriptive comment indicating the type of resource.

Optionally, identified resources can be categorized and their MIME media types identified. This permits getting statistics on the types of files stored on the system.
Optionally, different methods for extracting metadata related to the resource are supplied, the currently supported methods are as follow:

Embedded metadata for certain file types (PDF, PNG, SGML/HTML, etc.)

Embedded XMP packet information support [2]

4DOS/4NT/4OS2 descript.ion file support

DEX (Description explorer) database support (compatible with descript.ion file)

Sidecar XMP file support

Portable application description (PAD) file support. The resource to be associated with the PAD file is extracted from within the PAD file.


What's New in This Release:

Now RIFF AVI files are only fully parsed if the option -ch is used, should improve speed of parsing these types of files by about 1000%.

Extraction of EXIF Date information

PAD file parsing and matching about 100% faster

Bugfix with PAD parsing

Added EBML parsing

Added extraction of OGG metadata (FLAC, SPEEX and VORBIS)

Added extraction of FLAC metadata

Much better MPEG audio file support

Reports if metadata could not be fully extracted

Bugfix with -cb command line option

Much more robust RIFF, XML, JPEG and PNG file parsing, now can detect error corruptions of those files more easily.

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