Metadata management using iCommands¶

GoCommands provides features to manage metadata for data objects, collections, resources, and users in the Data Store using the imeta command.

Metadata consists of three components:

• Name (Attribute): The name of information.
• Value: The actual data or information.
• Unit (Optional): Specifies the unit of measurement, if applicable.

List Metadata of Data Objects, Collections, Resources, or Users¶

imeta ls [flags] <irods-object>...

iRODS Objects¶

Example Usage¶

1. List metadata of a data object:

   imeta ls -d /iplant/home/myUser/file.txt
   

2. List metadata of a collection:

   imeta ls -C /iplant/home/myUser/dir
   

3. List metadata of a resource:

   imeta ls -R myResc
   

4. List metadata of a user:

   imeta ls -u myUser
   

Add Metadata to Data Objects, Collections, Resources, or Users¶

imeta add [flags] <irods-object> <metadata-name> <metadata-value> [metadata-unit]

iRODS Objects¶

Example Usage¶

1. Add metadata to a data object:

   imeta add -d /iplant/home/myUser/file.txt meta_name meta_value
   

2. Add metadata to a data object with metadata-unit:

   imeta add -d /iplant/home/myUser/file.txt meta_name meta_value meta_unit
   

3. Add metadata to a collection:

   imeta add -C /iplant/home/myUser/dir meta_name meta_value
   

4. Add metadata to a resource:

   imeta add -R myResc meta_name meta_value
   

5. Add metadata to a user:

   imeta add -u myUser meta_name meta_value
   

Remove Metadata from Data Objects, Collections, Resources, or Users¶

Remove metadata by name (attribute) and value:

imeta rm [flags] <irods-object> <metadata-name> <metadata-value>

Remove metadata by ID:

imeta rmi [flags] <irods-object> <metadata-ID>

Note: The metadata-ID is a numeric identifier for the metadata. It can be obtained from the output of the imeta ls command.

iRODS Objects¶

Example Usage¶

1. Remove metadata from a data object by name:

   imeta rm -d /iplant/home/myUser/file.txt meta_name meta_value
   

2. Remove metadata from a data object by ID:

   imeta rmi -d /iplant/home/myUser/file.txt 979206950
   

3. Remove metadata from a collection:

   imeta rm -C /iplant/home/myUser/dir meta_name meta_value
   

4. Remove metadata from a resource:

   imeta rm -R myResc meta_name meta_value
   

5. Remove metadata from a user:

   imeta rm -u myUser meta_name meta_value
   

Adapted from CyVerse Learning Materials (last source update 2025-03-25), CC BY 4.0. Spotted a problem? Open an issue.