Add metadata viewer script

README.md

@@ -51,6 +51,32 @@ Manual grouping uses filesystem items, not media-file detection:
 - one empty directory does nothing
 - multiple files/folders are grouped as selected, without flattening folder contents
 
+### `view_metadata.py`
+
+Show all readable metadata for the first file provided:
+
+```bash
+python3 view_metadata.py path/to/file/or/directory [...]
+```
+
+This script only displays one file. If several files are given, it displays the first one. If a directory is given, it searches recursively and displays the first file it finds.
+
+It runs ExifTool as:
+
+```bash
+exiftool -a -u -ee -G0:1 -s file
+```
+
+The important choices are:
+
+- `-a` shows duplicate tag names instead of hiding later duplicates.
+- `-u` includes unknown tags ExifTool can identify well enough to print.
+- `-ee` extracts embedded metadata where ExifTool supports it, which is useful for some video/container formats.
+- `-G0:1` shows both the broad metadata container and the more exact location, such as `EXIF:IFD0` or `QuickTime:Track1`.
+- `-s` uses compact tag names, which are easier to copy into scripts than the descriptive labels.
+
+The old `-G` style shows broad groups like `EXIF`, `File`, or `QuickTime`. That is readable, but it can hide where inside a container a value came from. Family 1 groups, from `-G1`, show more exact locations like `IFD0`, `ExifIFD`, `MakerNotes`, or `Track1`, but sometimes lose the broader context. `-G0:1` combines both, so it is the most useful default for debugging metadata without changing which normal tags are extracted. The organization option changes labels, not the underlying metadata extraction; `-a` and `-u` are the parts that affect whether duplicate or unknown printed tags are included.
+
 ## Requirements
 
 - Python 3.10 or newer

view_metadata.py

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Show metadata for one file.
+
+Drag a file onto this script, or run:
+    python3 view_metadata.py path/to/file/or/directory [...]
+
+If more than one file is provided or found, only the first file is shown.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+from shutil import which
+
+
+def first_file_from_path(path: Path) -> Path | None:
+    path = path.expanduser()
+    if path.is_file():
+        return path.resolve()
+    if path.is_dir():
+        for child in sorted(path.rglob("*"), key=lambda item: str(item).lower()):
+            if child.is_file():
+                return child.resolve()
+    return None
+
+
+def choose_file(args: list[str]) -> Path | None:
+    for arg in args:
+        file_path = first_file_from_path(Path(arg))
+        if file_path is not None:
+            return file_path
+    return None
+
+
+def pause_if_interactive() -> None:
+    if sys.stdin.isatty():
+        try:
+            input("\nPress Enter to close...")
+        except EOFError:
+            pass
+
+
+def run(argv: list[str]) -> int:
+    if len(argv) < 2:
+        print("Usage: python3 view_metadata.py path/to/file/or/directory [...]")
+        return 2
+
+    exiftool = which("exiftool")
+    if exiftool is None:
+        print("exiftool was not found on PATH.")
+        return 1
+
+    file_path = choose_file(argv[1:])
+    if file_path is None:
+        print("No file found.")
+        return 1
+
+    print(f"Showing metadata for: {file_path}\n", flush=True)
+    command = [
+        exiftool,
+        "-a",
+        "-u",
+        "-ee",
+        "-G0:1",
+        "-s",
+        "-charset",
+        "filename=UTF8",
+        str(file_path),
+    ]
+    return subprocess.run(command).returncode
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str]) -> int:
+    try:
+        return run(argv)
+    finally:
+        pause_if_interactive()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main(sys.argv))