MS Word (.docx) meta data

[James25]

Hello, Could someone please let me know all the possible meta data fields that can be extracted from a MS Word .docx document using the ExifTool and also guide me as to how to do so. I would also like to know how to save the meta data in pdf from the ExifTool.

Many thanks

[Phil Harvey]

The command will be

exiftool FILE

Without knowing what system you are running I can't give any details about how to install ExifTool, but here are the installation instructions for all systems.

It sounds like you also want to copy this metadata to a PDF file?  This will be trickier, and we can help if you can tell us exactly what metadata you want to copy.

- Phil

[greybeard]

It sounds like you also want to copy this metadata to a PDF file?  This will be trickier, and we can help if you can tell us exactly what metadata you want to copy.

The quick and dirty method would be to read the Exiftool output (redirected to a text file) into MS Word, make sure its formatted to taste and then print to pdf.

[StarGeek]

I would also like to know how to save the meta data in pdf from the ExifTool.

Obviously, some clarification is needed here. Do you want to copy the metadata from the DOCX into a PDF? Or save the exiftool output as a PDF.

As Phil says, the first would be tricky, as there probably won't be a direct correlation between DOCX tags and PDF tags. You'll have to decide what tag in the PDF you want to copy from each DOCX tag.

In the second case, you'll need a separate tool. Exiftool can't directly output a PDF file. You would have to use a text to PDF program, such as Pandoc. A quick check indicates that you would use something like this (though I haven't tested it)
exiftool file.jpg | pandoc -o metadata.pdf

[James25]

Thanks all. I'm using Windows 10. I've downloaded the Windows Executable version of the Exiftool and followed the steps on the installation page, but Im struggling to understand 1. how to open the tool as when I try to run the tool in cmd, it says
'C:\Users\xyzc>exiftool
'exiftool' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.'

I want to check all the possible meta data of a .docx (MS Word) file. I'm looking for eg when the file was created, on which computer, if it was downloaded then where it was downloaded from - basically anything to prove the authenticity of the document.

Once i find the meta data, i want to print off/ extract it into say a MS Word doc/ pdf so I can save the meta data on my computer and print off.

[Phil Harvey]

Try dragging and dropping the .docx file onto exiftool(-k).exe instead of typing the command.

- Phil

[StarGeek]

'exiftool' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.'

Exiftool hasn't been added to a directory that is part of the computers PATH. The PATH is a setting that lists all the directories that the command line searches to find programs.

I would suggest reinstalling using Oliver Benz's exiftool installer, which I believe will set up the PATH correctly.

[James25]

Thanks all. I've tried to drag and drop to the exiftool but nothing is happening. See screenshot. I don't know what I'm doing wrong - I have tried so many times. Nothing happens. Please help

[StarGeek]

This is what should be happening

[Phil Harvey]

You get the help screen you pictured if you double-click on exiftool to run it without a file.  But if you drop a file on it, you should get the metadata for the file as StarGeek is showing.

But note that in StarGeek's example the "exiftool_files" folder must now also exist in the same folder as "exiftool(-k).exe" for this to work.

- Phil

[James25]

Got it, thank you both!

[James25]

When I open the app.xml file of this .docx document, the app version is 16.000 but the exiftool shows app version as 15.000. Any reason why? Which one is the correct one?

Also could you clarify what the difference between 'file creation date' and 'create date' is?

Thanks!

[Phil Harvey]

"File Creation Date/Time" as listed by ExifTool is the file creation time stored by the system in the directory data.  It isn't stored in the file itself.

I'm not sure about 'create date' if you rename "exiftool(-k).exe" to "exiftool(-k -G1).exe" then try again you will see where the metadata comes from.

I can't comment on the app version difference without seeing the file.  If you want, you can send it to me (philharvey66 at gmail.com) and I'll take a look.

- Phil

[StarGeek]

I'm not sure about 'create date'

It is most likely XML:CreateDate, which is probably the date the document was created. I'm not certain, as I don't deal and check doc files very often.