gvfsd-metadata

gvfsd-metadata [OPTIONS]

--version
    Display the version of the gvfsd-metadata daemon.

--debug
    Enable debug output, which can be useful for troubleshooting issues.

--display=DISPLAY
    Specify the X display to connect to (typically for session management). This option is usually handled by the session manager.

--sm-client-id=ID
    Provide a session management client ID. Used for integrating with the desktop session.

--sm-disable
    Disable session management capabilities for the daemon, preventing it from interacting with the session manager.

--sm-no-xserver
    Prevent the daemon from connecting to an X server for session management purposes. Useful in non-graphical environments.

--sync
    Synchronize the metadata database, potentially forcing writes of pending changes.

--no-daemon
    Run the gvfsd-metadata process in the foreground instead of detaching as a daemon. Useful for debugging.

gvfsd-metadata is a background daemon that forms a core component of the GNOME Virtual File System (GVfs), specifically handling file metadata. It provides a centralized and persistent storage mechanism for attributes such as file tags, comments, star ratings, and other user-defined properties, which are then accessible by applications like Nautilus (Files).

The daemon primarily uses extended attributes (xattrs) to store metadata directly on files where supported by the filesystem. For filesystems that do not support xattrs, or for more complex indexing and search capabilities, it also utilizes a SQLite database typically located at ~/.local/share/gvfs-metadata. This hybrid approach ensures metadata persistence and efficient retrieval.

Users rarely interact with gvfsd-metadata directly. It is automatically launched by gvgvfsd or the user's session manager when an application requests metadata functionality. Its primary role is to ensure a consistent and reliable metadata experience across the GNOME desktop environment.

• gvfsd-metadata is an internal system daemon; direct user interaction or manual invocation with parameters is typically not required for normal operation.
• Its performance can be affected by the number of files and the volume of metadata being managed, especially during initial indexing or extensive metadata changes.
• Metadata stored via gvfsd-metadata might not be portable to systems that do not use GVfs or do not properly support extended attributes.

GVfs metadata is stored using a combination of extended attributes (xattrs) on individual files for filesystems that support them, and a SQLite database located at ~/.local/share/gvfs-metadata for indexing, search, and storing metadata for files on filesystems without xattr support. The daemon manages the consistency between these two storage methods.

This daemon is not meant for manual execution by end-users. It is automatically launched by the primary gvfsd daemon or the user's desktop session manager whenever a GNOME application (like Nautilus or Evince) attempts to read or write metadata associated with files. Its background operation ensures seamless metadata handling for desktop applications.

gvfsd-metadata is an integral part of the GVfs (GNOME Virtual File System) framework, which was developed to replace the older GNOME VFS. GVfs, and consequently gvfsd-metadata, was designed to provide a more modern, extensible, and robust way for GNOME applications to interact with various file systems and network resources. The metadata daemon specifically addresses the growing need for rich file metadata management in desktop environments, enabling features like tagging and advanced searching that go beyond basic file system attributes. Its development reflects the evolution of desktop environments towards more semantic file management.

gvfsd(1), gvfs(7), gio(1), xattr(1)