Summary  
This chapter demonstrates how to use filesystem operations to retrieve file metadata—specifically file size and creation time—convert timestamps into readable formats, and print or format the results (e.g., as CSV).  

General domain of usage  
Digital asset management

As a content creator, managing a growing collection of images can quickly become overwhelming. Each image file carries valuable metadata—such as **file size** and **creation date**—that can help you organize, search, and track your visual assets more efficiently. **Metadata** provides you with key details about each file, making it easier to sort images by age, identify duplicates, or monitor storage usage. Understanding how to automatically extract and organize this information using Python will save you time and help you maintain a well-structured content library.

import os
from datetime import datetime

# Hardcoded list of image filenames
image_files = ["photo1.jpg", "banner2.png", "logo3.gif"]

for filename in image_files:
    if os.path.exists(filename):
        file_size = os.path.getsize(filename)
        creation_time = os.path.getctime(filename)
        readable_time = datetime.fromtimestamp(creation_time).strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
        print(f"File: {filename}")
        print(f"  Size: {file_size} bytes")
        print(f"  Created: {readable_time}")
        print()
    else:
        print(f"File not found: {filename}\n")

This script uses Python's `os` module to access metadata for each file in a hardcoded list of image filenames. For every file, it retrieves the file size in bytes using `os.path.getsize()` and the file's creation time using `os.path.getctime()`. The creation time is then converted into a human-readable date and time format with the help of the `datetime` module. The script prints out each file's name, its size, and when it was created, making the output easy to scan and understand. If a file is missing, it notifies you, so you can quickly spot any issues in your image collection.

import os
from datetime import datetime

# Hardcoded list of image filenames
image_files = ["photo1.jpg", "banner2.png", "logo3.gif"]

# Print CSV header
print("filename,size_bytes,created")

for filename in image_files:
    if os.path.exists(filename):
        file_size = os.path.getsize(filename)
        creation_time = os.path.getctime(filename)
        readable_time = datetime.fromtimestamp(creation_time).strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
        # Print as CSV row
        print(f"{filename},{file_size},{readable_time}")
    else:
        print(f"{filename},FILE_NOT_FOUND,")

What type of information can image metadata provide?

Which Python module can be used to get file creation times?

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Automating Image Metadata Extraction

1. What type of information can image metadata provide?

2. Which Python module can be used to get file creation times?

3. Fill in the blank: To get the size of a file in bytes, use `os.path.____(filename)`.

Automating Image Metadata Extraction

1. What type of information can image metadata provide?

2. Which Python module can be used to get file creation times?

3. Fill in the blank: To get the size of a file in bytes, use os.path.____(filename).

3. Fill in the blank: To get the size of a file in bytes, use `os.path.____(filename)`.