Import/Export Service Metadata and Properties File Format

 

You can specify metadata and properties for one or more blobs as part of an import job or an export job. To set metadata or properties for blobs being created as part of an import job, you provide a metadata or properties file on the hard drive containing the data to be imported. For an export job, metadata and properties are written to a metadata or properties file that is included on the hard drive returned to you.

Metadata File Format

The format of a metadata file is as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Metadata>
[<metadata-name-1>metadata-value-1</metadata-name-1>]
[<metadata-name-2>metadata-value-2</metadata-name-2>]
. . .
</Metadata>

XML Element

Type

Description

Metadata

Root element

The root element of the metadata file.

metadata-name

String

Optional. The XML element specifies the name of the metadata for the blob, and its value specifies the value of the metadata setting.

Properties File Format

The format of a properties file is as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Properties>
[<Last-Modified>date-time-value</Last-Modified>]
[<Etag>etag</Etag>]
[<Content-Length>size-in-bytes<Content-Length>]
[<Content-Type>content-type</Content-Type>]
[<Content-MD5>content-md5</Content-MD5>]
[<Content-Encoding>content-encoding</Content-Encoding>]
[<Content-Language>content-language</Content-Language>]
[<Cache-Control>cache-control</Cache-Control>]
</Properties>

XML Element

Type

Description

Properties

Root element

The root element of the properties file.

Last-Modified

String

Optional. The last-modified time for the blob. For export jobs only.

Etag

String

Optional. The blob’s ETag value. For export jobs only.

Content-Length

String

Optional. The size of the blob in bytes. For export jobs only.

Content-Type

String

Optional. The content type of the blob.

Content-MD5

String

Optional. The blob's MD5 hash.

Content-Encoding

String

Optional. The blob's content encoding.

Content-Language

String

Optional. The blob's content language.

Cache-Control

String

Optional. The cache control string for the blob.

See Set Blob Properties, Set Blob Metadata, and Setting and Retrieving Properties and Metadata for Blob Resources for detailed rules about setting blob metadata and properties.