Image Metadata Inspector for VS Code

This extension for Visual Studio Code allows users to view metadata of PNG, JPG, JPEG, and WebP images directly within the editor. With a simple command, you can inspect the embedded metadata of any image file in your workspace (and beyond via command palette). It was originally created for easily inspecting ComfyUI images' metadata from within VS Code.

Features

• Cross-Platform Support - Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux with automatic ExifTool detection
• Multiple Image Formats - Supports JPG, JPEG, PNG, and WebP images
• ComfyUI Workflow Support - Perfect for inspecting ComfyUI generated images and their embedded workflows
• Prettified JSON Metadata - JSON strings in metadata are displayed in a prettified format for better readability
• Smart Error Handling - Clear error messages and fallback mechanisms for different platforms
• Comprehensive Logging - Debug and informational messages logged to VS Code Output console

Installation

1. Open VS Code
2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for "Image Metadata Inspector"
4. Click Install

That's it! ExifTool is now bundled with the extension for all platforms - no additional setup required.

Updates: This extension is distributed exclusively through VS Code Marketplace. All future updates will be delivered automatically through the VS Code extension updater.

Note for macOS/Linux users: Sorry about the ~20MB download size! The extension bundles ExifTool binaries for all platforms to ensure it works out of the box everywhere. Your patience with the extra bytes is appreciated. 🙏

Usage

Multiple Ways to Inspect Metadata:

1. Right-click on an image file in Explorer:

   • Right-click on any supported image file and select "Inspect Image Metadata"

2. Right-click on an open image tab:

   • Right-click on the title bar of an open image preview and select "Inspect Image Metadata"

3. Command Palette:

   • Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS)
   • Type "Inspect Image Metadata" and select it
   • Choose an image file from the dialog

Cross-Platform Support

• Windows: ✅ Fully supported with bundled ExifTool executable
• macOS: ✅ Fully supported with bundled ExifTool executable
• Linux: ✅ Fully supported with bundled ExifTool executable

The extension automatically detects your platform and uses the bundled ExifTool binary. As a fallback, it can also use system-installed ExifTool if available.

Viewing Output Logs

To view detailed logs and troubleshoot issues:

1. Open the Output panel: View > Output or Ctrl+Shift+U
2. Select "Image Metadata Extension" from the dropdown
3. View initialization and operation logs

System Requirements

• Visual Studio Code version 1.87.0 or higher

That's it! ExifTool is bundled with the extension.

Supported File Types

• .jpg - JPEG images
• .jpeg - JPEG images
• .png - PNG images
• .webp - WebP images

Perfect for ComfyUI Users

This extension was originally designed for ComfyUI users who want to:

• Inspect workflow metadata embedded in generated images
• View generation parameters and settings
• Debug workflow configurations
• Extract prompt information from images

Known Issues

• Workflow JSON extraction to separate files doesn't create working ComfyUI workflows (planned feature)

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Working

ExifTool is bundled with the extension and should work out of the box on all platforms. If you encounter issues:

1. Check Output Logs:

   • Open VS Code Output panel (View > Output)
   • Select "Image Metadata Extension" from dropdown
   • Check for error messages

2. Reload VS Code:

   • Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS)
   • Type "Developer: Reload Window" and press Enter

3. Optional Fallback - System ExifTool (advanced users only):

   • If the bundled ExifTool fails, you can optionally install ExifTool system-wide as a fallback
   • The extension will automatically detect and use system-installed ExifTool if the bundled version fails

   # macOS:
   brew install exiftool
   
   # Ubuntu/Debian:
   sudo apt install libimage-exiftool-perl
   
   # Fedora/CentOS:
   sudo dnf install perl-Image-ExifTool
   
   # Arch Linux:
   sudo pacman -S perl-image-exiftool

4. Still Having Issues?:

   • Please report the issue on GitHub
   • Include the output logs from step 1

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see our GitHub repository for:

1. Reporting Issues: Use GitHub Issues for bug reports and feature requests
2. Contributing Code: Fork, create a feature branch, and submit a pull request
3. Documentation: Help improve documentation and examples

Development Setup

git clone https://github.com/Gerkinfeltser/image-metadata-display.git
cd image-metadata-display
npm install
npm run compile

Then press F5 in VS Code to test the extension.

Acknowledgments

• ExifTool - The powerful metadata extraction tool
• exiftool-vendored - Node.js wrapper for ExifTool
• VS Code Extension API - Microsoft's extension framework
• ComfyUI - The amazing node-based AI image generator

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE.txt file for details.

Changelog

For detailed release notes, please see the CHANGELOG.md file.