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Get metadata instance on file

get
https://api.box.com/2.0
/files/:file_id/metadata/:scope/:template_key

This endpoint is in the version 2024.0. No changes are required to continue using it. For more details, see Box API versioning.

Retrieves the instance of a metadata template that has been applied to a file.

Related Guides

Request

bearer [ACCESS_TOKEN]
application/json

Path Parameters

stringin pathrequired
12345

The unique identifier that represents a file.

The ID for any file can be determined by visiting a file in the web application and copying the ID from the URL. For example, for the URL https://*.app.box.com/files/123 the file_id is 123.

stringin pathrequired
global

The scope of the metadata template

Value is one of global,enterprise

stringin pathrequired
properties

The name of the metadata template

Response

application/jsonMetadata instance (Full)

An instance of the metadata template that includes additional "key:value" pairs defined by the user or an application.

application/jsonClient error

Returned when the request parameters are not valid.

application/jsonClient error

Returned if the metadata template specified was not applied to this file or the user does not have access to the file.

  • instance_not_found - The metadata template was not applied to the file.
application/jsonClient error

Returned when the method was not allowed.

application/jsonClient error

An unexpected client error.

get
Get metadata instance on file
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Request Example

cURL
curl -i -X GET "https://api.box.com/2.0/files/12345/metadata/enterprise_27335/blueprintTemplate" \
     -H "authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>"
TypeScript Gen
await client.fileMetadata.getFileMetadataById(
  file.id,
  'global' as GetFileMetadataByIdScope,
  'properties',
);
Python Gen
client.file_metadata.get_file_metadata_by_id(
    file.id, GetFileMetadataByIdScope.GLOBAL, "properties"
)
.NET Gen
await client.FileMetadata.GetFileMetadataByIdAsync(fileId: file.Id, scope: GetFileMetadataByIdScope.Global, templateKey: "properties");
Swift Gen (Beta)
try await client.fileMetadata.getFileMetadataById(fileId: file.id, scope: GetFileMetadataByIdScope.global, templateKey: "properties")
Java
// Get the default free-form metadata properties
BoxFile file = new BoxFile(api, "id");
Metadata metadata = file.getMetadata();

// Unknown type metadata field, you can test for type or try to get as any type
JsonValue unknownValue = metadata.getValue("/someField");

// String or Enum metadata fields
String stringValue = metadata.getString("/author");

// Float metadata fields can be interpreted as any numeric type
float floatValue = metadata.getFloat("/price");

// Date metadata fields
Date dateValue = metadata.getDate("/deadline");

// Multiselect metadata fields
List<String> multiSelectValues = metadata.getMultiSelect("/categories");
Python
metadata = client.file(file_id='11111').metadata(scope='enterprise', template='myMetadata').get()
print(f'Got metadata instance {metadata["$id"]}')
.NET
Dictionary<string, object> metadata = await client.MetadataManager.
    .GetFileMetadataAsync(fileId: "11111", "enterprise", "marketingCollateral");
Node
client.files.getMetadata('11111', client.metadata.scopes.ENTERPRISE, 'marketingCollateral')
	.then(metadata => {
		/* metadata -> {
			audience: 'internal',
			documentType: 'Q1 plans',
			competitiveDocument: 'no',
			status: 'active',
			author: 'Jones',
			currentState: 'proposal',
			'$type': 'marketingCollateral-d086c908-2498-4d3e-8a1f-01e82bfc2abe',
			'$parent': 'file_11111',
			'$id': '2094c584-68e1-475c-a581-534a4609594e',
			'$version': 0,
			'$typeVersion': 0,
			'$template': 'marketingCollateral',
			'$scope': 'enterprise_12345' }
		*/
	});
iOS
client.metadata.get(
    forFileWithId: "11111",
    scope: "enterprise",
    templateKey: "personnelRecord"
) { (result: Result<MetadataObject, BoxSDKError>) in
    guard case let .success(metadata) = result {
        print("Error retrieving metadata")
        return
    }

    print("Found personnel record for \(metadata.keys["name"])")
}

Response Example

{
  "$canEdit": true,
  "$id": "01234500-12f1-1234-aa12-b1d234cb567e",
  "$parent": "folder_59449484661,",
  "$scope": "enterprise_27335",
  "$template": "marketingCollateral",
  "$type": "properties-6bcba49f-ca6d-4d2a-a758-57fe6edf44d0",
  "$typeVersion": 2,
  "$version": 1
}