File metadata column
You can get metadata information for input files with the _metadata column. The _metadata column is a hidden column, and is available for all input file formats. To include the _metadata column in the returned DataFrame, you must explicitly reference it in your query.
If the data source contains a column named _metadata, queries return the column from the data source, and not the file metadata.
Warning
New fields might be added to the _metadata column in future releases. To prevent schema evolution errors if the _metadata column is updated, Databricks recommends selecting specific fields from the column in your queries. See examples.
Supported metadata
The _metadata column is a STRUCT containing the following fields:
| Name | Type | Description | Example | Minimum Databricks Runtime release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| file_path | STRING |
File path of the input file. | file:/tmp/f0.csv |
10.5 |
| file_name | STRING |
Name of the input file along with its extension. | f0.csv |
10.5 |
| file_size | LONG |
Length of the input file, in bytes. | 628 | 10.5 |
| file_modification_time | TIMESTAMP |
Last modification timestamp of the input file. | 2021-12-20 20:05:21 |
10.5 |
| file_block_start | LONG |
Start offset of the block being read, in bytes. | 0 | 13.0 |
| file_block_length | LONG |
Length of the block being read, in bytes. | 628 | 13.0 |
Examples
Use in a basic file-based data source reader
Python
df = spark.read \
.format("csv") \
.schema(schema) \
.load("dbfs:/tmp/*") \
.select("*", "_metadata")
display(df)
'''
Result:
+---------+-----+----------------------------------------------------+
| name | age | _metadata |
+=========+=====+====================================================+
| | | { |
| | | "file_path": "dbfs:/tmp/f0.csv", |
| Debbie | 18 | "file_name": "f0.csv", |
| | | "file_size": 12, |
| | | "file_block_start": 0, |
| | | "file_block_length": 12, |
| | | "file_modification_time": "2021-07-02 01:05:21" |
| | | } |
+---------+-----+----------------------------------------------------+
| | | { |
| | | "file_path": "dbfs:/tmp/f1.csv", |
| Frank | 24 | "file_name": "f1.csv", |
| | | "file_size": 12, |
| | | "file_block_start": 0, |
| | | "file_block_length": 12, |
| | | "file_modification_time": "2021-12-20 02:06:21" |
| | | } |
+---------+-----+----------------------------------------------------+
'''
Scala
val df = spark.read
.format("csv")
.schema(schema)
.load("dbfs:/tmp/*")
.select("*", "_metadata")
display(df_population)
/* Result:
+---------+-----+----------------------------------------------------+
| name | age | _metadata |
+=========+=====+====================================================+
| | | { |
| | | "file_path": "dbfs:/tmp/f0.csv", |
| Debbie | 18 | "file_name": "f0.csv", |
| | | "file_size": 12, |
| | | "file_block_start": 0, |
| | | "file_block_length": 12, |
| | | "file_modification_time": "2021-07-02 01:05:21" |
| | | } |
+---------+-----+----------------------------------------------------+
| | | { |
| | | "file_path": "dbfs:/tmp/f1.csv", |
| Frank | 24 | "file_name": "f1.csv", |
| | | "file_size": 10, |
| | | "file_block_start": 0, |
| | | "file_block_length": 12, |
| | | "file_modification_time": "2021-12-20 02:06:21" |
| | | } |
+---------+-----+----------------------------------------------------+
*/
Select specific fields
Python
spark.read \
.format("csv") \
.schema(schema) \
.load("dbfs:/tmp/*") \
.select("_metadata.file_name", "_metadata.file_size")
Scala
spark.read
.format("csv")
.schema(schema)
.load("dbfs:/tmp/*")
.select("_metadata.file_name", "_metadata.file_size")
Use in filters
Python
spark.read \
.format("csv") \
.schema(schema) \
.load("dbfs:/tmp/*") \
.select("*") \
.filter(col("_metadata.file_name") == lit("test.csv"))
Scala
spark.read
.format("csv")
.schema(schema)
.load("dbfs:/tmp/*")
.select("*")
.filter(col("_metadata.file_name") === lit("test.csv"))
Use in COPY INTO
COPY INTO my_delta_table
FROM (
SELECT *, _metadata FROM 'abfss://my-container-name@storage-account-name.dfs.core.windows.net/csvData'
)
FILEFORMAT = CSV
Use in Auto Loader
Note
When writing the _metadata column, we rename it to source_metadata. Writing it as _metadata would make it impossible to access the metadata column in the target table, because if the data source contains a column named _metadata, queries will return the column from the data source, and not the file metadata.
Python
spark.readStream \
.format("cloudFiles") \
.option("cloudFiles.format", "csv") \
.schema(schema) \
.load("abfss://my-container-name@storage-account-name.dfs.core.windows.net/csvData") \
.selectExpr("*", "_metadata as source_metadata") \
.writeStream \
.option("checkpointLocation", checkpointLocation) \
.start(targetTable)
Scala
spark.readStream
.format("cloudFiles")
.option("cloudFiles.format", "csv")
.schema(schema)
.load("abfss://my-container-name@storage-account-name.dfs.core.windows.net/csvData")
.selectExpr("*", "_metadata as source_metadata")
.writeStream
.option("checkpointLocation", checkpointLocation)
.start(targetTable)