Missing pdf metadata

[pk72]

Hello,
I have a problem with pdf-metadata in windows explorer. I don't want to claim it is a pdf shell tools bug. You might help to judge where this bug originates from.

I have a number of pdf-files where:
-the metadata (titel, author...) is missing in the columns in detail view
-the metadata is missing in the detail pane
The metadata are stored in the file and can be displayed with a pdf viewer.

when I search for a string such that this file will be in the search results then:
-the metadata will show up in the columns in detail view
-the metadata is stilll missing in the detail pane

when I copy the file to a different folder it does not change anything:
-the metadata is missing in the columns in detail view
-the metadata is missing in the detail pane

when I open the file in pdfXchange viewer and save the file with "save as" (the viewer changes some bytes compared to the original file) then:
-the metadata shows up in the columns in detail view
-the metadata shows up in the detail pane

Attached are the file that has the problems with the metadata (Okada2010.pdf) and the version after saving with the pdf-viewer (Okada2010a.pdf) with normal behavior of the metadata.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Philipp

[RTT]

The PDF file is corrupted, and PDF-ShellTools is not tolerant to this kind of errors. The PDF-Xchange Viewer, that, as other PDF readers, is tolerant, even flags the error, showing a warning sign on the bottom left of the viewer.

In the attached screenshot, of that PDF opened in Notepad++, the lines at the bottom of the file, that I have selected, are not supposed to be there. Just remove them to fix it.

Any idea how these lines may have got there? It seems the metadata was been edited, probably to removed the bad encoded PDF Producer field? I tested that metadata change with current PDF-ShellTools version, and old version 1.0.0.13, and I've not got a corrupted file, so something else may have been involved. If you remember, and if it involves any PDF-ShellTools manipulation of the file, let me know.

Regarding the fact that the correct metadata is shown in the details view columns, when the file is in search results. With search results the shell uses the search indexer database (I suppose you have these PDFs indexed) to query for the metadata, and only calls the property handler to show it in the details pane. So, theses files probably got indexed using the PDF-XChange shell extensions property handler or iFilter, instead of the PDF-ShellTools property handler?

[pk72]

>Any idea how these lines may have got there?
I don't remember if I used pdf shell tools or Xchange viewer to set the metadata.

>So, theses files probably got indexed using the PDF-XChange shell extensions property handler or iFilter, instead of the PDF-ShellTools property handler?
correct. Can the pdf shell tools property handler be used as an ifilter?

[RTT]

Can the pdf shell tools property handler be used as an ifilter?

No.
Property handlers are used to access files metadata, and ifilters to access the files content. The Windows Search Indexer will use both, if both are installed and the indexer is configured to index properties and content for the related file type (check attached screenshot).

If only an ifilter is installed, it can also provide access to metadata, but only for indexing proposes. To present metadata, in the explorer columns, details pane, shell dialogs, etc., the property handler is required.

The XChange Viewer also ships with a PDF property handler, but, because the metadata is not showing for that corrupted file(s), the provided by PDF-ShellTools should be the one you have active in your system. My doubt is how you manged to have the metadata correctly indexed! In Windows 7/8 the registration of a new property handler starts the re-indexation of the related files, and will obviously make use of the newly registered property handler.