Metadata Removal Tool

Description

This Python script is like a vacuum for your files, stealthily removing metadata from a variety of file types. Whether it's images, PDFs, DOCX files, audio files, PowerPoint presentations, OpenDocument files, EPUBs, RTF files, or ZIP archives, this tool has you covered. With a simple GUI built on Tkinter and enhanced with concurrency for better performance, cleaning your files for anonymity is really easy (though processing large batches might take a little time).

Warning

Important: This tool is like a magic eraser—it permanently removes metadata and overwrites the original files. To avoid any "Oops!" moments, consider duplicating your files into a temporary folder before unleashing this tool. I am planning to add a mode that doesn't overwrite files in the future, but for now, proceed with caution (also laziness 😉).

Installation

Before you start, make sure you have Python 3 installed. This script uses several third-party libraries, so let's get them ready with this spell:

pip install Pillow PyPDF2 python-docx mutagen openpyxl piexif python-pptx odfpy

Double-check your Python version with python --version to ensure compatibility. (Tested on 3.11.8)

Note:

• To handle legacy PowerPoint files (.ppt), you may need additional tools like unoconv or LibreOffice in headless mode, as they are not directly supported by the current script.
• Logging is implemented and outputs to metadata_removal.log in the script's directory for better traceability.

Usage

To start your metadata-removal tool, follow these steps:

1. Install Dependencies: Ensure all dependencies are installed as mentioned above.

2. Run the Script: Navigate to the script's directory in your terminal and cast the following spell:

   python metadata_removal_tool.py

3. Select Files: A mystical window will appear. Command it by clicking "Select Files" and choosing the files you wish to cleanse.

4. Watch the Magic: Observe as the tool works its magic, notifying you of its victories and defeats with each file processed.

Supported File Types

This tool handles:

• Images: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .tiff
• PDFs: .pdf
• Word Documents: .docx
• PowerPoint Presentations: .pptx (requires python-pptx)
• OpenDocument Files: .odt, .ods (requires odfpy)
• Audio Files: .mp3, .flac
• Excel Spreadsheets: .xlsx
• EPUBs: .epub
• RTF Files: .rtf
• ZIP Archives: .zip

Contributing

Feel free to request pull requests and leave your issues or improvements. I will happily help!

License

GNU General Public License - Feel free to review the license terms in the linked file. Thank you for your interest in my project!

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Key Updates & Enhancements

1. Expanded File Support:

   • PowerPoint Presentations: Added support for .pptx files using python-pptx.
   • OpenDocument Files: Added support for .odt and .ods files using odfpy.
   • EPUBs & RTFs: Included support for .epub and .rtf files.
   • ZIP Archives: Enhanced handling of .zip files to remove metadata from contained files.

2. Robust JPEG Metadata Removal:

   • Two-Step Approach:
     • Step 1: Attempts to remove EXIF metadata using piexif.remove(), preserving image quality by avoiding re-encoding.
     • Step 2: Verifies if any EXIF data remains. If so, it falls back to re-encoding the image with Pillow to ensure all metadata is stripped, albeit with a slight risk of quality alteration.

3. Concurrency for Enhanced Performance:

   • Utilizes ThreadPoolExecutor from concurrent.futures to process multiple files in parallel, significantly improving performance for large batches.

4. Comprehensive Logging:

   • Implements Python’s logging module to log informational messages, warnings, and exceptions both to the console and a log file (metadata_removal.log), aiding in easier debugging and maintenance.

5. User-Friendly GUI Enhancements:

   • Menu Bar: Includes "Open" and "Exit" options for standard navigation.
   • Listbox: Displays all selected files, providing clarity on what’s being processed.
   • Progress Bar: Visually represents the processing progress.
   • Status Label: Updates users on the current state, such as the number of selected files and processing completion.

6. Error Handling & User Feedback:

   • Provides immediate feedback through Tkinter’s message boxes for successes, partial successes, and errors.
   • Logs detailed error messages to metadata_removal.log for traceability.

7. Cutified Comments:

   • Added fun emoticons and clear explanations within the code to make it more engaging while maintaining professionalism.

Final Notes

• Testing: Before deploying, thoroughly test the script with various file types to ensure metadata removal works as expected.
• Backup: Always keep backups of original files before bulk processing, especially since re-encoding (even with minimal quality loss) cannot be undone.
• Extensibility: The script is structured to allow easy addition of more file formats or more sophisticated metadata removal techniques as needed.

Enjoy your fully enhanced, production-ready metadata removal tool! 🎉