How to tell if Word file contains metadata

[kambui]

Besides looking at a file's properties and Options:User Information is there anywhere else to look for metadata in a Word file?

 

[eyec]

for forensic purposes?

 

[kambui]

For purposes of nobody being able to see it if sent as attachment.

 

[fumei]

Care to explain that further?

If sent as an attachment, don't you want the person to see it? Why send it if you don't want them to see it?

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[kambui]

Yeah I'll explain further. If you know what metadata is, and why one would want it removed and if you read the string it is quite clear what I am asking.

 

[eyec]

an alternative would be to cut & paste the content of the Word document directly into the email (as plain text) instead of sending it as an attachment.

that way if someone copies the content back into a Word document it will contain their metadata not yours.

 

[kambui]

Come on dude, that goes without saying. Of course, all documents are not that simple. But one would not do that with a 50-page formatted document. Thanks anyway.

 

[eyec]

then in answer to your original question; yes, metadata is embeded in Word file format/header record. a hex editor will show the metadata.

 

[fumei]

You are being rude, AND unclear.

"Yeah I'll explain further. If you know what metadata is, and why one would want it removed and if you read the string it is quite clear what I am asking."

1. I know what metadata is.
2. It is NOT clear what you are asking.

Are you trying to remove ALL metadata? Some of it? Have you used the Remove Hidden Data Tool? Have you tried some VBA scripting - say something in the order of:

ThisDocument.RemovePersonalInformation = True

OR:

For Each myVar In ActiveDocument.Variables
   myVar.Delete

to remove any document variables that may be exist.

OR use:

For Each aDoc In ActiveDocument.BuiltInDocumentProperties

to remove all content from - Author, Title, Company, Comments, Keywords...what ever document property you want.

Have you? Hmmm?

Sorry, but I can not read minds, and have no idea what you have already tried, and clearly it would be pointless to ask you, so...good luck. You seem very sure of yourself so no doubt you will get it working the way you want...whatever that is.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[fumei]

You may also want to try reading the FAQ on posting here.

You Subject is "How to tell if Word contains metadata"

NOT "How to remove Word metadata"

And in your actual post, you write:

"is there anywhere else to look for metadata in a Word file"

with nary a mention about removing data.

If you want to, you can remove (or at least make a null value) any metadata you want.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[kambui]

I did not intend to be rude. Sorry for the miscommunication. Thanks to all.

 

[Welshbird]

Kambui - is there any reason you wouldn't just print this document to a pdf file and send that instead?

I usually do that for any report which leaves my office; partly for the reasons you describe, and also because it makes it much more difficult to be altered/copied.

(FYI I used cutePDF or PDF995 which are free to use, although I believe Adobe offer a web service to do this.)

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[kambui]

Thanks willif. I'll check into that to see if that is a viable option for my clients.

 

[fumei]

kambui, fair enough. The PDF is certainly one of the best options, but really, do you want to expand on precisely what you want to do - if the PDF route is not what you want?

Is there specific information you want to remove? If so, what information?

Is a code solution viable? For example, I don't know if your documents do contain Document Variables, but there is no way to remove those without code, as they are created by code.

All I was trying to do was get explicit information on what you wanted. I felt you gave me a brush off.

"if you read the string it is quite clear what I am asking"

Except you did not really ask anything explicitly. If you want to try again - unless the PDF route works for you - please do so.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture

 

[kambui]

fumei I understand my contribution to the confusion. I assumed that my first post was very clear, but I guess I was mostly considering my understanding of it. I work in IT dept and get requests to strip Word files of metadata so that when the file is sent to a client there is no way for the client and whomever they send file to, to be able to see who the file's author is, track changes authors, and anything else considered to be metadata that would point to who has done what and when with the document. We use Workshare Protect to strip it. In order to know if metadata is gone one should be able to look for where it is (was). I mentioned in my first post a couple of ways I know of where to look for metadata. My question was where else can I look. Ultimately to be able to tell if it is really all gone. thx

 

[Welshbird]

Kambiu - this is exactly why we send stuff as PDF.

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[kambui]

willif, but if the document is still to be edited......

 

[Welshbird]

It doesn't get pdf'd until it leaves the building.

But yes, for sure, if you are looking for external collaboration then this isn't the right route to take. We are specifically NOT wanting it to be edited.

Can't help you more then I'm afraid!

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[fumei]

Then I go back to where I started.

WHAT metadata? Be specific. You need to explicitly state what you consider metadata, and what is to be removed.

In the Microsoft articles on "metadata" there is mention of removing the name in procedures recorded with the macro recorder.

' Macro recorded 2007-10-19 by gerry.knight

Is THAT applicable for your case? You mention: "who has done what and when with the document"

Document Variables are persistent information and do not appear in any dialog from the Word GUI.

Is THAT applicable to your case?

Do you want ALL identifying file properties removed? Author you have mentioned now, but what about Keywords? Company? Title? You can be very specific.

If ActiveDocument.BuiltInDocumentProperties("Author") _
   <> "" Then
   ActiveDocument.BuiltInDocumentProperties("Author") = ""
End If

So if Author is anything - it is NOT blank - then make it blank.

You mention Track Changes. Are you saying you want to force an acceptance/rejection before the file is sent? I do not think it is possible to keep the changes (as marked changes) and NOT have the authors of those changes.

faq219-2884

Gerry
My paintings and sculpture