Fixes a crashing bug when using its Crawler feature. Analysis of provenance xattrs confirms they can be useful in providing more information about files.
xattred
When the numbers simply don’t add up. How some extended attributes may be included in quoted file sizes, but others are ignored, and Sequoia hasn’t really changed this since Classic Mac OS of 25 years ago.
A full toolset for working with extended attributes, everything you might want to know about files, and a text-only Rich Text editor, all ready for Tahoe.
How a long-deprecated extended attribute can stop files such as images from being found in Spotlight search, and how to fix it.
macOS has an elaborate set of rules determining which types of xattr are preserve during different types of copying, including syncing to iCloud Drive. Here they are in full detail.
Extended attributes were added to Mac OS X 10.4, and soon supported the quarantine xattr. They have since flourished, and have valuable properties.
Why are some file metadata embedded in their main data, and others stored separately as extended attributes? How can I tell them apart?
At first it looks like iCloud Drive preserves all xattrs, but actually it cheats and show those stored locally. It’s different when you access the same files from another Mac.
Finder Comments are accessible, easy to use, and unreliable because they rely primarily on data stored in a hidden file. Regular Comment extended attributes are more reliable.
Extended attribute editor with much enhanced interface, app inspection tool, compression tool designed for AirDrop use, and a simple extended attribute editor for Spotlight search.
The Eclectic Light Company 