Open EXR

License: PRO+ (Professional Edition or higher)
Plugin Type: Index Plugin
Author: Diskover Data, Inc.

Overview

The OpenEXR Info plugin extracts metadata from OpenEXR (.exr) image files during Diskover indexing. This enables searching, filtering, and analyzing EXR assets by compression type, resolution, render software, production metadata, and dozens of other attributes directly within Diskover.

OpenEXR files are the backbone of visual effects and animation pipelines, often containing rich embedded metadata about how, when, and where they were created. This plugin makes that metadata searchable, turning your EXR library into a queryable asset database.

Key Capabilities

• 7 configurable field categories: Technical, Dimensions, Camera, Render, Production, Color, and Workflow

• 70+ extractable metadata fields covering all aspects of EXR files

• Custom field support with wildcard pattern matching for studio-specific metadata

• SQLite caching with modification time validation for high-performance re-indexing

• Selective field extraction to index only the metadata you need

Use Cases

For VFX and Post-Production Teams:

• Shot Tracking — Find all EXR files for a specific production, sequence, or shot using embedded metadata

• Render Auditing — Locate renders by software version, render engine, or render time

• Version Management — Search for specific versions of assets across render farms

For Storage and IT Administrators:

• Compression Analysis — Audit compression types across EXR libraries (PIZ, ZIP, DWAA, etc.)

• Storage Optimization — Identify uncompressed or inefficiently compressed files consuming excess storage

• Format Inventory — Catalog EXR assets by technical specifications before migration or archive

Understanding OpenEXR

OpenEXR is a high-dynamic-range (HDR) image file format developed by Industrial Light & Magic. It has become the industry standard for visual effects, animation, and film production pipelines due to its ability to store high-precision color data, multiple image layers, and extensive metadata.

Why OpenEXR Metadata Matters

EXR files commonly contain production information embedded in their headers, including:

Common Compression Types

Understanding EXR compression helps you make informed decisions about storage optimization:

Requirements

Python Dependencies

Important: The numpy version must be exactly 1.26.4 for compatibility with the OpenEXR module.

System Requirements

• Python 3.9 or higher

• Diskover indexer with plugin support enabled

• Read access to EXR files during indexing

• Write access to cache directory

Installation

Step 1: Install Python Dependencies

Linux:

python3 -m pip install numpy==1.26.4 OpenEXR==3.3.2

Windows:

python -m pip install numpy==1.26.4 OpenEXR==3.3.2

Step 2: Verify Installation

Linux:

# Verify OpenEXR is installed
python3 -c "import OpenEXR; print('OpenEXR installed successfully')"

# Check numpy version
python3 -c "import numpy; print(f'numpy version: {numpy.__version__}')"

Windows:

# Verify OpenEXR is installed
python -c "import OpenEXR; print('OpenEXR installed successfully')"

# Check numpy version
python -c "import numpy; print(f'numpy version: {numpy.__version__}')"

Step 3: Configure the Plugin

1. Navigate to Diskover Admin > Plugins > Index Plugins > OpenEXR Info

2. Enable the plugin and configure parameters as needed (see Configuration section below)

3. Save the configuration

Step 4: Enable in Index Task Configuration

1. Navigate to Diskover > Configurations > [Configuration Name]

2. Scroll to the bottom and locate Index Plugins Enablement

3. Enable the OpenEXR Info plugin

4. Save the configuration

The plugin will now run automatically during scans using this configuration.

Configuration

The OpenEXR Info plugin uses a Pydantic configuration model with parameters for caching and field selection.

Configuration Parameters

Default cache directory paths:

• Linux: /opt/diskover/__openexrinfo_plugin_cache__/

• Windows: C:\Program Files\Diskover\__openexrinfo_plugin_cache__\

Field Category Selection

The plugin organizes OpenEXR metadata into 7 categories. Each can be independently enabled or disabled to index only the metadata you need:

Configuration Examples

Default Configuration (Storage Analysis)

Standard settings with only Technical and Dimension fields—suitable for basic storage analysis and compression auditing:

{
  "enable_cache": true,
  "cache_dir": "/opt/diskover/__openexrinfo_plugin_cache__/",
  "cache_expire_time": 0,
  "include_attributes": {
    "enable_technical_fields": true,
    "enable_dimension_fields": true,
    "enable_camera_fields": false,
    "enable_render_fields": false,
    "enable_production_fields": false,
    "enable_color_fields": false,
    "enable_workflow_fields": false,
    "enable_custom_fields": false
  }
}

VFX Production Configuration

Comprehensive configuration for VFX studios needing production and render tracking:

{
  "enable_cache": true,
  "cache_dir": "/opt/diskover/__openexrinfo_plugin_cache__/",
  "cache_expire_time": 0,
  "include_attributes": {
    "enable_technical_fields": true,
    "enable_dimension_fields": true,
    "enable_camera_fields": true,
    "enable_render_fields": true,
    "enable_production_fields": true,
    "enable_color_fields": false,
    "enable_workflow_fields": false,
    "enable_custom_fields": false
  }
}

Indexed Fields

The OpenEXR Info plugin adds an openexr_info object to indexed documents containing the extracted metadata.

Elasticsearch Field Mappings

Fields are stored dynamically based on what metadata is present in each EXR file and which categories are enabled in the configuration.

Example Document

An EXR file indexed with Technical, Dimensions, and Production fields enabled:

{
  "name": "shot_010_comp_v003.exr",
  "extension": "exr",
  "size": 52428800,
  "openexr_info": {
    "compression": "PIZ",
    "channels": "{'R': 'HALF', 'G': 'HALF', 'B': 'HALF', 'A': 'HALF'}",
    "pixelAspectRatio": 1.0,
    "dataWindow": "Box2i(V2i(0, 0), V2i(1919, 1079))",
    "displayWindow": "Box2i(V2i(0, 0), V2i(1919, 1079))",
    "production": "MyShow",
    "sequence": "SEQ010",
    "shot": "010",
    "version": "v003",
    "artist": "jsmith",
    "software": "Nuke 14.0v5"
  }
}

Note: EXR files only contain metadata that was written by the creating application. If a field is not present in the indexed document, the original file did not contain that metadata.

Searching in Diskover

Use these search queries in the Diskover web interface to find EXR files based on their metadata.

Basic Field Searches

Production Searches

Software and Render Searches

Color Pipeline Searches

Combined Searches

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Verifying Python Dependencies

Linux:

python3 -c "import OpenEXR; print('OpenEXR OK')"
python3 -c "import numpy; print(f'numpy version: {numpy.__version__}')"

Windows:

python -c "import OpenEXR; print('OpenEXR OK')"
python -c "import numpy; print(f'numpy version: {numpy.__version__}')"

Testing EXR File Reading

To verify an EXR file can be read:

Linux:

python3 -c "import OpenEXR; f = OpenEXR.File('/path/to/image.exr'); print(f.header())"

Windows:

python -c "import OpenEXR; f = OpenEXR.File('C:\path\to\image.exr'); print(f.header())"

Cache Management

If you encounter cache-related issues, you can clear the cache directory:

Linux:

rm -rf /opt/diskover/__openexrinfo_plugin_cache__/

Windows:

rmdir /s /q "C:\Program Files\Diskover\__openexrinfo_plugin_cache__\"

Debug Logging

Enable verbose logging in Diskover Admin to troubleshoot plugin activity:

Linux:

tail -f /var/log/diskover/diskover.log | grep -i openexr

Support

• Diskover Documentation

• Diskover Support Portal

• OpenEXR Project

Last Updated: January 2026
Diskover Data, Inc.