Using Python to create xml metadata files for different file types

Question

I have a folder with 3 subfolder, each having a different type of data. Folder_A and Folder_B have standard shapefiles (about 3 shapefiles in each folder). Folder_C has .tif grid files (about 100). I am trying to write a Python script that will create the metadata files (xml) for each of these files in the subfolder. I was looking at using arcpy.SynchronizeMetadata_conversion, but something seems awry. It looks like it is primarily designed for features in a .gdb. Also, it doesn't have an output file. Or you cannot name one anyways. Is there another way to do this? :

import arcpy, lxml, copy, sys, os
from lxml import etree
from arcpy import env

mydir = "<file path to Spatial_Files folder>"

def list_files(dir):
    r = []
    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(dir):
        for name in files:
            print(name)
            r.append(os.path.join(root, name))
        return r

def list_folders(dir):
    d = []
    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(dir):
        for dir in dirs:
            print(dir)
            d.append(os.path.join(root, dir))
        return d

subdirs = list_folders(mydir)
for subdir in subdirs:
    files = list_files(subdir)
    for file in files:
        arcpy.env.workspace = subdir
        arcpy.SynchronizeMetadata_conversion(file, "CREATED")

Answer 1

I think you are barking up the wrong tree here. ArcPy has little or no support for creating metadata in a scripting environment.

But help is to the rescue! A group in the USA have developed a ArcPy Metadata Editor (arcpy_metadata) module at github that helps you create and/or update metadata.

They have abstracted away the need for delving into pure XML and you treat the metadata as properties of an object.