# Problems using metadata

**URL:** <https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/problems-using-metadata/2163>\
**Category:** JupyterLab\
**Tags:** how-to\
**Created:** [September 17, 2019, 7:52am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/problems-using-metadata/2163 "2019-09-17T07:52:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kdd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kdd](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/kdd)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 7:52am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/problems-using-metadata/2163/1 "2019-09-17T07:52:17Z")

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I am totally new to jupyter and have a likely very naive question:  
I am trying to hide my in- and/or output from html (it should be visible by expanding it though). I found that you need to put  
{  
“tags”: [  
“hide\_input”,  
]  
}  
into the metadata. Now, this is what I did:  
1.) I created a cell and wrote e.g. “3+3” into it.  
2.) I clicked “cell tools” on the left  
3.) I put the above text into the tab “edit metadata”  
4.) I executed the cell by shift+enter  
5.) I click on cell tools again: The metadata is gone…

What am I doing wrong? Do I need an extension to the jupyter lab?  
Thanks for helping!

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**Author:** ![jasongrout](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/jasongrout/32/371_2.png) [@jasongrout](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/jasongrout)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 8:08am UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/problems-using-metadata/2163/2 "2019-09-17T08:08:24Z")

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> [@kdd](#):
>
> {  
> “tags”: [  
> “hide\_input”,  
> ]  
> }

After step 3, before evaluating the cell, make sure to save the metadata by clicking the checkmark above the metadata edit box:

![37%20AM](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/jupyter/original/2X/f/ff66d265a627890b54c9d8b28ea44daba5b3113a.png)

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**Author:** ![kdd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kdd](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/kdd)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 12:05pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/problems-using-metadata/2163/3 "2019-09-17T12:05:05Z")

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Oh! I actually did not even have the tick symbol for saving.

Apparently something had gone wrong with the correct tabs. I re-entered the code with the correct tabs, got the tick and could save the metadata.

Only problem that I have now, is that the output still shows up int the HTML that I create by “File”-\>“Export Notebook as” -\> “HTML”. Do I have to add special commands there?

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**Author:** ![jasongrout](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/discourse.jupyter.org/jasongrout/32/371_2.png) [@jasongrout](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/jasongrout)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 12:17pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/problems-using-metadata/2163/4 "2019-09-17T12:17:39Z")

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The checkmark only shows up if it is valid JSON. (Yes, the UX could be improved a lot.)

I don’t know if nbconvert (what is used there to export) understands that metadata. That’s a good question for the nbconvert subproject.

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**Author:** ![kdd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kdd](https://discourse.jupyter.org/u/kdd)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://discourse.jupyter.org/t/problems-using-metadata/2163/5 "2019-09-17T14:03:39Z")

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Where would I have to ask that then? I am slightly confused, since all documentations only seem to give you half of the truth… Sorry and thanks for the help!