# Metadata form for strain\_transmission.py -h

**URL:** https://forum.biobakery.org/t/metadata-form-for-strain-transmission-py-h/3945
**Category:** StrainPhlAn
**Created:** [August 12, 2022, 3:58am UTC](https://forum.biobakery.org/t/metadata-form-for-strain-transmission-py-h/3945 "2022-08-12T03:58:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![celine77](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.biobakery.org/celine77/32/1383_2.png) [@celine77](https://forum.biobakery.org/u/celine77)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2022, 3:58am UTC](https://forum.biobakery.org/t/metadata-form-for-strain-transmission-py-h/3945/1 "2022-08-12T03:58:52Z")

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Hi, bioBakery team~

Thanks for developing such good tools.

Recently, I am trying to use strain\_transmission.py -h to find the strain transmission between two samples. However, I have no idea about what is the suggested metadata form for this script.

I have tried the similar metadata form as “add\_metadata\_tree.py”, but it seems didn’t work. Any suggestions are much appreciated!

Thanks!  
Celine

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### Author: ![aitor.blancomiguez](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.biobakery.org/aitor.blancomiguez/32/86_2.png) [@aitor.blancomiguez](https://forum.biobakery.org/u/aitor.blancomiguez)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2022, 8:27am UTC](https://forum.biobakery.org/t/metadata-form-for-strain-transmission-py-h/3945/2 "2022-08-12T08:27:04Z")

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Hi @celine77  
Thanks for getting in touch. The metadata file to use the strain\_transmission script has to be defined in this way:  
`sample_id subject_id relation_id timepoint`  
The sample\_id has to be identical to that in the tree  
The subject\_id is used to define which samples correspond to the same individual. Fill with the same string as sample\_id in case you don’t have longitudinal sampling.  
The relation\_id defines a relation between 2 or more individuals. If the sample\_id is unrelated to any other sample, it should be filled with the same string as in sample\_id.  
The timepoint for longitudinal sampling. Fill it with `0` if you don’t have longitudinal sampling.  
Only samples sharing the same relation\_id will be reported by the script.  
As an example:

> sample\_id subject\_id relation\_id timepoint  
> sample\_1 subject\_1 relation\_1 1  
> sample\_2 subject\_2 relation\_1 1  
> sample\_3 subject\_1 relation\_1 2  
> sample\_4 subject\_3 relation\_2 1