old_contents: import javabridge as jv
  import bioformats as bf
  
  def start(max_heap_size='8G'):
      """Start the Java Virtual Machine, enabling bioformats IO.
  
      Parameters
      ----------
      max_heap_size : string, optional
          The maximum memory usage by the virtual machine. Valid strings
          include '256M', '64k', and '2G'. Expect to need a lot.
      """
      jv.start_vm(class_path=bf.JARS, max_heap_size=max_heap_size)
  
  def done():
      """Kill the JVM. Once killed, it cannot be restarted.
  
      Notes
      -----
      See the python-javabridge documentation for more information.
      """
      jv.kill_vm()
  
new_contents: import numpy as np
  import javabridge as jv
  import bioformats as bf
  
  def start(max_heap_size='8G'):
      """Start the Java Virtual Machine, enabling bioformats IO.
  
      Parameters
      ----------
      max_heap_size : string, optional
          The maximum memory usage by the virtual machine. Valid strings
          include '256M', '64k', and '2G'. Expect to need a lot.
      """
      jv.start_vm(class_path=bf.JARS, max_heap_size=max_heap_size)
  
  def done():
      """Kill the JVM. Once killed, it cannot be restarted.
  
      Notes
      -----
      See the python-javabridge documentation for more information.
      """
      jv.kill_vm()
  
  
  def lif_metadata_string_size(filename):
      """Get the length in bytes of the metadata string of a LIF file.
  
      Parameters
      ----------
      filename : string
          Path to the LIF file.
  
      Returns
      -------
      length : int
          The length in bytes of the metadata string.
  
      Notes
      -----
      This is based on code by Lee Kamentsky. [1]
  
      References
      ----------
      [1] https://github.com/CellProfiler/python-bioformats/issues/8
      """
      with open(filename, 'rb') as fd:
          fd.read(9)
          length = np.frombuffer(fd.read(4), "<i4")[0]
          return length
  
subject: Add function to determine metadata length