Hello, is there a file within the directory structure that has info about how many clips were shot? For example, if I am given a card for transcoding with a command line encoder, and I see 3 .MTS files, how do I know if it is one spanned clip or three shorter clips (other than guessing by looking at the size)? Thanks for any help!

There has to be metadata on the card that addresses that issue, otherwise the propriatary Sony, Canon, etc. import software would not know when to stitch spanned clips together on import.
I don't know how you might access that data without using the correct import software (i.e. PMB for Sony, etc.), but it must be there on the card.

There has to be metadata on the card that addresses that issue, otherwise the propriatary Sony, Canon, etc. import software would not know when to stitch spanned clips together on import.

Couldn't you just use the import software before the transcoding.

Spanned clips used to be a source of complaints. Are there any manufacturers left which still do not provide software to do the stitching of spanned clips automatically?

Couldn't you just use the import software before the transcoding.
That is certainly the way I do it.
I import all clips using the import software, so I get all of the metadata, I get the unique date encoded clip names, and I get reconstruction of spanned clips.
Once the import is done I can transcode, export, edit, whatever.

how do I know if it is one spanned clip or three shorter clips (other than guessing by looking at the size)?

On my camera all new clips start with the sequence of bytes "00 00 00 00 47 40 00 10." If the next file doesn't start with these values, then it is a continuation of the previous clip.