diff --git a/crates/clipbin-core/src/store.rs b/crates/clipbin-core/src/store.rs
index 5efffda..7f75d00 100644
--- a/crates/clipbin-core/src/store.rs
+++ b/crates/clipbin-core/src/store.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use std::{
     time::{Duration, SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH},
 };
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Segment {
     pub path: PathBuf,
     pub start: Duration,
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ pub struct Metadata {
     pub segments: Vec<Segment>,
 }
 
+const METADATA_FILE: &str = "session.json";
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Store {
     pub root: PathBuf,
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@ impl Store {
     }
     pub fn save(&self, metadata: &Metadata) -> io::Result<()> {
         atomic_json(
-            &self.directory(metadata.session.id).join("session.json"),
+            &self.directory(metadata.session.id).join(METADATA_FILE),
             metadata,
         )
     }
@@ -142,7 +144,7 @@ impl Store {
         };
         let mut sessions = vec![];
         for entry in entries {
-            let path = entry?.path().join("session.json");
+            let path = entry?.path().join(METADATA_FILE);
             if path.exists() {
                 let bytes = fs::read(&path)?;
                 sessions.push(
@@ -166,6 +168,18 @@ impl Store {
         }
         Ok(())
     }
+    /// One session's metadata, with segment paths resolved against its directory.
+    pub fn metadata(&self, id: u64) -> io::Result<Metadata> {
+        let directory = self.directory(id);
+        let mut metadata: Metadata =
+            serde_json::from_slice(&fs::read(directory.join(METADATA_FILE))?)
+                .map_err(io::Error::other)?;
+        for segment in &mut metadata.segments {
+            segment.path = directory.join(&segment.path);
+        }
+        Ok(metadata)
+    }
+
     pub fn library(&self, budget: u64) -> io::Result<Library> {
         let mut library = Library::empty(budget);
         for metadata in self.read()? {
@@ -190,7 +204,66 @@ impl Store {
     }
 }
 
+/// A point in a segment file: the file and the offset into it.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct Located<'a> {
+    pub index: usize,
+    pub segment: &'a Segment,
+    /// Time within the file. Each file's timestamps start at zero.
+    pub offset: Duration,
+}
+
+/// The part of one segment that falls inside a requested range.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct Piece<'a> {
+    pub index: usize,
+    pub segment: &'a Segment,
+    /// Range within the file, from its own zero.
+    pub from: Duration,
+    pub to: Duration,
+    /// Where `from` sits on the session timeline.
+    pub session_start: Duration,
+}
+
 impl Metadata {
+    /// Segments that hold footage, in session order.
+    fn playable(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (usize, &Segment)> {
+        self.segments
+            .iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .filter(|(_, segment)| segment.available && segment.end > segment.start)
+    }
+
+    /// Finds the footage at session time `time`. `None` inside gaps (missing or
+    /// cleaned-up time) and beyond the last footage.
+    pub fn locate(&self, time: Duration) -> Option<Located<'_>> {
+        self.playable()
+            .find(|(_, segment)| segment.start <= time && time < segment.end)
+            .map(|(index, segment)| Located {
+                index,
+                segment,
+                offset: time - segment.start,
+            })
+    }
+
+    /// The footage between `start` and `end`, as pieces of segment files in
+    /// order. Gaps simply produce no pieces.
+    pub fn covering(&self, start: Duration, end: Duration) -> Vec<Piece<'_>> {
+        self.playable()
+            .filter(|(_, segment)| segment.start < end && start < segment.end)
+            .map(|(index, segment)| {
+                let session_start = start.max(segment.start);
+                Piece {
+                    index,
+                    segment,
+                    from: session_start - segment.start,
+                    to: end.min(segment.end) - segment.start,
+                    session_start,
+                }
+            })
+            .collect()
+    }
+
     pub fn update_run(
         &mut self,
         span_base: usize,
@@ -231,6 +304,66 @@ impl Metadata {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
+    fn segment(start: u64, end: u64, available: bool) -> Segment {
+        Segment {
+            path: format!("segment-{start}.mkv").into(),
+            start: Duration::from_secs(start),
+            end: Duration::from_secs(end),
+            complete: true,
+            available,
+            frame_start: start * 60,
+            frames_per_second: 60,
+            dropped_frames: 0,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn timeline(segments: Vec<Segment>) -> Metadata {
+        Metadata {
+            session: Session {
+                id: 1,
+                game: "Game".into(),
+                started: UNIX_EPOCH,
+                length: Duration::from_secs(10),
+                active: false,
+                spans: Vec::new(),
+                bookmarks: Vec::new(),
+            },
+            app_id: 1,
+            segments,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn times_map_to_segment_offsets_and_gaps_have_no_footage() {
+        // 0-2 s, 2-4 s, a gap, 6-8 s, and an unavailable tail at 8-10 s.
+        let metadata = timeline(vec![
+            segment(0, 2, true),
+            segment(2, 4, true),
+            segment(6, 8, true),
+            segment(8, 10, false),
+        ]);
+        let ms = Duration::from_millis;
+        let at = metadata.locate(ms(2500)).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!((at.index, at.offset), (1, ms(500)));
+        assert_eq!(metadata.locate(ms(2000)).unwrap().index, 1);
+        assert!(metadata.locate(ms(5000)).is_none());
+        assert!(metadata.locate(ms(9000)).is_none());
+
+        let pieces = metadata.covering(ms(1500), ms(7000));
+        let summary: Vec<_> = pieces
+            .iter()
+            .map(|piece| (piece.index, piece.from, piece.to, piece.session_start))
+            .collect();
+        assert_eq!(
+            summary,
+            [
+                (0, ms(1500), ms(2000), ms(1500)),
+                (1, ms(0), ms(2000), ms(2000)),
+                (2, ms(0), ms(1000), ms(6000)),
+            ]
+        );
+    }
+
     use super::*;
     #[test]
     fn offsets_use_frames_without_accumulating_container_rounding() {