Geog 458: Map Sources and Errors
Event 1
February 8, 2006
Metadata implementation
The task of this event is to create a CSDGM-compliant metadata of the data product you chose in the project proposal.
You need the following to complete this task
1) Metadata of the data product in any form (if any)
2) Data product
3) Metadata creation tool (e.g. ArcCatalog, tkme)
4) CSDGM validation tool (e.g. mp)
This tutorial will walk you through creating/editing metadata in ArcCatalog and checking if the metadata conforms to CSDGM online.
Metadata Creation tool
There are several metadata creation tools. They can be classified into three categories: (1) intelligent tool (2) form-based tool (3) template-driven tool.
(1) Intelligent tool
These tools extract some information from spatial data sets without the user having to determine it and then separately record it. The sort of information automatically determined from Arc/Info coverages are bounds, projection information, attributes, and vector feature count. None of these tools perform all documentation - the user will need to supply descriptive information such as the abstract, contact and distribution information, and explanation of attributes, although the ability to do this may be built into the editing functions of the tool.
Demo: ArcCatalog
(2) Form-based tool
These tools provide a user interface which helps guide the user throughout the documentation process. Typically a series of forms with fill in boxes or pick lists is central to the tool. Some of these tools indicate which are the optional and mandatory elements and have on-line help. Several of these are built on the framework of a database which makes it easy to recycle portions of metadata which may repeat between data sets.
Demo: tkme
(3) Template-driven tool
These are not metadata tools per se; instead an existing text editor and word processor is used to edit these template documents which contain all or most of the possible metadata elements and to add text to those elements that are appropriate. Unneeded or empty elements are deleted, repeating elements must be copied and pasted repeatedly. ASCII templates are simple to use, require no GIS software or other specialized software, and may be cloned for parts of the metadata which are common to several data sets. A major drawback for templates is that there is no built in control of the structure; in the process of cutting and pasting it is easy to damage the structure of the template so it is no longer CSDGM compliant.
Reference
How-To Guide to Metadata Implementation
http://www.lic.wisc.edu/metadata/metaprim.htm
CSDGM Validation tool
This tool checks whether the metadata conforms to CSDGM
Most widely used program is mp from USGS
For more,
http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/mp.html
Where to get these tools?
For the comprehensive reviews of metadata tools, look at http://sco.wisc.edu/wisclinc/metatool/ which provides the pointers to tools.
Tutorials
Getting the data
Copy P:\geog458win06\Event1\Data into your working directory
Creating the
metadata with ArcCatalog
Open ArcCatalog
Connect to your working directory
Select the shapefile, and click metadata tab
It will create the metadata in xml format
Browse through the metadata by clicking “Edit Metadata”; Note red letters…
Click “Export Metadata” button
In the Export Metadata dialog box, choose FGDC CSDGM (TXT) from Format drop-down list, and save it in your working directory
Open busstop.txt in your working directory (it’s the metadata created by ArcCatalog by default).
Checking
compliance of metadata with CSDGM
Creating metadata with metadata creation tools does not mean that you have metadata that conforms to CSDGM. For example, some elements are required, but the metadata creation tool does not fill in the information for you. Some elements are formatted incorrectly (CSDGM says it should be text but you type in number and so on). Remember, the metadata should be PARSEABLE such that it can be read by computers. Therefore, you need to make the metadata in compliant to the standard.
Go to http://geo-nsdi.er.usgs.gov/validate.php
Open busstop.txt file you created from the previous step by clicking browse button.
Then click validate button.
Click the link “error report”
The error report displays errors with section numbers and line numbers.
Editing the
metadata
There are two options for editing errors in the metadata reported by mp.
(1) One is to use metadata creation tools
ArcCatalog and edit them (you should click Edit Metadata button); it is easy to note since ArcCatalog marks missing elements in red color. Type in values whenever appropriate.
Use tkme.
You can download tkme from
http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/
or copy the file from all_win.exe at P:\geog458win06\Event1\Tools, and run it in your desktop (you can’t run this program at public computer due to write restriction)
(2) The other option is to use text editor
You can download Text Editor (e.g. ultraedit, textpad) free online. The software lets you go to the line number directly so that you can change or add values.
This is what you should do
- Create metadata using metadata creation tool
- You should most of the time type in information by yourself
- Save the file as text file as mp can’t read html.
- Validate the metadata with mp
- Interpret error from the error file from the step 2
- Edit metadata until you have no error
This is what you should turn in
The printout of
- Error report before fixing errors
- Error report after fixing errors
It clearly should show that your metadata
conforms to CSDGM. I mean no error!
- CSDGM-compliant metadata in html format
Note:
Main purposes of Event1 are to learn terms and definition of CSDGM, and see how much (!) the metadata does not conform to the standard. I do not expect you to type in CORRECT values for elements as long as it is compliant with CSDGM. Just try to put meaningful values in editing the metadata since time frame does not allow us to create the quality metadata.
Due 2/13/06 Wednesday