Arc/Info 8’s Metadata Collection tool: ArcCatalog A user’s perspective By Frank Roberts Coeur d’Alene Tribe GIS
Jan 02, 2016
Arc/Info 8’s Metadata Collection tool:
ArcCatalogA user’s perspective
By Frank Roberts
Coeur d’Alene Tribe GIS
Thanks to Bob Booth of ESRI
Bob is one of the main players in design of the metadata portion of Arc
Catalog, and provided some of the graphics for this presentation.
What is Arc Catalog?
• Arc Catalog is the GIS data management tool in ArcInfo that has two primary visual components—a tree view that displays the list of available folders and a views panel that provides four different methods of examining data.
Cool Stuff about ArcCatalog Metadata
•It is built to make viewing metadata very handy.•It allows you to export the data in several different formats.•It can import metadata.•It stores the metadata internally in the GIS coverage or grid.•It has very nice users input screen (from SMMS Version 2)
Where is metadata stored?Where is metadata stored?
• All data types and containers have metadata….
• Coverages: XML file in coverage folder
• Shape files & images: XML file
• Folders & workspaces: metadata.xml file
• Geodatabase data: XML in the database
• Includes attached documents, e.g. Word.
• All data types and containers have metadata….
• Coverages: XML file in coverage folder
• Shape files & images: XML file
• Folders & workspaces: metadata.xml file
• Geodatabase data: XML in the database
• Includes attached documents, e.g. Word.
Metadata Storage Techniques
•The metadata is stored (in coverages and grids) inside the coverage folder. For shape files and images the metadata is stored as an additional file.
What’s an XML file?
•Extended Markup Language (XML) •HTML on steroids•I think of XML like a database•Typically composed of 2 files.
• XML: Data file• XSL: Style Sheet
•XML documentation schemata can be built to conform to organizational documentation standards. •For more info see: http://www.xmlinfo.com/
How XML Works
.xml.xml
Content
.dtd.dtd
Document TypeDefinition
Defines how the document is structured
.xsl.xsl
Stylesheet
Defines how the document is displayed
Why XMLWhy XML
• Structured, just like metadata
• Emerging, open industry standard
• Oriented to publishing, sharing, and interchange, especially using Internet
• Multiple ways of viewing
• Multiple viewers
• Multiple ways of editing/updating
• Structured, just like metadata
• Emerging, open industry standard
• Oriented to publishing, sharing, and interchange, especially using Internet
• Multiple ways of viewing
• Multiple viewers
• Multiple ways of editing/updating
GIS userGIS user
GIS Professional
GIS userGIS user
Engineering user
GIS userGIS user
Kiosk user
Viewing MetadataViewing Metadata
Internet Explorer 5.0
Internet Explorer 5.0 OtherOtherNetscape
5.0Netscape
5.0Arc 8.0Arc 8.0
Metadata Viewers
Metadata Viewers
Creating metadataCreating metadata• Choose dataset and click Metadata tab…
• Metadata is automatically created if it doesn’t exist already.
• Some metadata is obtained from the data automatically (“harvested”).
• You can control how frequently metadata is harvested: – automatic time interval – manually
• Choose dataset and click Metadata tab…
• Metadata is automatically created if it doesn’t exist already.
• Some metadata is obtained from the data automatically (“harvested”).
• You can control how frequently metadata is harvested: – automatic time interval – manually
Editing MetadataEditing
MetadataCustom
editors (VB)
Custom editors (VB)
Third party editors
Third party editors
Other editors in the box
Other editors in the box
FGDC editorFGDC editor
ApplicationsApplications
GIS userGIS user
GIS Professional
GIS userGIS user
Engineering user
GIS userGIS user
Data entry
Editing MetadataEditing
Metadata
To do listTo do list• Import existing FGDC HTML metadata,
– Done for Arc 8.1
• Import DOCUMENT.AML metadata,
– workaround: create metadata file, run file through CNS and then MP
• “Interview” style editor
– currently working on prototype
• Search and publishing mechanism
– Done for Arc 8.1
• Update metadata during geoprocessing
– Not attempted yet
• Processing history automation
– Not attempted yet
• Import existing FGDC HTML metadata,
– Done for Arc 8.1
• Import DOCUMENT.AML metadata,
– workaround: create metadata file, run file through CNS and then MP
• “Interview” style editor
– currently working on prototype
• Search and publishing mechanism
– Done for Arc 8.1
• Update metadata during geoprocessing
– Not attempted yet
• Processing history automation
– Not attempted yet
Deficiencies in Arc Catalog
• No way to search all metadata
• No way to create metadata on the fly for the system
• Contact information not default-able
• Potential problem with non ArcUsers reading the xml file.