Transcript Metadata Tool - GEOCITIES.ws

The Metadata Tool
Custom Metadata Tool
Who this tool is for:
• This tool designed to be used a data
management system.
• This tool is geared more for the GIS
manager and not someone that just needs a
few metadata records
History of the Tool
• The tool has been designed over the last
five years. Bob Smith with the Idaho
Department of Lands originally wrote the
code in
• 1994. Frank Roberts then received the code
in 1995 and has been further developing it
since then.
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Coeur d’Alene Tribe Metadata Use
The Tribe is currently the data repository for
Tribal-Federal litigation that’s occurring
At this time we have over 3000 GIS layers
It is very important that we have a good
handle on who’s data we have and where
it’s at.
We use our system to serve data up to all of
the natural resources staff. We need to be
able to manage those users accounts.
Metadata tool
• We created a tool that will make metadata
on the fly
• It will satisfy all the required elements of
the FGDC standard
• More importantly it allows me to track what
data we have and query the database for
coverages and items
What makes the tool different
1.All you have to do is run the AML and it builds the metadata for you. You don't have to sit for
hours on end entering data into a form.
2.Use the power of ArcInfo to go out and get all the information that you need for metadata such
as projections, attribute values, spatial extents, and other values that are already stored in
ArcInfo so you don't have to key it in!
3.Create a relational database that you can search.
4.If written as a batch process. You can create metadata for every GIS layer on your system,
while you're having fun on the weekend.
5.It creates metadata in a form that when you export a GIS layer, the metadata travels in the
export file. So other people that get your data will have the metadata. So, you don't have to
worry about sending an extra file when you hand out your data.
6.The metadata that is created is compatible with ArcInfo Version 8's metadata model and is also
in a compliant FGDC metadata format.
7.It runs on both NT and Unix operating systems.
8.It's free.
How to get the metadata tool
• The tool is available for download at the
website:
– http://www.geocities.com/frank_m_roberts/metadatatool.html
• The tool runs within ArcInfo (7.* or 8.*)
• It will run on both Unix and NT OS
Data requirements of the tool
1.The GIS layers must be valid ArcInfo Coverage or
Grid.
2.The GIS layer must not have any items in it that
use the "%" sign in their name.
3.The layers should have a projection associated
with them.
How metadata helps us
• Findcover.aml: queries database and gives me a
quick list of locations and descriptions of
coverages.
• ArcView Spatial Query tool: allows us to point at
a section and determine what coverages exist in
that area.
• ArcView Item Query tool: allows us to ask
database for coverages that have certain items.
How to Install it.
• Down load the file off of the web page
• Execute the file or un-tar the file into a
directory
• at the Arc Prompt run the setup aml. ( &run
setup.aml)
• Modify the contact.inf info file found in the
directory, by updating with your
information (Eg. Name, Address….)
How to run it.
• At the Arc Prompt type:
– &r metadata <cover>
Where the data is stored
• There are three different places the data is
stored:
– log file: The data is added to the existing
coverage or grid log file
– metadata.xml: a metadata.xml file is created if
one doesn’t already exist.
– In the relational databases (Info).
Export of data for NSDI or Web
use.
• Data can be exported using two different techniques.
• The xml file can be viewed in ArcCatalog and then exported into
HTML, SGML, FAQ.
• The xml file can also be read by Metadata Parser (MP). It is free piece
of software that was made by Peter N. Schweitzer and is available
from the USGS. It can be downloaded at the following site:
http://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/
• The following is the syntax to the xml file using MP:
mp metadata.xml -c esri.cfg -h metadata.html
Viewing the data in the log
• To view the data in the
log file you just need to
type the following at the
Arc Prompt:
log <cover>
Viewing the metadata.xml
• Xml files can be
viewed using either
the ArcInfo 8 Arc
Catalog or any xml
capable browser, such
as Internet Explorer
5.*
Viewing and searching the
relational database
• The database for all
metadata are in the
metadata tools installation
directory.
• They are stored as info
files and can be view
using ArcInfo or Arcview.
• The info files can also be
exported to DBFs that
could be brought into
other databases.
Changing Views of xml file
Level of Detail
• The level of detail of
metadata can be
varied.
• I break the detail into
4 levels
• 1 being very low detail
• 4 being very
descriptive detail
Level 1
• This level is most basic level.
• All general descriptive information is
stored about the GIS layer (Eg.
Projection, items, contact person,
organization)
• All that must be done is run the aml.
Level 2
• What you have to do: Open up the METADATA.INF database with
your favorite Info file editor. Find the records for the GIS layer your are
interested in describing. In the field called DATASETDES, write in the
description of the GIS file. By default this will have the GIS layer's
name. An example is that the by default the value found in
DATASETDES may be "ROADS", you may want the description to be
more verbose, such as "The Transportation layer for North Idaho".
Once you have entered this information and saved your changes, you
then should re-run METADATA.AML on the layer. This will force the
change that you have made to be added to both the log file and the
XML file.
Level 3, Directory Level
Metadata
• What you have to do: Using your favorite Info database
editor, modify the DIRECTORIES.INF database, so that you
identify all the major directories that you have data contained
in on your system. Make sure to enter the following
information into the database: Intended Scale, Source
Contact, Project Name, and Intended Use. Then re-run
METADATA.AML on your data layers. (Typically the second
run on of the METADATA.AML on a data layers is faster,
since some of the data is already created.)
Level 4, Item Level Metadata
• What you have to do: Run the AML on as many of your GIS layers as
you can, this will populate the METAITEMS.INF database with all the
non-ArcInfo items found in the coverages. Then either use the
Frequency command in ArcInfo or the Summarize button in ArcView
to get all the possible names found in the " ITEM " field in
METAITEMS.INF. This should give you a list of all the non-ArcInfo
items found in the GIS layers you have ran through the
METADATA.AML. You then can add the items found using the
Frequency or Summarization to the ITEMNAMES.INF database. Each
of the items added to ITEMNAMES.INF should also have the
corresponding DESCRIPTION and UNITOFMEASURE fields
populated.
Level 5, Geographic Keyword
Who’s Using the tool
• At this time I’ve had over 500 visitors to the
site.
• I have received emails for people all over
the world that are currently using the tool.
• The tool has received some good press via
the ESRI-L list server.
Pro’s and Cons
• It’s free
• It’ll make a lot of
metadata fast
• It runs on both Unix
and NT
• It runs on both 7.* and
8.* ArcInfo
• You get a searchable
database
• You get what you pay
for
• Support is somewhat
limited
• It requires ArcInfo
• It probably won’t be
needed in another 2
years
Thanks for listening!
http://www.geocities.com/frank_m_roberts/metadatatool.html