Arc/Info 8’s Metadata Collection tool: ArcCatalog A 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.

Arc Catalog, Content

Arc Catalog, Preview

Arc Catalog, Metadata

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? 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:

How XML Works.xml Content.dtd Document Type Definition Defines how the document is structured.xsl Stylesheet Defines how the document is displayed

Why 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 user GIS Professional GIS user Engineering user GIS user Kiosk user Viewing Metadata

Different Views of the Same XML file

Internet Explorer 5.0 Other Netscape 5.0 Arc 8.0 Metadata Viewers

Creating 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 Metadata Custom editors (VB) Third party editors Other editors in the box FGDC editor Applications

Choose which metadata editor you want to get when the Edit button is pressed

User input screen

GIS user GIS Professional GIS user Engineering user GIS user Data entry Editing Metadata

Any files can be added as attachments and stored in the metadata

Metadata toolbar Choose how metadata will be displayed Edit metadata Attach documents Update

Import utility

Export Utility

To 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

DTD used in Arc 8.0

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.

Questions? Thanks for listening! Feel free to me at: