Creating and Maintaining Geospatial Metadata
In the USDA Forest Service Using ESRIs ArcCatalog
Guidance for Creating a “Local Template” Metadata File
and
Recommendations for Populating
Both Required and Optional Metadata Elements
Completed under the auspices of the Geospatial Advisory Committee
as a component to the Forest Service GIS Data Dictionary
6/12/2003 v2.0.0, M.Martischang
Table of Contents
Table of Contents 3
Introduction 7
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Information Quality Guidelines 8
FGDC/ISO Metadata Standard Harmonization 8
Conventions Used in This Paper 8
Warnings 9
Assumptions 9
Preface to Parts One and Two 9
Become Familiar with ArcGIS Metadata Online Help 9
Use the FGDC Metadata Workbook Electronically For Rapid Supplementary Help 9
Note on How ArcCatalog Handles “One-to-Many” Relationships 9
Part One – Create and Populate Metadata Template File 11
Populate Metadata Template .XML File With Local “Default” Values 15
Identification Section (1) 15
Data Quality Section (2) 23
Data Organization Section (3) 25
Spatial Reference Section (4) 25
Entity Attribute Section (5) 25
Distribution Section (6) 27
Metadata Reference Section (7) 33
Part Two – Populate “Non-Template” and “Local” Metadata Elements 35
Guidance for “Non-Template” and “Local” Metadata Elements 35
Assumptions 35
Identification Section (1) 37
Data Quality Section (2) 47
Data Organization Section (3) 53
Spatial Reference Section (4) 55
Entity Attribute Section (5) 59
Appendix A – Configuring ArcCatalog 65
Appendix B – Explanatory FGDC Metadata Graphics 71
Appendix C – “Styleguide” for This Document 81
Table of Figures
Figure 1. ArcGIS Desktop Help window. 9
Figure 2. Record navigation toolbar. 10
Figure 3. Record navigation toolbar when no records exist. 10
Figure 4. Record navigation toolbar when one record exists. 10
Figure 5. Initial ArcCatalog window. 11
Figure 6. Connect to Folder window. 11
Figure 7. Load the metadata_template.xml file to ArcCatalog. 12
Figure 8. Open the FGDC “Metadata Editor” window. 13
Figure 9. FGDC Metadata Editor window. 14
Figure 10. Identification/General tab (1.x). 15
Figure 11. Identification/Contact tab (1.9). 16
Figure 12. Identification/Contact/Details…/General tab (10.x). 17
Figure 13. Identification/Contact/Details…/Address tab (10.x). 18
Figure 14. Identification/Citation tab (8.4). 19
Figure 15. Identification/Citation/Details…/General tab (8.x). 19
Figure 16. Identification/Citation/Details…/Series/Publication Information tab (8.x). 20
Figure 17. Identification/Keywords tab (1.6.x). 21
Figure 18. Identification/Security tab (1.12.x). 22
Figure 19. Data Quality/General tab (2.6). 23
Figure 20. Distribution/General tab (6.x). 27
Figure 21. Distribution/Distributor tab (6.1). 28
Figure 22. Distribution/Standard Order Process/General tab (6.4.x). 28
Figure 23. Distribution/Standard Order Process/Non-digital Form tab (6.4.1). 29
Figure 24. Distribution/Standard Order Process/… /General tab (6.4.2.1.x). 30
Figure 25. Distribution/Standard Order Process/… /Online Transfer - Network tab (6.4.2.2.1.1.x). 31
Figure 26. Distribution/Standard Order Process/Digital Form/Online Transfer - Dialup tab. 31
Figure 27. Distribution/Standard Order Process/Digital Form/Offline Transfer tab (6.4.2.2.2.x). 32
Figure 28. Template entries, Metadata Reference/General tab (7.x). 33
Figure 29. Template entries, Metadata Reference/Extensions tab. 33
Figure 30. Identification/General tab (1.2.x and 1.1). 37
Figure 31. Identification/Citation/Details…/General tab (8.x). 38
Figure 32. Identification/Time Period/Single Date/Time tab (9.1). 39
Figure 33. Identification/Time Period/Multiple Dates/Times tab (9.2). 40
Figure 34. Identification/Time Period/Range of Dates/Times tab (9.3.x). 41
Figure 35. Identification/Status tab (1.4.x). 42
Figure 36. Identification/Keywords tab (1.6.x). 43
Figure 37. Identification/Browse Graphic tab (1.10.x). 44
Figure 38. Identification/Cross Reference tab. 45
Figure 39. Data Quality/General tab (2.x). 47
Figure 40. Data Quality/Attribute Accuracy tab (2.1.x). 48
Figure 41. Data Quality/Positional Accuracy tab (2.4.x). 49
Figure 42. Data Quality/Source Information/General tab (2.5.1.x). 50
Figure 43. Data Quality/Process Step tab (2.5.2.x). 51
Figure 44. Data Organization/General tab (3.1). 53
Figure 45. Spatial Reference/General Coordinate System tab (4.1). 55
Figure 46. Reference/ Horizontal Coordinate System/Planar Coordinate System tab (4.1.2.4.x). 55
Figure 47. Reference/ Horizontal Coordinate System/Encoding Information tab (4.1.2.x). 56
Figure 48. Spatial Reference/Vertical Coordinate System tab (4.2.x). 57
Figure 49. Entity Attribute/Detailed Description/Entity Type tab (5.1.1.x). 59
Figure 50. Entity Attribute/Detailed Description/Attribute/General tab (5.1.2.x). 60
Figure 51. Entity Attribute/Detailed Description/Attribute/Date tab (5.1.2.x). 60
Figure 52. Entity Attribute/… /Attribute (Enumerated) Domain Values tab (5.1.2.4.1.x). 61
Figure 53. Entity Attribute/… /Attribute (Range) Domain Values tab (5.1.2.x). 61
Figure 54. Entity Attribute/… /Attribute (Codeset) Domain Values tab (5.1.2.4.3.x). 62
Figure 55. Entity Attribute/… /Attribute (Unrepresentable) Domain Values tab (5.1.2.4.4). 63
Figure 56. Entity Attribute/Overview Description tab (5.2.x). 63
Figure A1. Default ArcCatalog window. 65
Figure A2. The ArcCatalog Options window with the File Types tab selected. 65
Figure A3. Empty File Type window. 66
Figure A4. Entering file extensions and their description. 66
Figure A5. A file type added to ArcCatalog. 66
Figure A6. Description of type shortened from 23 to 6 characters. 67
Figure A7. Collection of file types that will now be displayed in ArcCatalog. 67
Figure A8. Metadata choices for addition to the ArcCatalog Details view. 68
Figure A9. Setting metadata viewing, creation, update, and editor choices. 68
Figure A10. ArcCatalog window reflecting customizations made (compare with Figure A1). 69
Figure B1. The FGDC metadata standard has 11 sections numbered 0 through 10. 71
Figure B2. FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998). 72
Figure B3. Elements of the Identification Section(1). 73
Figure B4. Elements of the Data Quality Section(2). 74
Figure B5. Elements of the Spatial Data Organization Section(3). 75
Figure B6. Elements of the Spatial Reference Information Section(4). 76
Figure B7. Elements of the Entity and Attribute Information Section(5). 77
Figure B8. Elements of the Distribution Information Section(6). 78
Figure B9. Elements of the Metadata Reference Information Section(7). 79
Figure B10. Elements of the Citation(8), Time Period(9), and Contact Information Sections(10). 80
fgdc_ArcCatalog_metadata_template.doc Tables of Contents and Figures - Page 5 of 82
Introduction
The FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) defines dozens of metadata elements for the purpose of objectively documenting and disclosing the source(s), characteristics, quality, and lineage of spatial data sets so that potential users of those data sets can reasonably determine the fitness of a data set for the purpose(s) they intend to use it for. Some of these elements receive the same entry, regardless of the data set being documented (e.g., address and phone number of the office maintaining the data set) and could be referred to as “local template” entries for the site. This paper describes how to create a “local template” metadata file and pre-populate it with the rarely or never changing “default” metadata elements such that they need only be entered once and simply re-used thereafter as metadata files are completed for each unique data set a site maintains.
With respect to Forest Service data sets there are two categories of “template” metadata elements that can be authored and/or entered one time and then re-used repeatedly in either a fully automated or semi-automated fashion:
· Local template metadata elements: Metadata that is the same for all data sets maintained by a given site. For example, office address, phone number, distribution methods, distribution media types, etc. This guide identifies these elements and offers suggestions for their entry.
· Data set template metadata elements: Metadata that is the same for a given data set regardless of the site location the data is stored and maintained at. All of the Forest Service GIS Data Dictionary data sets are candidates for having certain metadata entries written once and then literally copy/pasted into each local metadata file. For example, an abstract paragraph authored once for “travel_routes” could be re-used by all sites in the Forest Service, regardless of their location. This guide suggests which elements these are but does not offer any specific guidance for their completion. Authorship of “data set template” elements would be the responsibility of national application development teams, boards of users, or nationally identified work-groups who are intimately familiar with the business requirements and content of the Forest Service corporate data sets.
Of the dozens of metadata elements defined, the FGDC identifies only 10 as being required. None of these 10 required elements are “local template” elements. Six of the 10 are “data set template” elements and the remaining four are “local unique” elements. The 10 required elements are identified in this document with bolded red font in the figure captions that introduce them (e.g., Originator (8.1):). To address these two circumstances, this guide is written in two parts:
Part One: Describes how to create a “local template” file and populate it with “default” metadata information that is common to multiple data sets maintained at a Forest Service office. For those who previously used the ARC/INFO v7.x ‘DOCUMENT’ command, this is analogous to populating the “site” tables that ‘DOCUMENT’ maintained. None of the “default” local template metadata elements for a given site are FGDC required.
Part Two: Suggests guidance, format, and in some cases, content for metadata elements that are unique to each data set. Most of the “not-default” metadata elements are FGDC “optional”.
The mechanics of how to create an ArcCatalog metadata template file have been taken from ESRIs Online Support Center, Knowledgebase article 15270. Recommendations for text strings entered to the template file are from Mike Martischang, GIS Coordinator Region 9 and were composed following guidance in the FGDC Metadata Workbook Version 2.0, ArcGIS help files, and the Forest Service metadata standards web page. Since the Forest Service standard for geospatial metadata documentation at this time is the FGDC format, all screen shots and advice for template entries are relative to the FGDC stylesheet in ArcCatalog.
It is important to remember that as Forest Service geospatial data become more readily available via the internet that persons external to the Forest Service and, indeed, from all over the world, will be reviewing Forest Service metadata files. What seem like “obvious” or “lengthy” metadata entries will ensure that metadata are meaningful and useful to the international community that the internet makes us part of. Because our geospatial data will be evaluated and used by persons outside the Forest Service and, indeed, outside the U.S., it becomes wise to make seemingly “obvious” metadata entries (e.g., Country = “United States” in a point of contact address, indicating standard time zone along with office hours, or spelling out commonly used Forest Service acronyms on their first use [for instance, Land Management Plan (LMP)… in an abstract]).
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Information Quality Guidelines
In February of 2002 the OMB published “Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies”. This guidance required agencies to issue their own implementing guidelines that, in addition to defining policies that maximize information quality, objectivity, utility and integrity, include administrative mechanisms for affected persons to seek and obtain correction of information disseminated by the agency that does not comply with the OMB guidelines. Tiered to OMBs guidelines are USDAs Quality of Information Guidelines that the Forest Service is expected to tier to.
As information that is used to conduct Forest Service business and that is often requested by other agencies and publics GIS data sets are subject to OMBs information quality guidelines. The FGDC metadata standard provides a more than adequate framework for documenting and disclosing “quality, objectivity, utility and integrity” of GIS data and provides a partial solution to providing “mechanisms for affected persons to seek and obtain correction of information”. However, it must be clearly understood that the FGDC metadata standard is a tool intended for objective disclosure of data condition and is not intended to serve as tool for providing standards of production to data set developers and maintainers.
FGDC/ISO Metadata Standard Harmonization
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has defined metadata standard ISO 19115 and the FGDC has been engaged in activities to “harmonize” CSDGM (FGDC-STD-001-1998) with ISO 19115. As of mid-April 2003:
· The final draft of ISO 19115 is awaiting formal approval from the ISO Central Secretariat.
· The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has adopted the ISO standard without change.
· FGDC version 2 (in final review) is harmonized with ISO 19115.
· Mapping, or “cross-walking”, elements is in progress to protect current metadata investments and facilitate their migration to FGDC version 2.
Since the Forest Service metadata standard is FGDC, when version 2 is released in final form, we will essentially be migrating to the ISO 19115 metadata standard. ArcCatalog already offers an ISO “stylesheet” that supports the ISO metadata standard. When the “FGDC-ISO cross-walk” is completed, tools provided by both the FGDC and ESRI will make the translation task seamless. Monitor the FGDC/ISO Metadata Standard Harmonization web site to keep up with implementation progress.
Conventions Used in This Paper
· All figures are screen shots of the FGDC stylesheets in ArcCatalog.
· Numbered instructions in a figure caption correspond with numbered “callouts” in the screen shot graphic.
· Numbered instruction items begin with the name of the element, as displayed in the FGDC stylesheet, followed in parenthesis by the FGDC CSDMG v2.0 reference number. This reference number can be used in an electronic search (Ctrl + F) to find the description of that element in the FGDC Metadata Workbook file.
· In Part One, numbered instructions identify specific “default” metadata elements to be populated in the metadata “template” file. Recommended text string entries are indicated in quotes in the numbered instruction item of the figure caption.
· Metadata elements regarded as required by FGDC standards contain red text strings that begin with “REQUIRED:” followed by a brief description of what should be entered. Some, but not all, required metadata items can be populated in the template file. However, many of the required metadata items are unique for each coverage, for example, the currentness reference.
· The MSWord “comments” feature has been used to suggest those FGDC metadata elements that should be authored by national application development teams, boards of users, and/or WO staff. Use the word search function (Ctrl + F) to search for the keyword “authorship” to rapidly find comment text. Note, to navigate to and manage comments and markup, activate the “Reviewing” toolbar (View | Toolbars | Reviewing).
· A “grayed-out” data entry field means entries are made via a more detailed “sub-menu”. Usually a labeled button with an ellipsis (three dots, …) appears beside grayed-out fields and opens the detailed sub-menu.
· Metadata elements that are automatically populated when a data set metadata.xml file is opened in ArcCatalog are identified with a red star ( ) appearing on the screen shot figure. See warnings below!
Warnings
Do not enter metadata for values that ArcCatalog automatically updates. If you enter information for these values ArcCatalog will not update this information in the future.
When metadata is imported it will overwrite existing elements.
Assumptions
A complete and correct projection file is present on the data set.
Preface to Parts One and Two
Become Familiar with ArcGIS Metadata Online Help
ArcGIS Desktop Help is a valuable metadata reference resource that is readily available to you. Answers or explanations to most questions that arise during metadata entry can found in the ArcGIS online help files.