Metadata tools

Metadata tools may be separated into categories based on their operating characteristics and function. The following four categories of metadata tools seem distinct:

Intelligent

These tools extract some information from spatial data sets without the user having to determine it and then separately record it. Examples in this category aredata dictionary (aml), document (aml), fgdcmeta (aml), blmdoc (aml), metalite (aml), and findarc. 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.

Forms-based

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. This category has the most representatives and includes:NOAA FGDC Metadata Toolkit, Metamaker 2.10, xtme, Corpsmet 1.02, Oklahoma Metadata Creator, The MDC (Metadata Collector), DataLogr 1.0,Metamorph, BIC Metadata Form, Corpsmet95, Dataset Cataloger 4.0, Metadata Lite Entry Form, Metadata Management System, Meta Data Manager Professional 2.0, Metagen32, NOAA FGDC Metadata Toolkit 1.0 Beta, and KMDD (Klamath Metadata Dictionary)

ASCII and word processor templates

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. There are a number of representative templates around in various word processor and ASCII forms.

Utilities

This category includes tools and services which are not used for the primary production of metadata, but rather are used to process it in some form. In that category there are tools to find data sets (findarc), to pre-process metadata into consistent format (cns), and to validate metadata (mp and the Metadata Validation Service, mp's on-line counterpart).