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<title>Metadata literature question</title>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>For examples (variously “good, bad, and
ugly”) a good place to start would be the metadata files that come with
published datasets, either integrated to some degree with the data file, or as
a standardized-format ancillary file, or minimalist Readme_First file.
The GIS-ready datasets on the DEP and Water Management District websites have nice
metadata that addresses spatial description, processing-history information, and
intended usage among other things. Other examples can be found for
federal agencies—particularly USGS, NASA, USDA, etc. Sometimes the
metadata portion that fits all the datasets of a given type is also posted for convenient
user-preview on a sort of “boilerplate” section of the download
page. I occasionally come across examples of incomplete, or worst-of-all botched
metadata (the most amusing sort reads like a snack label—“may
contain coordinates from one or more of the following systems…”), but
this sort of thing appears most often in third-hand gift-horses, in which case
there is no standing for complaint (just file the stuff under T for toxic), or in
subcontracted stuff from providers that at least fix it afterwards and learn
from their mistakes. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Some of the recent-years NASA image data
types provide good examples of elaborate metadata, even multiple layers of it—corresponding
to separate stages of processing (Level 0, Level 1R, Level 1G, etc.) and
distribution (“the coordinates as you ordered for this dataset’s subsetting
and resampling”, “the spectral calibration details for the calibration
set that you selected for this run”, etc.). There is a menagerie of
terminology for the various kinds of such metadata, some of which is used only
by people working behind-the-curtain (software hooks—structural metadata,
identifiers, etc.), some of which is parsed back-n-forth (suitable for
ingest/SQL operations), and some of which is intended for the end-user to read
(such as cloud-cover quality and sensor gain settings). For the case of
Landsat-7 ETM+ image products, if you order say a L1G dataset in HDF format,
you will get a dataset containing sections called MTA (metadata frozen at L0R processing
stage) and MTP (metadata frozen at L1G processing stage), in addition to the
structural-metadata (spatial/temporal) contained within the HDF data sections (grid,
vdata, etc.), and you can perform a separate search for the optimal CPF
(post-proc “kitchen sink” calibration info file which bakes to
readiness by installments over a period of a few weeks after the L0R dataset was
captured and archived). The MTA, MTP, and CPF are machine/human readable
(you can use officeware to view them, which gets easier on the eyes as you get
used to the ODL style); to view the structural types requires HDF tools (either
full-blown HDF toolkits out of NCSA or NASA, or simpler utilities like NASA’s
EOSView, unless your image-proc software *fully* supports HDF with viewing functionality
for such details, which is rare). Of course, one also needs to download the
accompanying technical documents (L1G DFCB, L0R DFCB, CPF Definition, etc.) in
order to get a full understanding of the definition, field type, notation,
units, and valids for each attribute. All this may sound like a lot of
fuss (addressing FGDC content and then some) for those accustomed to using images
as raster-backdrops only, but for science-side imagery-users it represents a
huge improvement over the “pre-launch coefficients typed on a 3x5 card”
era. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Good hunting,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Jack Jordan<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Asst. Scientist<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>UF-IFAS-CRS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>(352) 392-1864 x 279<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>jjordan@ufl.edu<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>“Mostly harmless” – D.
Adams.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
shrug-l-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:shrug-l-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Wolfe, Heather<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, April 11, 2007
9:47 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> shrug-l@lists.dep.state.fl.us<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> shrug-l: Metadata
literature question</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I
am creating a metadata class for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Seminole</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> users and have had
LOTS of fun wading through the legalese of the FDGC standards. :) I finally got
the standards and keyword thesaurus done and am creating the class. However, I
am having trouble finding ANY literature on metadata to use as source material
other than the aforesaid legalese, the excellent example of the SJRWMD metadata,
and a PowerPoint from someone within our county. I did not see anything on the
ESRI site (maybe I missed something?) Can anyone refer me to any published
metadata instruction other than the FDGC standards, especially more examples of
practical application of FDGC standards?</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Thanks,</span></font>
<br>
<font color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Heather
Wolfe<br>
Sr. GIS Analyst, Planning & Development<br>
Seminole <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Government</st1:PlaceName></st1:place><br>
1101 E. <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">First St</st1:address></st1:Street>.<br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Sanford</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">FL</st1:State>
<st1:PostalCode w:st="on">32771</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><br>
<br>
Office 407-665-7378<br>
Fax 407-665-7412<br>
HWolfe@seminolecountyfl.gov<br>
</span></font><a href="file:///\\www.seminolecountyfl.gov"><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>www.seminolecountyfl.gov</span></font></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>-****<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florida</st1:place></st1:State>
has a very broad Public Records Law. Virtually all written communications to or
from State and Local Officials and employees are public records available to
the public and media upon request. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Seminole</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> policy does not
differentiate between personal and business emails. E-mail sent on the County
system will be considered public and will only be withheld from disclosure if
deemed confidential pursuant to State Law.****-<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New"'>-****<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florida</st1:place></st1:State>
has a very broad Public Records Law. Virtually all written communications to or
from State and Local Officials and employees are public records available to
the public and media upon request. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Seminole</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> policy does not
differentiate between personal and business emails. E-mail sent on the County
system will be considered public and will only be withheld from disclosure if
deemed confidential pursuant to State Law.****-<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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