GRASS Metadata Management

Metadata support

Raster

• r.support (r.support history="long text" now functional, it does line wrapping)
• Metadata support in GRASS raster library notes

Vector

• 'head' file format
• TODO: tool to edit this head file needed using v.support. (Reference: http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/grass-user/2007-February/038378.html)

Comments on a vector map can be added manually by editing $MAPSET/vector/$MAPNAME/hist.

Metadata management ideas for future versions of GRASS

Unified XML-based approach for raster/vector/imagery

• store relevant metadata in an XML-based format, along with creation/modification history
• a new directory '$maspset/metadata/' could house this information
• would probably require major re-write of the raster/vector history mechanism
• generic reading/writing of XML data (don't we already have this functionality somewhere...)

Creating an INSPIRE compliant version of {v,r}.support

One idea would be to develop an INSPIRE compliant version of {v,r}.support. The module would ensure that all fields required for INSPIRE would be completed. It should be possible to write the Metadata out as XML (see above section). The European Union Open Source Metadata Editor (EUOSME) is a Web-based INSPIRE module that is published under the European Union Public Licence [1,2].

[1] EUOSME

[2] Required Fields

Validation

The GRASS module could call the validator's API and return the check result.

Links

• DT Metadata – Draft Implementing Rules for Metadata
• http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Metadata and http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Metadata_software (software list)
• http://www.gsdi.org/gsdicookbookindex.php
• http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/reports/ImplementingRules/metadata/MD_IR_and_ISO_20090218.pdf
• https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wiki/index.php?title=ISO_Metadata_Standard
• INSPIRE Geoportal's metadata validator

Metadata structure

In order to be INSPIRE compliant, a metadata should include at least the following information (required fields; the user should be able to add more fields):

Reference	Metadata elements	Multiplicity	Condition	Variable	Notes
1.1	Resource title	1
1.2	Resource abstract	1
1.3	Resource type	1
1.4	Resource locator	0..*	Mandatory if a URL is available to obtain more information on the resource, and/or access related services
1.5	Unique resource identifier	1..*
1.7	Resource language	0..*	Mandatory if the resource include textual information