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5. Metadata Editors

Metadata creation and publishing implemented in three steps as metadata generation, validation and publishing. 

Metadata generation is a process of filling all information for mandatory elements. Metadata validation is assessing compliancy of the generated metadata with Standard. In addition, metadata publishing stored the generated and validated metadata in catalogue.

Metadata can be published using an online metadata editor or desktop metadata editor.

Desktop Editors

  • GeoNetwork - GeoNetwork is a catalog application to manage spatially referenced resources. It provides powerful metadata editing and search functions as well as an interactive web map viewer.
  • GeoCat - GeoCat Bridge, it is extension for Esri ArcGIS Desktop, which designed to make easy the process of publishing geospatial data and metadata on the internet.
  • CatMDEdit is a metadata editor tool that facilitates the documentation of resources, with a special focus on the description of geographic information resources.
  • The EPA metadata editor was developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Today, an increasing number of geoportal applications offer the possibility to generate metadata using the metadata editor hosted on the application. Metadata publisher fills in information about data or services to create metadata. Usually, if users need assistance, hints (help buttons) provide more information about what values should be filled in each field. 

  • USGS Online Metadata Editor - A tool designed to help you document your dataset by asking questions about your data. Using this freely available tool you can: login and start new records or upload and edit existing ones; see all records you have created or uploaded in the past; save records and return later to complete them; and save completed records to your desktop.   Currently the tool supports XML output in the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata.
  • ArcGIS online and ArcCatalog - Esri provides support for multiple metadata management options to meet specific needs or standards profiles. It supports these metadata standards. ISO 19115, FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM), Dublin Core, INSPIRE and DCAT
  • INSPIRE online Metadata Editor - The INSPIRE metadata editor allows data suppliers to document their assets following the INSPIRE metadata specification

Generated metadata is then added to a metadata repository (called also catalog). Exiting editors permit metadata publishers to validate their records before sending them to a catalog. 

Explore the comparison table of ISO Geospatial Metadata Editors: https://www.fgdc.gov/iso-metadata-editors-registry/editors