Metadata Management

Feature Description

Metadata is "data about data", used to record the content, quality, status, and other characteristic information of data. Metadata Management is used to view, edit, and maintain the description of data resources, helping users record data titles, abstracts, restrictions of use, spatial range, scale range, etc., improving the understandability, traceability, and sharing efficiency of data assets.

This function can organize information content according to the specified metadata style, and centrally display the metadata of the selected data resource in the workspace view. Users can complete metadata migration, maintenance, and standardized management through operations such as import, export, edit, and delete.

Application Scenarios

  • International Project Delivery: In scenarios of ArcGIS platform replacement or data migration, retain the metadata information of source data to meet project acceptance and data archiving requirements.
  • Data Asset Management: Supplement titles, abstracts, producers, restrictions of use, and other descriptions for data sources and datasets, facilitating retrieval, understanding, and reuse of data within the organization.
  • Industry Standard Delivery: Organize content according to metadata standards such as FGDC CSDGM, ISO 19115-3, ISO 19139, etc., to support deliverables for different countries or industries.

Functional Conditions

  • Currently supports file databases (*.udbx), database datasources (PostGIS), and datasets in the above datasources for metadata management.
  • When selecting an item type that is not currently supported, the metadata information panel displays "The selected item type does not support metadata management.", and the metadata toolbar buttons are disabled.
  • Custom metadata style is used to import and maintain non-standard XML metadata; after selecting this style, you need to import an XML file first before entering the editor to view and edit content.
  • If a metadata editor is already open, the metadata style cannot be switched. Close the metadata editor before changing the style.

Version Information

The metadata management function is available starting from SuperMap iDesktopX 2026.

Function Access

  • File tab > Options > Metadata tab, to set the metadata style.
  • View tab > Workspace View, to open the workspace view and view the Metadata Information panel on the right.
  • Workspace Manager panel > select a datasource or dataset > context menu > View Metadata/Edit Metadata.
  • Catalog Manager list > select a datasource > context menu > View Metadata.

Operating Instructions

Set Metadata Style

  1. Click the File tab, then select Options.
  2. In the Options panel, switch to the Metadata tab.
  3. In the Metadata Style drop-down list, select the required metadata standard style.
    • FGDC CSDGM Metadata: Organize and validate content according to FGDC CSDGM Metadata requirements.
    • ISO 19115-3 XML Schema: Organize and validate content according to the ISO 19115-3 XML Schema.
    • ISO 19139 Metadata Practice Specification: Organize and validate content according to the ISO 19139 Metadata Practice Specification.
    • ISO 19139 Metadata Practice Specification GML3.2: Organize and validate content according to the ISO 19139 Metadata Practice Specification GML3.2.
    • Custom Metadata Style: Used to import and maintain non-standard XML metadata. After selecting this style, you cannot directly create and edit content; you must first import an XML file, then edit.
  4. After confirming the settings, subsequent metadata viewing, editing, validation, and export will use the selected style as the default.

View Metadata

  1. Open Workspace View through the View tab, or in the workspace manager or catalog manager, perform View Metadata on supported items.
  2. In the workspace view, select the file database, PostGIS datasource, or dataset to view on the left.
  3. The Metadata Information panel on the right automatically loads and displays the metadata content of the selected item.
    • Core Information: Displays commonly used fields such as title, summary, description, cartographer list, restriction of use, extent, scale range, etc.
    • Complete Information: Displays the complete metadata elements according to the directory structure of the current metadata style, with support for expanding or collapsing directory nodes.
    • No Metadata Content:
      • The panel retains the core field structure for users to confirm that the item has not yet maintained metadata.
      • If the custom metadata style is selected, it shows that there is no metadata information for this item, and metadata information can be created for the data via Import.

Import Metadata

  1. In the workspace view, select the datasource or dataset to import metadata.
  2. In the top Metadata tool group, click the Import button to open the Import Metadata dialog.
  3. In File Path, select the XML metadata file to import.
  4. In Metadata Style, select the style corresponding to the import file.
    • Standard Metadata Style: When selecting standard styles such as FGDC CSDGM, ISO 19115-3, ISO 19139, etc., the system reads and converts the XML metadata content according to the selected standard.
    • Custom Metadata Style: If the import file does not belong to the built-in system standards, first set the style to Custom Metadata Style in File > Options > Metadata, then import the XML file.
  5. Click OK, the system writes the metadata content from the XML file into the current item, and refreshes the display in the Metadata Information panel.

Edit Metadata

  1. In the workspace view, select the datasource or dataset to edit metadata.
  2. In the top Metadata tool group, click the Edit button to open the metadata editor.
  3. In the left directory navigation area of the editor, select the metadata category to maintain.
    • Overview: Maintain common information such as title, summary, description, tags, restriction of use, etc.
    • Metadata: Maintain information about the metadata itself, such as standards, contacts, creation and update, etc.
    • Resource: Maintain information about the data resource, such as extent, scale, constraints, quality, etc.
  4. In the content editing area on the right, fill in or modify the field content. Use the search box in the directory navigation area to filter fill items and quickly locate the field to edit.
  5. Click the Save button to save the modified metadata to the current item.

Export Metadata

  1. In the workspace view, select the datasource or dataset with maintained metadata.
  2. In the top Metadata tool group, click the Export button to open the Export Metadata dialog.
  3. In Metadata Type, select the XML style for export.
    • Standard Metadata Style: Can be exported according to the standard styles supported by the system, convenient for project delivery, system migration, or exchange with third-party platforms.
    • Custom Metadata Style: Exports the current item's metadata according to a custom XML structure, suitable for retaining imported non-standard metadata content.
  4. Set the save path and file name, click OK to export the metadata of the current item as an XML file.

Delete Metadata

  1. In the workspace view, select the datasource or dataset with maintained metadata.
  2. In the top Metadata tool group, click the Delete button to delete the metadata information of the current item. Before deletion, the system prompts "Cannot recover after deletion. Are you sure to delete the metadata information?".
  3. Confirm the deletion operation as prompted by the interface.

Related Topics

Dataset

Datasource Overview

Workspace View