Note: As part of the Federal Geographic Data Committee’s (FGDC) responsibilities to implement the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), the FGDC Office of the Secretariat (FGDC OS), located in USGS, working in collaboration with the FGDC’s Metadata Working Group (MWG), executed this project. The focus was to provide a mechanism for vendors that provide International Organization of Standards (ISO) compliant metadata tools and software to voluntarily provide information on their tools and software related to their ability to produce ISO 191** series standards compliant metadata records. The MWG, that includes non-Federal members, was then able to provide implementation notes for tools they utilized in order to assist other potential implementors. While the Federal agencies are still implementing the ISO 191** series of metadata standards, the MWG has finished collecting vendor summaries and MWG feedback. The capability to register and provide new information was removed from the FGDC website on September 30, 2020. The data collected on the tools and the implementation notes are made available here for MWG information purposes and will be archived when no longer of value to the MWG.
| Description | The Geoportal XML Editor (GXE) is a component of Esri Geoportal Server that allows for configuring, editing, and validating XML. While typically use for geospatial metadata (including FGDC, ISO 191xx, INSPIRE, ANZLIC, GEMINI, DDMS, NGMP, NMF, Dublin Core...) it also supports editing XML formatted documents such as StratML. |
| Company / Organization | Esri Inc. |
| URL/Web address of the Editor | https://github.com/Esri/geoportal-server/wiki/Geoportal-XML-Editor |
Geospatial Metadata Content Standards Supported
| ISO 19115:2003 – Metadata | full |
| ISO 19115-2 – Gridded Imagery Extension | full |
| ISO 19110 – Feature Catalog | full |
| ISO 19119 – Services | full |
| ISO 19115-1 - Metadata Fundamentals | full |
| Other Related Metadata Standards | INSPIRE, UK GEMINI, ANZLIC, FGDC, Dublin Core, National System for Geospatial Intelligence Metadata Foundation (NMF) Version 1.0, NATO Geospatial Metadata Profile, DDMS, DCAT. |
User Interface
| GUI | Yes |
| Edit XML Directly | Yes |
| Other / Comments | The user interface of GXE is customizable through configuration and can be tailored to tabbed view, single-page form, or other layouts and organizations of the information contained in the XML. |
Operating Platform
| Desktop | No |
| Distributed/Enterprise | Yes |
| Online Application | Yes |
| Other / Comments |
Proprietary Nature
| Open Source (publicly available) | Yes |
| Source Code Available (customers only) | Yes |
| Free or Shareware | Yes |
| Other / Comments | Geoportal Server is licensed per Apache 2.0 software license. Visit https://github.com/Esri/geoportal-server for more information. |
XML Capabilities
| Supports use of XML attributes (href, nilreason, etc.) | Yes |
| Xpath version | 1.0 |
| Other / Comments |
Auto-populate Metadata
| From geospatial data types (GIS, imagery, GPS, etc.) | Yes |
| From non-geospatial data types (spreadsheet, dbase, etc.) | Yes |
| From services | Yes |
| Other / Comments |
Validation Operations
| Compliance to ISO 19139 | Yes |
| Compliance to User-defined Schema | Yes |
| Compliance to Other Standard | Yes |
| Batch Validate | Yes |
| Validate Incomplete Record | Yes |
| Error Report Includes Warnings / Guidance | Yes |
| URL Validity Testing | Yes |
| Other / Comments | Once ingested in the Geoportal Server catalog, the availability, conformance, and performance of web services can be validated using the FGDC Service Status Checker with which Geoportal Server provides seamless integration. |
Metadata Record Import Operations
| Import FGDC CSGDM | Yes |
| Import FGDC CSGDM – Biological Profile | Yes |
| Import FGDC CSDGM – Remote Sensing Extension | Yes |
| Import ISO 19115:2003 | Yes |
| Import ISO 19115-2 | Yes |
| Batch Import | Yes |
| Import Incomplete Record | Yes |
| Import Other Metadata Standards/Formats | Yes |
| Other / Comments | Incomplete records can be stored in draft status. Similarly, when editing documents interactively, users may save documents as draft and continue working in a next session. |
Metadata Record Export Operations
| Export FGDC CSGDM | Yes |
| Export FGDC CSGDM – Biological Profile | Yes |
| Export FGDC CSDGM – Remote Sensing Extension | Yes |
| Batch Export | Yes |
| Export Incomplete Record | Yes |
| Export Other Metadata Standards/Formats | Yes |
| Other / Comments | Metadata is exported in the format is was created in. Using the cart processor of Geoportal Server (https://github.com/Esri/geoportal-server/wiki/Cart-Processor), export to different formats can be configured. |
Descriptive Questions
| Operating Environment Describe the general operating environment specifying operating system(s), data storage format, programming languages, 3rd party software requirements and whether the editor is embedded within or a component of another software application |
GXE is part of the Geoportal Server application. Full details on prerequisites are found online: https://github.com/Esri/geoportal-server/wiki/Preinstallation-1.2.6. Operating systems: Linux (any), Windows (any) Databases: Oracle, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL Java: 6+ (Java 8 recommended) Servlet container: Apache Tomcat 6.0.32 and higher (Tomcat 8 recommended), Oracle GlassFish, Oracle WebLogic |
| Support Features Describe the user support features provided within the application including drop-down pick-lists, links to metadata element definitions, embedded thesauri, spell check, conditionality/compliance indicators, interactive content guidance, geographic extent maps/calculation, indicate workflow status (draft, validated, published, etc.), user manual, online tutorials, etc. |
GXE supports various HTML input elements for selecting values. It also embeds an interactive map for setting extent. GXE can be (and has been) localized in any language and supports right-to-left user interface as well. Validation is supported through form validation (with human readable hints), schema validation, and schematron validation. Invalid documents can be saved as draft for later correction. |
| Edit Operations Describe the metadata editing operations within the application including edit language(s), ability to build/apply templates, duplicate records, reuse portions/snippets of existing metadata, construct parent/child metadata, save incomplete record, batch edit, embed attachments, etc. |
Templates may be applied, users can start from an existing document (or administrators can prohibit that). Relationships between metadata can be established or inferred. |
| Customization Describe the ability to customize the application including the ability to change the interface, set conditionality, create new elements, expand/constrict domains, integrate custom thesauri and templates, etc. |
see https://github.com/Esri/geoportal-server/wiki/GXE-Structure for information on extensibility and customization. |
| Metadata Management Describe the metadata management capabilities including ability to search metadata record elements or full text, find/replace info, delete records, batch delete, set access restrictions, require administrative record approval, etc. |
full details online: https://github.com/Esri/geoportal-server/wiki/How-to-Manage-and-Edit-Resources. the management includes approval status, search for documents on various criteria, initiate harvesting of documents from external catalogs, etc. |
| Metadata Output Format Describe the metadata output formats generated including ISO 19139 XML, non-19139 XML, HTML, PDF, text, RSS, User-defined style sheets, etc. |
The editor exports to the format the metadata was created in. |
| Metadata Publication Describe any metadata publication capabilities provided |
Geoportal Server supports publication through the editor, through uploading a file (which could then be edited), and through harvesting of metadata from online resources (individual web services, web-accessible folders (http/ftp), or other metadata catalogs (CSW, OpenSearch, Atom, DCAT ...). |
User submitted Reviews
Disclaimer: All content was submitted by, and reviewed by, application developers and user reviewers. As such, FGDC is not responsible for inaccuracies or misrepresentations. Furthermore, presentation of this information does not constitute nor imply an endorsement by the FGDC of these applications or of the views represented in the User Reviews.
updated on 23 Jul, 2015 08:29 PM ET
| Application Access and/or Installation Describe success or challenges experienced when accessing or installing the application |
For this test, I used the sandbox version available online, with a user login. I did not test the complete Geoportal application, only the editor within it. |
| Standards Supported For the standards supported, describe success or challenges experienced with regard to how well the standards were supported |
So far, I have tested the ISO 19115-2 standard within the form editor interface pretty completely. I have also tested the FGDC interface, but not as completely. The forms are easy to navigate to and the drop-downs are helpful. The validation instructions are helpful. |
| Operating Environment Describe success or challenges you experienced with the operating environment including: operating platform (desktop, enterprise, online), operating system(s), proprietary nature, data storage format, programming languages, 3rd party software, or other |
I didn't have any issues with the online environment, save for the fact that a few times the "Save" operation seemed to take a while (but not long!) to save. |
| User Interface Describe success or challenges experienced with the user interface |
The user interface was easy to navigate, and easy to use. I liked the drop-down lists, and how multiple entries could be added or removed. One issue with the interface was that after completion of a lengthy ISO 19115-2 record, a few errors were reported in the temporal extent. The line number was provided, which helped -- but I could not easily navigate to that location in the form. A solution for this error seemed to be fix it externally, and then upload the record again. |
| Support Features Describe success or challenges you experienced with user support features including: autopopulation of metadata from data, drop-down pick-lists, links to metadata element definitions, embedded thesauri, spell check, conditionality/compliance indicators, interactive content guidance, geographic extent maps/calculation, indicate workflow status (draft, validated, published, etc.), user manual, online tutorials, or other |
I didn't have a good example of a 8601 time when I started the record. My test record had a few validation errors for 8601 time. I was able to fix once I found the example, but as that time format is not intuitive to me, it was helpful to have an example, not just the format. |
| Metadata Import and Export Describe success or challenges you experienced during metadata record import or export including: supported standards/formats, ease, accuracy, batch import/export functions, and other |
I haven't tested this as of yet. |
| Metadata Creation and Edit Describe success or challenges you experienced during metadata creation and editing including: ease, ability to build/apply templates, duplicate records, utilize XML attributes (nilreason, href, etc.) reuse portions/snippets of existing metadata, construct parent/child metadata, save incomplete record, batch edit, embed attachments, and other |
This editor did not seem to allow a way to copy/paste information already entered. You had to enter all information into the forms. Again, the forms were easy to use, but I didn't see a way to re-use information entered. |
| Metadata Validation Describe success or challenges you experienced during metadata validation including: ease, accuracy, batch validation, validate incomplete record, error reports and warnings/guidance, URL validation testing, and other |
When I exported the ISO record to validate it externally, there were a couple of validation errors that indicated the elements were out of order, particularly in the -2 acquisition information section. I had completed the entire acquisition section via the forms, so this was a very extensive record. I found it hard to break down the differences in the order visually. I'd recommend (to myself, when I have more time!) testing each section individually and then validating to better check this. |
| Customization Describe success or challenges you experienced customizing application features including: user interface, change conditionality, create new elements, expand/constrict domains, integrate custom thesauri and templates, apply custom schema, and other |
I tested the Geoportal editor as presented in the sandbox only, without changing anything. |
| Metadata Management Describe success or challenges you experienced with management of your metadata including: ability to search/find metadata records, find/replace info, delete records, batch delete, set access restrictions, require administrative record approval, or other |
I didn't test this too thoroughly. It was easy to select the record to edit, then to export it for download and to view the XML. It may be helpful to have a stylesheet applied to the XML to be able to view the record content better. You have to publish the record for that capability, as far as I could tell. It may help to have this view available prior to publishing, since it's easier to view for reviewing content. |
| Metadata Catalog /Distribution Site Publication If metadata publication directly to a catalog or data collection/distribution site is supported, describe success or challenges you experienced |
I didn't test the metadata publication testing as of yet. |