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| Edit menu |
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| Part of the Entity and Attribute Information form |
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| A portion of the Contact_Information template illustrating a repeating subform |
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| Sample Output |
- Name/Version reviewed: MetaMaker 2.10
- Reviewer / Date: Hugh Phillips / March 1997
- Version and date of last known release: Version 2.3, June 9, 1999
- Function: CSDGM metadata creation tool
- Background Information
- Platform: MS-Windows 3.1 and 95 (but also has been reported to run under NT)
- Principal Contact:
- Sharon Shin, sharon_shin@usgs.gov , Environmental Management Technical Center (EMTC), USGS Biological Resources Division
- Status:
- Support for this tool by EMTC ended on March 30, 2001 and the software is no longer available for download. The final version of Metamaker is not compliant with the current FGDC Biological Data Profile. NBII players will adopt a commercial metadata software in its place.
- Metadata Storage Structure: Database
- Brief Description:
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MetaMaker is a CSDGM metadata creation tool written in Microsoft Access. This version represents a tuneup of the second major release of this tool which now incorporates the NBS extensions to the CSDGM.
Each of the seven major sections of metadata are completed through forms with text entry boxes, pick lists (for restricted domain items), and links to database common 'template' sections. From these major forms, subforms are 'popped up' to complete hierarchically deep sections of metadata. A mechanism is provided in subforms to page between the records for elements that repeat. A template menu allows management and entry of sections which may repeat between documents; these include Citation, Time Period, Contact, Keywords, Distribution Disclaimer, and 'Additional Information.'
Help is not available from the 'Help' menu below the main window title bar, but a copy of the CSDGM, the December 1995 Draft of the Content Standards for the NBII, and the Metamaker user manual (version 2.0) in the form of a Windows Write documents, and Susan Stitt's graphical representation of the NBII Content Standards are available through Metamaker's main menu page.
Okay, well, that concludes the brief description. Here is some nitpicking about some remaining rough edges on Metamaker.
- Cost: none
- Notable Plus: User's Manual. Pick lists can be edited.
- Notable Minus:
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This tool is tailored to the NBII Content Standard for Metadata, and as a result has hard coded into the tool some elements (and element names) which are not part of the FGDC CSDGM. This will be confusing to some.
I still don't like the color scheme for this tool, even though they (helpfully) correspond to those of Susan Stitt's metadata graphics. The large areas of saturated color are harsh. There must be a more subtle way to communicate mandatory/optional element information.
- Metadata Exchange:
- The tool will import Metamaker export files (Microsoft Access database files) from previous and current versions of Metamaker. The tool will generate an export file in the form of a Microsoft Access file. The tool performs no enforcement of the production rules, it is up to the user to insure they have completed the sections necessary for compliance. It is necessary to pass Metamaker report file output through cns with an alias file before it is acceptable to mp.
- Useability:
- Pick lists and template sections speed metadata entry and reduce redundancy among the metadata. However, Time Period Information held in templates seems awkward. Information can be pasted in from other Windows applications. Metadata can be created in stages, and edited when needed. Help from the menu bar under the window title bar does nothing, but the CSDGM, NBII Content Standard, or the user manual for this tool can be opened and left lying around in the background for use when needed during documentation. There are no spell checking capabilites in the tool.
- Administrative:
- Metamaker operates under Microsoft Windows 3.1 and requires about 18 Mb of disk storage space for the software. The 'minimum' hardware requirements listed in the manual was an 80486 with 12 Mb of RAM. This appears to a 'performance' minimum, because the tool will operate on a 386 with 8 Mb of RAM (albeit slowly). Installation went smoothly, however some paths are hard coded into the software, so if an installation directory other than the default (c:\metanbii) is selected, some apparently non-essential files will not be found (some GIFs). The tool requires Microsoft Access to run and a run-time version is included with the package. The tool is publicly available, free, and maintained. It is possible to edit the pick lists for some items. The tool is only provided in compiled form.
- Tool Reliability:
- Very good. For example: all information entered after a 'Save' was retained when the application window was closed without specifically saving the metadata section with its newly entered metadata and exiting Metamaker through its exit menu.
- Sample of Interface: