U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shapefiles released with ISO metadata, can't read it in ArcGIS

Question

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released shapefiles of the geography for the 2020 Decennial Census. The shapefiles come with ISO metadata in two files, one main file and and a separate file for the Entity and Attribute information (fields.) Neither file is easily readable as-is in ArcCatalog and ArcGIS Pro; in the latter it will display as the raw xml as in a web browser. There appears to be no stylesheet for the specific xml as delivered.

Does anyone have a way to convert it to something Pro can deal with?

JoshGrail · Answer

I can understand the frustration, we've submitted a request to implement support for ISO 19115-2 metadata as ENH-000137591, this may be implemented in a future release.

-JG

TerriWaddell1 · Answer

I agree - - I've spent hours today trying to fill in the metadata for the few 2020 census files now available and I haven't been able to complete a single one yet.  I finally had to give up and move on to other work.  Viewing it correctly would significantly help (and an import option would REALLY help!!!)

Anonymous User · Answer

@Anonymous User, yes, there is information about why it won't work, but no help making it work or creating a work-around. For an issue that has been in existence for over two years.

Esri products should at least accommodate viewing correctly-configured iso 19115-2 metadata.