nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

How to remove HTML tags from Metadata description field

David_Brooks

When adding a description to a layer's metadata and publishing as a Map Service to Portal, the rest endpoint shows the HTML tags for the Description and makes it very difficult to read. Is there a way of removing these tags or converting the description field to a simple plain text box? This isn't the case for the summary field.

Otherwise, is there a better way of viewing individual layer metadata for a multi-layer map service other than via the rest endpoint?

Find more posts tagged with

Accepted answers

David_Brooks

Here you go:

import arcpy, os
from arcpy import metadata as md
dataset = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
   
src_item_md = md.Metadata(dataset)
outXML = r'C:\\Temp\Metadata.xml'
src_item_md.exportMetadata(outXML)
 
# Import the standard-format metadata content to the target item
if not src_item_md.isReadOnly:
    src_item_md.importMetadata(outXML)
    src_item_md.save()
arcpy.management.Delete(outXML)
arcpy.AddMessage("Finished.")

cbp-geus

We have found an workaround for this issue which is unfortunately time consuming as every layer has to be updated with this method.

The workaround is to select the affected map or layer in the Catalog View and do an Export of the metadata to an xml file. We used the FGDC CSDGM format. Then do an Import for the same affected map / layer with the exported file and republish the service.

After this we could confirm that the issue with the HTML TAG disappeared from the map service.

All comments

MikeDolbow

I upgraded to 11.3 this summer, and this is still happening to me, although only when I bulk deploy via a script. My script leverages MapServiceDraft and as it says near the top of that page:

If metadata properties (credits, description, summary, tags, and useLimitations) are not set or consist of empty strings, the map service will source metadata from the map.

Which, seems strange to me, because the default option when overwriting from Pro is "Use the item description from the service".

I'm lucky I only have about 25 services, so it didn't take me long to go into Manager and manually remove the HTML tags from any section within the "Item Description" tab. And now if I keep the default when overwriting from Pro, I'll be fine. But it's kind of annoying to think that in a DR, bulk deployment scenario, I'm going to re-introduce those HTML tags. It'd be great to see this bug addressed either via future Server and/or Pro releases.

BrittanyBurson

We have hundreds of services... maybe a thousand even... really don't want to need any workarounds. Anyone know if this is still an issue in Enterprise 11.x?

Jamie_Leitch_CNF

This workaround does remove the html tags, however I noticed that the tags that were in the Item Description section are replaced with whatever was in the Place Keywords in the Topics & Keywords section. Is there way to export/import the metadata while leaving the tags intact? There doesn't seem to be an option to export metadata as ArcGIS format, only "Save As" Arcgis format.

adrian.marsden_DevonCC

For info this is Esri BUG-000129415

I've workaround the issue in my code with a very simple js function that strips html out of a string.

adrian.marsden_DevonCC

So the tags are a bug? Any fix in sight? It has broken our Javascript API internal mapping application which builds on the description data a HTML link - so having rogue HTML in the description has just broken things big time.

I note that layers imported from ArcGIS MXD are ok as we only noticed it when we added new ones. I'll be logging an Esri(UK) call so we have visibility of this an know when it is fixed.

I would strongly suggest that this topic isn't marked "Solved" as the work around seems to be geared up for the meta data stored with the layer, not added in the Project.

CodyGarcia2

Thank you for this information. I was able to add a description to a layer's metadata and publish it as a Map Service to Portal without HTML tags. Unfortunately now there is only a description on the service page. When I click on the service layer to look at the layer metadata, the description is blank. Can you let me know what might have happened?

cbp-geus

Brilliant! Thanks for it @David_Brooks. I'll try it out one day 😃

David_Brooks

Here you go:

import arcpy, os
from arcpy import metadata as md
dataset = arcpy.GetParameterAsText(0)
   
src_item_md = md.Metadata(dataset)
outXML = r'C:\\Temp\Metadata.xml'
src_item_md.exportMetadata(outXML)
 
# Import the standard-format metadata content to the target item
if not src_item_md.isReadOnly:
    src_item_md.importMetadata(outXML)
    src_item_md.save()
arcpy.management.Delete(outXML)
arcpy.AddMessage("Finished.")

cbp-geus

Glad to hear this is also working for you. We are also investigating a way to make this 'pythonically' in some way. Let's hope Esri might have a solution to this.

David_Brooks

@cbp-geus this is a great workaround, which i've just tried to good effect. Next job is to get this working pythonically to loop through all datasets prior to publishing.

cbp-geus

We have found an workaround for this issue which is unfortunately time consuming as every layer has to be updated with this method.

After this we could confirm that the issue with the HTML TAG disappeared from the map service.

cbp-geus

We are also encounting this problem and haven't found a way to remove it. It's a problematic issue that is causing a mess in the GetCapabilities info of the hosted service. The Enterprise portal is not involved in this.

The service was hosted from ArcGIS Pro v. 3.0.1 to our ArcGIS Server Site through an ArcGIS Server Connection (.ags).

David_Brooks

@MCameron this is from the layer metadata in Pro, being viewed in the REST on the web.

So in this example, i have a layer in my service with the following metadata:

We want the metadata for our individual layers to persist through to Enterprise, but the only way to view the Description for the individual layers is in the REST (unless someone can correct me otherwise?).

Obviously it's not easy reading the text in the description when it's wrapped in HTML tags. So is there a better way of viewing the metadata on the individual layers? or a way of making the description field plain text (does that remove the html tags?)

MCameron

Hi David,

Could I ask if the behaviour is that the published service details, when viewing the REST API of the service, shows the metadata description as having HTML tags, rather than the text that has been typed into the field in ArcGIS Pro before publishing?

If so, could I also ask if the service was published using ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap? And what version of ArcGIS Enterprise are you using?

There is a known bug for this issue that occurs when publishing service from ArcGIS Pro to ArcGIS Enterprise, and the workaround suggested is to remove the text in the description field before publishing the service, and complete the description from the item details page in ArcGIS Portal.

Join the Conversation

Signed in members can post, follow updates, and more. New here? Register a free account.

Quick Links

Community Help
Find useful guides, FAQs, and documents to help you navigate and make the most of Esri Community.