Adding 'additional resources' for download- metadata & URLs used

Question

In order to share a fGDB and map package ( in a zip file) for download in Open Data, I enabled metadata and added the additional distribution information in the metadata per the help page here Prepare your data—ArcGIS Open Data | ArcGIS .I have 2 issues where I would like my content to appear a little nicer/more logical.  So 2 questions/comments

#1- I understand that once you enable the metadata & assign an additional resource for download, you lose the nice formatted AGOL content item page as it is replaced by a generic metadata page. Problem is that this page does not look very nice. I am new to the metadata editor in AGOL because I really do not have a use for it except to share additional files for download. Is it possible to format the metadata page to look more like the AGOL metadata?

#2- The data I am trying to share is the entire contents of the map service- which has several sublayers grouped together. I do not wish to create separate services for each item simply to share because the way it is now works in our maps and applications.

I do not want the individual sub layers to show up in Open Data as separate items because it does not make sense to show them individually.....so I am not using the root map service URL in my AGOL content item. I have tried to assign a sublayer ID, which works if the position is assigned to a sublayer with data. If I try and assign a sublayer position used by a group layer heading, my data still shows in Open Data but does not refresh the source URL shown on the page. All other changes to the AGOL content item (title, description, etc.) appear in Open Data except the URL. Is this how it is supposed to work?

I suppose it is OK to have a source URL that isn't entirely representative of what is on offer, but I think it will be confusing for users to show a sublayer that only shows one layer of the service. And showing the service root makes each layer show up in the catalog so I think am stuck. I'd rather have a 'blank' position in the URL and just have my download of the entire service contents. Ideas? Thanks

C_EHoward · Answer

thanks for the packaged download suggestion-- I would be hosting the download already anyway, just kinda forgot about this approach when I saw the metadata capabilities (maybe not too new anymore, but new to me since I haven't updated my site in a while).

CourtneyClaessens · Answer

#1 - Correct, there is no way to create your own template. XML is pretty ugly. We are currently planning new administrative tools for a better metadata experience within Open Data where you could pick which metadata fields to display.

#2 - One thing you could do right now to offer packaged downloads is create an fgdb, host it elsewhere, and register it as a document link on ArcGIS Online. You can share document links with Open Data and they will appear in the search results of your site (they currently don't have their own dataset page with full metadata, and we are working on that). When the user clicks on the title, they will download the fgdb in their browser. Lethbridge uses this method to share out different data types: Search | Lethbridge Open Data Catalogue.

C_EHoward · Answer

Thanks for the response. More info about what I am trying to achieve..

For #1, I do plan on putting more details in the metadata to make it look better. However, it will look drastically different than all of my other content items since this the only one where I have used the metadata to add the ability to download a fGDB and map package. I plan on sticking with the default AGOL metadata for all of my other layers since it looks much nicer and does not include elements that I don't care about, like all of the metadata template options available. There is no way to pick and choose, or create your own template, right?

#2- Except for this particular service, I have all of the layers in a service registered individually, as you recommend. The nature of this dataset is such that I have things like 'HOV projects' where there may only be 2 features and they are not really useful without the context of other layers, hence my desire for users to download a complete set of data all at once (via my #1 issue) opposed to downloading 10 sublayers with only a few features each.

And yes, I register my content in AGOL and then change the URL to reflect the exact layer (to control the content associated with each layer). I was hoping to 'fool' open data into letting me use a blank group layer position (that I know now are stripped out) so I could have a content item that is not falsely representing what I am offering for downlaod.....the extra content associated with the #1 issue above.

I like the ability to add the extra content via the metadata tags, but sacrificing the nice AGOL metadata is not a great trade off. I'm hoping for a future open data solution that makes it easier to share 'packages' of data when that's necessary-- anything coming down the pike to make that happen?