Metadata - How to Delete Item Location History and Automatic Update Fields?

Question

Hello,

I am formatting metadata for a few files saved in a File Geodatabase. I am using ArcGIS Pro 3.2.0. For Metadata style, I am using North American Profile of ISO19115 2003. After editing and formatting the metadata, I review the metadata in the "View Metadata" window pane. I have noticed that there are two sections of metadata that appear in the "View Metadata" pane that I cannot modify or delete in the "Edit Metadata" window pane. These sections are the "Automatic Updates" and "Item Location History" that are found under the "Metadata Details" section (see screenshot below). Does anybody know how to delete or modify these sections?

Thanks!

IrelandHackman · Answer

I completely agree with this. ArcCatalog does a good job of removing all geoprocessing history, but with support ending for that in the very near future, I wouldn't be surprised if that solution stops working here soon as well.

TylerCowdreyWADNR · Answer

This is an impressive workaround! And also, way too much work to be tractable at scale...

Can ESRI please just give us the ability to remove these fields? We share raw data with partners all the time and it is a security risk to have full file paths included in the metadata. By my count this is the second place these are showing up now, with the first being "ArcGIS item properties" under "Resource Details"

CPE_fmarshall · Answer

Thanks for the reply! I did use that tool to clear out some other info in the metadata, but it does not clear out the Automatic Updates or Item Location History. I did find a work around the other day. General steps are below for those who are interested.

Step 1. Export data using the "Export XML Workspace Document" geoprocessing tool. Within the tool options, set the Storage Type to Normalized and the Export Metadata box is checked. If it is a small file, set Export Options to Data. If it is a large file, set Export Options to Schema Only (you will need to complete an extra step at the end if you choose Schema Only).

Step 2. Once the data is exported, open the XML file. I did this in the notepad program, but there might be better options. Once the document is pulled up, there is a section for metadata. In that section, you will need to find the section that needs to be deleted. Once the section is deleted, save the XML document.

Step 3. Import the XML document into ArcPro using the "Import XML Workspace Document" geoprocessing tool. In Step 1, if you exported the data under the Export Options, then check your metadata to ensure the correct info has been deleted. If your dataset was too large to export in Step 1 and you only exported the Schema, continue onto Step 4

Step 4. If you selected "Schema Only" in Step 1, then you will need to merge the new file created in Step 3 with your original file that has the metadata you want to delete. Use the "Merge" geoprocessing tool. Put your new file from Step 3 as your first file to merge. Put your original file (has data, but incorrect metadata) as your second file to merge in the tool. This should ensure that the metadata is updated correctly.