import metadata from existing, and export FGDC HTML format in ArcGIS 10

[AmandaFrick]

Please bring back the ability to import metadata from existing GIS layers, and export to FGDC CSDGM HTML format. I am going to coworkers who have ArcGIS 9.3.1 to be able to do my job. I am using ArcGIS 10, and I don't have time to recreate metadata from scratch. Even with the fgdc add-in editor (http://blogs.esri.com/Dev/blogs/arcgisdesktop/archive/2010/06/25/FGDC-Metadata-Editor-for-ArcGIS-10.... I have to copy an existing .xml to the new .xml and unlike 'import' in 9.3.1 did, a copy doesn't update spatial extent or definition, nor the dates or file names and some of the information is not editable in the fgdc add-in (this copy technique was the option suggested when I submitted a problem report to tech support!). Also, I cannot output anything but .xml format, and certainly not FGDC CSDGM HTML format, which I was providing with oil spill data. I should not have to revert back to ArcGIS 9.3.1 in order to produce accurate metadata in the desired format. Why would ESRI turn the clock back on the ability to create metadata when there is such a big push to have it?

[AletaVienneau]

This idea was written with regards to the transition from ArcGIS Desktop version 9.x to version 10.x. In ArcGIS Desktop version 10.x and in ArcGIS Pro it is required for all metadata to be stored in the ArcGIS metadata format. Metadata stored in a different format cannot be displayed and managed in any ArcGIS software. Both ArcGIS Desktop version 10.x and ArcGIS Pro can be used to create metadata that complies with the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) that is authored by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC): https://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/csdgm-standard. The FGDC add-in editor was a temporary measure that is no longer supported and did not work properly with the latest versions of ArcGIS Desktop.

If an item’s metadata was created with ArcGIS Desktop version 9.x or if FGDC CSDGM metadata in XML format was manually created and saved with an item in some manner, it must be upgraded to the ArcGIS metadata format before it can be viewed, edited, synchronized, published, or exported using ArcGIS Desktop version 10.x or ArcGIS Pro. The process of upgrading metadata with ArcGIS Pro is documented in the topic Upgrade metadata to the ArcGIS format: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/metadata/upgrade-metadata-to-the-arcgis-format.htm.

With ArcGIS Pro you can copy ArcGIS metadata from one item to another. In ArcGIS Pro importing metadata refers to converting metadata from a standards-based XML format to the ArcGIS metadata format and then storing the resulting ArcGIS metadata with the item. You can import metadata from the FGDC CSDGM XML format to any item. The processes for copying and importing metadata with ArcGIS Pro are documented in the topic Copy or import metadata to an item: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/metadata/copy-or-import-metadata-to-an-item.htm. Similarly, exporting metadata refers to converting metadata from the ArcGIS metadata format to a standards-based XML format. The process for exporting metadata is documented in the topic Export metadata to a standard format: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/metadata/export-metadata-to-a-standard-format.htm.

The overall workflow for creating FGDC CSDGM-compliant metadata using ArcGIS Pro is documented in the help topic Create FGDC CSDGM metadata: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/metadata/create-fgdc-csdgm-metadata.htm. This topic describes how to configure ArcGIS Pro to use the correct metadata style, how to edit metadata using both available metadata editors, and how to export a copy of the item’s metadata to the FGDC CSDGM XML format. The process of recording an item’s properties such as its spatial reference in the item’s metadata is documented in the topic Update item properties in metadata: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/metadata/update-item-properties-in-metadata.htm

Once you can see an item’s full metadata in ArcGIS Pro, you can save a copy of the HTML page you see in the Catalog view as an HTML file. The processes for saving different representations of an item’s ArcGIS metadata to external files is documented in the help topic Save a copy of an item’s ArcGIS metadata: https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/metadata/save-a-copy-of-an-item-s-metadata.htm

However, the author of this idea had the goal of producing a specific FGDC CSDGM HTML output format that was generated by the FGDC CSDGM metadata parser (mp) utility that is provided by USGS. In ArcGIS Desktop version 10.x, after exporting an item’s metadata to the FGDC CSDGM XML format, it was possible to produce the user’s desired HTML output with the USGS MP Metadata Translator geoprocessing tool. This capability is not directly available in ArcGIS Pro, but if you have the mp utility you can use it to produce the HTML output by writing a Python script.

An example script that can be run from the ArcGIS Pro Python window is provided in the help topic Migrating metadata scripts from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro under the heading "USGS MP Metadata Translator": https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/arcpy/metadata/migrating-from-arcmap-to-arcgis-pro.htm#GUID.... This script shows how to use the mp utility to convert from one supported input format to another supported output format. After exporting an item’s metadata to the FGDC CSDGM XML format, that file can be used as an input to the mp utility. The desired HTML output can be created using the -h parameter and specifying an appropriate output HTML file path. The mp utility is available from and documented by the USGS here: https://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/mp.html.