Metadata are textual information sets concerning geodata, webservices, products derived from geodata and layers in the mapping windows. They describe key elements like definition, whereabouts, actuality, quality, price, availability, responsibility etc.

Why do the providers have to type metadata in the geoportal ?

Geographic data in the geoportal is a digital representation of items of the real worls, used to show, analyse or otherwise use them in an IT environment. The use of geodata in many different fields of action is more and more widespread, and it has become easy to produce, modify and use this data. But it is important to know that these geodata are a more or less “imperfect” abstraction of the real world phonomenon, and not an exact duplication. To be sure that they are not used ina wrong context and to prevent eventual damage due to their use, it is important to provide all necessary information to the potential user, to give him the opportunity to evaluate if the geodata may convene to his needs.

The ISO 19115 norm defines a structure to describe digital geodata. It fixes the mandatory elements, the terms, definitions and procedures of this information. With its norm compliant metadata catalog, the geoporta offers a unique and central platform for the providers to describe their data and products in a standardised way. The metadata of the national geodata can be organised and managed efficiently, and users can obtain all necessary information to be able to use the data. What's more, discovery of data and products becomes much easier.

The provider has access to the metadata editing functions. In the menu “Provider”, the button “Metadata management” leads to the list of metadata draft sets the provider actually is working on.

The user can either click on “Create a new metadata set” to open the creation dialog and work on a new metadata set, or he can click on one of the icons next to an existing metadata drafts to - delete it - launch the INSPIRE conformity validation check - print it as a PDF document - render it as an XML file - send it to the geoportal and ILDG managment team to validate the metadata set and to insert it into the catalog - edit the metadata draft - crate a new metadata draft set based on the existing one

In the metadata editor, 9 tabs contain a long list of fields, compliant to the ISO norm, and selected to satisfy the INSPIRE needs as well as the national needs. They can be filled out depending on the field type : either free text or choices from lists or checkboxes.

The metadata draft can be saved, and exists as metadata draft set as long as no validation has been requested. It can be edited by the provider, modified, deleted and used as base for new draft sets. Using the icon the set can be sent to the geoportal management team for validation. In case validation occurs, the metadata set is activated in production and no longer available in the list of draft sets of the provider. He always can access his metadata set in the public catalog and either copy it or generate a new version, if he wants to update it.