The following tools assist metadata creation. Each makes use of the Federal Geographic Data Committee's (FGDC) Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata and may support the Biological Data Profile. This is not an endorsement of the tools named. NBII does not guarantee the results from using these tools.
ArcCatalog
The ESRI ArcCatalog application organizes and manages all GIS information such as maps, globes, data sets, models, metadata, and services. It contains stylesheets for various metadata formats, and allows automated creation and update of spatial elements and lists of attributes. Advanced tools and customizations are available and can be downloaded from the ESRI ArcObjects website. FEE .
ArcView® Metadata Collector
Download the ArcView® Metadata Collector from the NOAA Coastal Services Center. It is an easy-to-use application that helps the ArcView 3.x user create Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)-compliant metadata. The tool can create metadata for any data type supported by ArcView, including ARC/INFO coverages, ArcView shapefiles, as well as any supported image formats. FREE .
Extension for Metadata Management in ArcGIS
The National Park Service Metadata Tools Extension expands on tools to assist in managing large sets of metadata. FREE .
M3Cat
M3CAT is on-line metadata tool by Intelec that produces FGDC, Biological Data Profile, and ISO TC19115 metadata. M3CAT allows users to enter metadata using any standard (Multistandard) and any language (Multilingual). It is provided with the FGDC, GILS, NBII and ISO 19115 metadata standards and in English and French. Functions are available to add other standards and/or languages. FREE .
Metavist 2005
The USDA Forest Service North Central Research Station Metavist 2005 is a computer program designed to create metadata compliant with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) 1998 metadata standard or the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) 1999 Biological Data Profile for the FGDC standard. The software runs under the Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP operating systems, and requires the presence of Microsoft's .Net Framework version 1.1. The metadata are output in XML format. FREE .
Metascribe
The NOAA Coastal Services Center MetaScribe tool is designed to reduce significantly the labor required to produce metadata compliant with the Federal Geographic Data Committee Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM). This software tool delivers the greatest usefulness when used to create a collection of similar records. In fact, this tool is not appropriate for the creation of multiple metadata records with little redundant content. FREE .
SMMS
SMMS is an FGDC compliant metadata editor produced by Intergraph that contains the NBII Biological Data Profile. The software features an ability to associate with the actual GIS layer it describes; automated capture of spatial metadata elements such as bounding coordinates and attribute lists; metadata publishing; creation of templates and keyword lists; a database that stores information such as citations and contacts lists for re-use; and creation of user-defined metadata fields. FEE .
TKME
TKME is a USGS Windows platform tool that conforms to the FGDC Content Standard and can be configured for Biological Data Profile and other extensions. The software program is closely aligned with Metadata Parser (MP), and is multi-lingual - it can be configured for French and Spanish. FREE .
XTME
XTME is a USGS Windows platform tool used for creating and modifying formal metadata conforming to the Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata devised by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). FREE .
Metadata Parser (mp)
This is a USGS metadata quality control and output configuration tool. It acts as a compiler to parse formal metadata, checking the syntax against the FGDC Content Standard. It generates output suitable for viewing with a web browser or text editor and is multi-lingual (French and Spanish). It can be configured for the Biological Data Profile and other extensions. FREE .
Metadata Pre-Parser (cns)
A USGS pre-parser tool for formal metadata that converts records that cannot be parsed by MP into those that can. FREE .
MPBatch
The MP Batch Processor from Intergraph allows users to pre-configure parameters which control the operation of "cns" and "mp," and to store them in one or more initialization (*.INI) files, so they can be utilized for subsequent use by the MP Batch Processor. Users can then select a saved INI file and use its stored parameters in processing batches of input files through "cns" and "mp." FREE .
