Q: What is Metadata?
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- Make data discoverable by creating INSPIRE-compliant metadata and publishing through a data discovery service. In the UK this means using the Gemini 2.2 metadata standard and publishing through data.gov.uk
- Publish data through INSPIRE-compliant web services to allow the viewing and downloading of data. In general this means using a Web Map Service (WMS) for viewing and a Web Feature Service (WFS) for downloading.
- Transform data to comply with INSPIRE data specifications. In the UK this phase has not yet been enacted.
See the attached pdf "A guide to INSPIRE compliance in local government" for further information.
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A: Only if you let them! Metadata records must be explicitly published to make them available to the outside world. You can also assign different privileges to records to make them visible to a select group of people, or to allow some people to edit them.
Q: Can I access metadata stored in a GeoNetwork metadata catalog in iShareGIS?
A: A layer in iShareGIS can be linked to it's corresponding metadata record in iShare Studio. Please see Metadata Overview for the information on the initial configuration of iShare Studio to link it to GeoNetwork, and then the method for linking metadata to a layer. Once the metadata is linked, then it is available for viewing via the "omnisearch" bar in iShareGIS, or via the controls for an individual layer.
Q: Are any metadata records stored in iShareGIS?
A: No metadata is stored in iShareGIS, just links to the records, so any updates made to the metadata in the catalog will be reflected in the metadata available in iShareGIS.
Q: What is a CSW Interface?
A: A Catalogue Service for the Web (CSW) is a web service, much like a WFS or WMS, and is the method by which external parties such as data.gov.uk gain access to the metadata. Only metadata that has been explicitly published can be accessed by the CSW service.
Q: What format do my Metadata records need to be in?
A: The Metadata records in the catalog need to be in UK Gemini 2.2 format, however we can provide methods of transforming from other standards as an optional extra.