MPARSER and MLOADER

With this html form you can submit a 'delimited' CSDGM metadata text file. This server will then upload your file. The option Attach Software will run a C/ProC* program which will examine the metadata file, particularily those elements associated with geospatial data access, and decide which server side software utility is capable of accessing and processing the geospatial data 'referenced' by the metadata file.

On the other hand, if you choose the Database Entry option then the entire metadata file will be parsed section by section, element by element and entered into a RDBMS whereby it can be accessed using the Date/Coordinate/Keyword query facility provided.

For example, imagine having a CSDGM metadata file of state and county boundaries of New England. The metadata references via a URL address on-line datasets in Arc/Info's E00 file format. This Software Finder utility will be able to parse the file or relevant information, particularily of URL addresses referencing the required on-line geospatial data and then return to the end user a number of html form buttons that execute utility software that exists on the server. So in this case you would get:

a button to view/plot the e00 data file using Arc/Plot,

a button to uncompress the e00 data file if you so desire,

a button each to covert the e00 data file to DXF, DLG or TIGER/line formats,

various buttons to view on-line graphics (gif,jpg) of the geospatial dataset,

and perhaps a button to view the entire metadata file that was submited.

The effectiveness of this utility will depend on how the important field information within the CSDGM metadata file is organized. Do the important fields exist in the metadata file?

Digital_Tranfer_Information

Format_Name,

Format_Version_Number,

Format_Version_Date,

Format_Version_Specification,

Format_Information_Content,

File_Decompression_Technique,

Transfer Size,

Network_Resource_Name,

Network_Address,

Access_Instructions,

Host_Operating_System,

Fees,

Odering_Instructions,

Turnaround_Time,

Citation_Information

Originator of dataset,

Title of dataset,

Identification_Information

East|West|North|South Bounding Coodinates,

Browse_Graphic

Browse_Graphic_File_Name,

Browse_Graphic_File_Description,

Browse_Graphic_File_Type,

Browse_Graphic_File_Online_Linkage.

Are they in the proper tables, Distribution_Information, Citation_Information and Identification_Information, respectively? Are there any extraneous characters before or after those fields where a URL address is required which might prevent the on-line software from accessing the required on-line geospatial dataset.

Perhaps the most crucial point to make here is the fact that the CSDGM files you submit must be properply delimited.
The successful operation of the parsing program depends on the 2 program delimiters you use in your CSDGM metadata file. The delimeters are preset to:

':' at the end of field and section names,

'|' at the end of a field value.

The field_delimiter marks the end of a field or section name and the value_delimiter marks the end of a particular data value. So your entire metadata file should look something like this:

If you have the ':' delimeter already following all your section and field names then that's ok, keep them there. What matters is the section name, field names and field values that you want parsed (which should be the onces described above) should be properly delimited with a ':' right after the section/field names and a '|' right after the field values. Notice, Citation and Citation_Information do not have to be delimited in this case because they are not really needed.

The parsing program looks at the entire field and/or section name including the delimiter, (i.e. Originator:). Also, all the string comparisons that are done by mparser are CASE INSENSITIVE. It is good practice within your CSDGM metadata file to use a '_' character between section and field names that span more than one word such as Identification_Information:, South_Bounding_Coordinate: or State_or_Province:.

The parsing program will not work perfectly for all the sections and fields within your CSDGM metadata file. However, if you properly delimit the sections and fields (particularily those in bold type) outlined above, you should be able to access most of the software on the server.

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