Versioning a Database
Import Data
Export Data
MetaData
Q & A

Q & A

1. What is a metadata?
2. What are the core elements of a metadata?
3. How can I edit and update the metadata attached to my shape file?
4. How can I export and import metadata?
5. Database connection failed: "This SDE server does not support this client or operation"?

What is a Metadata?

Metadata are critical to understand, manipulate geospatial data in the world of distributed GIS. Metadata are formal descriptions of datasets that satisfy many different requirements (Longley, et al, 2005). These requirements, kown as data standards, include the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Commettee's Content Standards (FGDC), and Dublin Core metadata standard.

What basic elements should I include in my metadata?

Strictly, you need to follow one of the abovementioned standards. Generally, these descriptive data include:

Description

• Abstract                          (Required)
• Purpose                           (Required)
• Status of Data    (completed or not)
• Time Period for which the data is relevant
• Publication information      (who collected the data, is it published somewhere?)
• Data storage and access information  (best practice)
• Details about this document             (any other information you would like to put)

Spatial

• Horizontal coordinate system
• Altitude System Deginition
• Bounding coordinates
• …

Attributes

Usually automatically created by ArcCatalog

Among them Description part is the most important, you need have there as much information as possible. The Spatial and Attribute of the data are automatically completed by ArcGIS software when you created the data and assign them the coordinate system. A simpler metadata template can be found here.

How can I edit and update the metada attached to my shape file?

In the following steps, I would like to point out how to create and edit these metadata information when you create a shape file. If you have access for ArcGIS desktop, you can follow them. The following steps assume you have created your shape file, and ready to create a metadata for that.

Step 1. Start your ArcCatalog
Programs --> ArcGIS --> ArcCatalog

Step2. Expand your shape file, and locate it in ArcCatalog

Step3. Then you will see the Metadata information
Click Description, Spatial, Attributes to see the metadata information. You need to click the "Metadata" tab to activate the metadata toolbar.

Step4. Create, Edit, Update Metadata
Choose one the protocol from Style sheet. The default FGDC ESRI would be fine

Export a metadata

Steps 1-3: Selec the file in which your metadata attached, click the Metadata tab to activate te metadata toolbar and view metadata information. Then, click export tab

Steps 4 and 5: Define your file location, and choose an export format. The FGDC CSDGM (TXT) one is a good choice, easy to edit.

Notes: You are free to export your metadata to any format available here, but it is recommend to use FGDC format if you want to import and attach them to another file later.

Import a metadata

Notes:
ArcCatalog can import data in the following formats:
-FGDC CSDGM TXT
-FGDC CSDGM XML
-FGDC CSDGM SGM

Step 1: Selec the file to which you want to attach your metadata, click the Metadata tab to activate te metadata toolbar. Then, click export tab

Step 2: On the metadata toolbar, make sure that <FGDC ESRI> is the predefined style sheet. Then click on the <Import metadata> button.

Step 3: You will import the TXT file, so make sure that this option is selected (see below)

Step 4: Click on the Browse button, and navigate to the DATA folder where the metadata file is located (on your desktop), then click OK.

Step 5: Notice that the file has been imported, and is now directly associated with your .shp file. Also, notice that the name of the metadata file has defaulted to the name of your shapefile. You will want to provide a more descriptive title to this metadata file.

I tried to connect to the database from ArcCatalog through my home computer but I keep getting the message "This SDE server does not support this client or operation".  Any suggestions or has anyone else experienced this problem?
04/01/2009

Error Message:
Connecting to an ArcSDE geodatabase may result in the following error: "Failed to connect to the specified server. This SDE server does not support this client or operation."

Cause:
This error occurs when attempting to open or test a Spatial Database Connection between ArcGIS 9.x and a higher version of ArcSDE 9.x. E.g., if you are connecting to the SDE database version 9.3 (as in our case) from ArcGIS desktop 9.2, you most likely get this error. Though, ESRI claimed this error is only caused when using Direct Connect (here), and you are making a application service connection by port number, it seems likely that this is a new bug.

Solution or Workaround:
Upgrade your ArcGIS desktop version to the same version as ArcGIS server, that is 9.3.

Related information here