Esri Metadata Translator (Conversion)

License Level:BasicStandardAdvanced

Summary

Uses the ArcGIS metadata translation engine or an XSLT transformation to export metadata content from ArcGIS to a stand-alone metadata XML file. The exported metadata will be formatted to satisfy the metadata standard associated with the specified translation.

Metadata for items in ArcGIS is stored in the ArcGIS metadata format. Use the ArcGIS to translations to export ArcGIS metadata to another metadata XML format. For example, do this to share information outside of ArcGIS by publishing it to a metadata catalog. Different metadata catalogs accept information in different XML formats. ArcGIS metadata can be exported to different formats if you must publish your information to metadata catalogs with different requirements.

When using a to ISO 19139 translation, the exported metadata will be formatted following the rules defined in ISO standard 19139, Geographic information — Metadata — XML schema implementation, and its associated XML Schemas. The same translation is used to export metadata according to an ISO metadata profile. The translation accounts for the metadata style selected in ArcGIS. For example, when the selected metadata style is North American Profile of ISO 19115:2003 – Geographic information – Metadata, the output file will be formatted appropriately for that ISO metadata profile.

When using the ArcGIS to FGDC translation, the exported metadata will be formatted following the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) XML format. The resulting file can be published to geodata.gov, for example.

FGDC to translations handle information in the item's metadata which is formatted according to the FGDC CSDGM XML format. This content appears under the FGDC Metadata (read-only) heading in the Description tab when you are using a metadata style that gives you full access to the item's metadata. This content may have been provided with the current release of ArcGIS for Desktop using the FGDC metadata editor add-in or using the FGDC metadata editor provided with ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 or earlier releases.

The to ArcGIS translations convert other metadata XML formats to the ArcGIS metadata format. This is an important step in the process of importing metadata that exists in another format to an ArcGIS item; however, several additional steps are also required to achieve the best results. Use the Import Metadata tool with the appropriate translation to complete this task instead.

Usage

Syntax

ESRITranslator_conversion (source, translator, {output}, {logfile})
ParameterExplanationData Type
source

The item whose metadata will be converted or a stand-alone XML file that will be converted.

Data Element; Layer
translator

An XML file that defines the conversion that will be performed.

The translator files provided with ArcGIS for Desktop can be found in the <ArcGIS Installation Location>\Metadata\Translator folder. The following translators are provided:

  • ARCGIS2FGDC.xmlTranslates content stored in the ArcGIS metadata format to the FGDC CSDGM XML format. This translator is used by default when you export metadata from the Description tab using the FGDC CSDGM Metadata style. Metadata is converted using an XSLT transformation and won't produce a log file.
  • ARCGIS2ISO19139.xmlTranslates content stored in the ArcGIS metadata format to the ISO 19139 XML format. This translator is used by default when you export metadata from the Description tab using any of the ISO-based metadata styles. It is the preferred translator for exporting metadata to the ISO 19139 XML format. Metadata is converted using an XSLT transformation and won't produce a log file.
  • ESRI_ISO2ISO19139.xmlTranslates content stored in either the ArcGIS metadata format or the ESRI-ISO metadata format to the ISO 19139 XML format. This translator is provided for backwards compatibility to support existing models and Python scripts. It has some known limitations with exporting metadata to the ISO 19139 XML format. Use the ARCGIS2ISO19139.xml translator instead. Metadata is converted using the Esri Metadata Translator tool's translation engine and produces a log file containing messages produced by the translation engine.
  • FGDC2ESRI_ISO.xmlTranslates content stored in the FGDC CSDGM XML format to the ArcGIS metadata format; that is, it translates metadata content that is visible under the FGDC Metadata (read-only) heading in the Description tab. This translator is used when you import FGDC-formatted metadata by running the Import Metadata tool with the FROM_FGDC type and when you upgrade metadata by running the Upgrade Metadata tool with the FGDC_TO_ARCGIS type. Metadata is converted using the Esri Metadata Translator tool's translation engine and produces a log file containing messages produced by the translation engine.
  • FGDC2ISO19139.xmlTranslates content stored in the FGDC CSDGM XML format to the ISO 19139 XML format; that is, it translates metadata content that is visible under the FGDC Metadata (read-only) heading in the Description tab. Metadata is converted using the Esri Metadata Translator tool's translation engine and produces a log file containing messages produced by the translation engine.
  • ISO19139_2ESRI_ISO.xmlTranslates content stored in the ISO 19139 XML format to the ArcGIS metadata format. This translator is used when you import ISO 19139-formatted metadata by running the Import Metadata tool with the FROM_ISO_19139 type. Metadata is converted using the Esri Metadata Translator tool's translation engine and produces a log file containing messages produced by the translation engine.

A translator file must be specified. This tool does not have a default value for this parameter.

File
output
(Optional)

A stand-alone XML file that will be created containing the converted metadata.

To check for problems in the metadata using the Esri Metadata Translator's translation engine and not produce an output XML file, provide the pound sign (#) instead of a file name.

File
logfile
(Optional)

A text file that will be created listing the warnings and errors that occurred during the conversion process.

To export metadata without producing a log file, provide the pound sign (#) instead of a file name.

A log file will not be created when using the ArcGIS to FGDC translation even if a log file name is provided.

File

Code Sample

Export ArcGIS metadata

Exports ArcGIS metadata to an XML file that is formatted correctly for the ISO 19139 metadata standard.

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
env.workspace = "C:/data"
#set local variables
dir = arcpy.GetInstallInfo("desktop")["InstallDir"]
translator = dir + "Metadata/Translator/ESRI_ISO2ISO19139.xml"
arcpy.ESRITranslator_conversion ("locations.shp", translator, 
    "locations_19139.xml", "locations_19139.txt")

Environments

Related Topics

Licensing Information

ArcGIS for Desktop Basic: Yes
ArcGIS for Desktop Standard: Yes
ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced: Yes
10/24/2012