Import Metadata (Conversion)

License Level:BasicStandardAdvanced

Summary

Imports metadata to the target item after converting the source item's metadata to ArcGIS metadata, if appropriate. The source and target may be ArcGIS items or stand-alone metadata XML files.

This tool processes the source metadata before importing it and updates the target metadata after. Any intrinsic properties of the source item that were added automatically to its metadata by ArcGIS are removed along with any unique identifiers before converting the information to the ArcGIS metadata format, if necessary. After the imported information is saved, the target item's metadata is automatically updated with its intrinsic properties.

This tool is useful for copying metadata from one item to another when you start creating its metadata; the imported metadata acts as a template. Using another metadata document as a template can save time if two items share some information such as legal restrictions or a description of the project for which they were created.

NoteNote:

Existing metadata will be replaced by the imported metadata.

Usage

Syntax

ImportMetadata_conversion (Source_Metadata, Import_Type, Target_Metadata, Enable_automatic_updates)
ParameterExplanationData Type
Source_Metadata

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

If the source item is a stand-alone file, it must contain well-formed XML data.

Data Element; Layer
Import_Type

The format of the metadata that will be imported.

  • FROM_ARCGISThe source metadata is ArcGIS metadata. The metadata won't be converted.
  • FROM_ESRIISOThe source metadata contains ESRI-ISO-formatted metadata; that is, it was created using the ISO metadata editor provided with ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 and earlier releases. The source metadata will be converted to ArcGIS metadata when you run the tool.
  • FROM_FGDCThe source metadata is stored in the FGDC CSDGM metadata standard's XML format. The source metadata will be converted to ArcGIS metadata when you run the tool.
  • FROM_ISO_19139The source metadata is formatted according to the ISO 19139 metadata standard. The source metadata will be converted to ArcGIS metadata when you run the tool.

By default, the FROM_ISO_19139 conversion will be performed.

String
Target_Metadata

The item to which the metadata will be imported or a stand-alone XML file that will be replaced.

Data Element; Layer
Enable_automatic_updates
  • ENABLEDInformation in the imported metadata describing the item's properties will be modified to contain the actual item properties. For example, if the imported metadata includes the number of features contained by a feature class, this number will be updated in the item's metadata by the metadata synchronization process after the features have been edited in ArcGIS. Also, additional properties that were not present in the imported metadata and that can be synchronized for the item will be added. This is the default.
  • DISABLED Imported information won't be modified. For example, the number of features contained by a feature class won't be updated in the item's metadata by the metadata synchronization process after the features have been edited in ArcGIS; the metadata will always contain the old, out-of-date number. Additional properties of the item that were not present in the imported metadata and that can be synchronized for the item will be added.
Boolean

Code Sample

ImportMetadata example (Python window)

Imports the source data's FGDC metadata to a geodatabase item. The original metadata is converted to ArcGIS metadata. Some methods of importing data into a geodatabase handle the original item's metadata while others do not.

import arcpy
from arcpy import env
env.workspace = "c:/data/data.gdb"
arcpy.ImportMetadata_conversion ("c:/data/streams.shp","FROM_FGDC","streams")

Environments

Related Topics

Licensing Information

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