Choosing a metadata style

The metadata style identifies the metadata standard you are following and therefore the pages that will appear in the Description tab when you edit metadata. The metadata style also identifies the XSLT stylesheet used to display metadata, the XML schema used to validate metadata and how to export metadata to an XML file that is formatted correctly for the XML schema.

Choose the style of metadata you want to create before you start editing metadata.

Caution:

If you start creating metadata using one metadata style and later switch to a different style, the pages in the Description tab may change. Information you added before may no longer be visible or accessible with your current metadata style.

Steps:

1. Open the Options dialog box for your ArcGIS for Desktop application.
   • In ArcMap, click Customize > ArcMap Options.
   • In ArcCatalog, click Customize > ArcCatalog Options.
   • In ArcGlobe, click Customize > ArcGlobe Options.
   • In ArcScene, click Customize > ArcScene Options.

   The Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Metadata tab.
3. Click the drop-down arrow and click the style of metadata you want to create.

   

4. Click OK.
Note:

If you're using the Description tab when you choose a new metadata style, you won't immediately see the results of that change. Click another tab in ArcCatalog or the Item Description window, such as the Preview tab, then click the Description tab again for the new metadata style to take effect.