2011

Table Of Contents
Working with Metadata
Overview of Working with Metadata
Metadata is data about data. Geospatial metadata describes your GIS data
according to an established standard to help others who use your maps to
understand them. Organizing your data according to standards helps you manage
it more efficiently, enforces data quality, and facilitates data sharing. In AutoCAD
Map 3D, you can automatically generate metadata for DWGs; their
resources
(page 2072), such as object or feature classes; and non-DWG files.
AutoCAD Map 3D currently supports two standards for geospatial metadata:
the FGDC CSDGM Standard (page 2063) and ISO 19139 (page 1483).
The FGDC Standard (United States)
In 1998, the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) released the Content
Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (the FGDC CSDGM Standard (page 2063)).
Its goal is to promote electronic, geospatial information-sharing between various
agencies and regions around the world. Some agencies in the United States may
be required to create geospatial metadata that complies with this standard.
The FGDC standard specifies seven major sections of GIS metadata. Each section
has several data elements, and
compound elements (page 2057). Each element
must meet one of the following conditions:
Mandatory
Optional
Conditional
Conditional elements are mandatory if applicable. For example, if a particular
data set does not have or need distribution information as defined by the FGDC,
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