Module Documentation: eml
Back to EML Contents
The eml module is a wrapper container that allows inclusion of any metadata content in a single EML document. In general, dataset resources, literature resources, and software resources, or another type that extends eml-resource are described using an eml document. The eml document represents a "package" that can contain both metadata and data. It can optionally include non-EML metadata through the flexibility of the "additionalMetadata" element. Any additional metadata that is provided can provide a pointer into the EML metadata indicating what the context of the additional metadata is. For example, a spatial raster image might be described in EML, and an FGDC CSDGM metadata document could be included in the additionalMetadata element with a pointer to the EML spatialRaster element to indicate that the FGDC metadata is providing supplemental documentation about that particular image entity.

Element Definitions:

eml
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
A choice of (
datasetOptionalMultiple Times
OR
citationOptionalMultiple Times
OR
softwareOptionalMultiple Times
OR
protocolOptionalMultiple Times
)
additionalMetadataOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
packageIdrequired
systemrequired
scope

Description:
The "eml" element allows for the inclusion of of any metadata content in a single EML document. In general, dataset resources, literature resources, and software resources, or another type that extends eml-resource are described using an eml document. The eml document represents a "package" that can contain both metadata and data. It can optionally include non-EML metadata through the flexibility of the "additionalMetadata" element. Any additional metadata that is provided can provide a pointer into the EML metadata indicating what the context of the additional metadata is (ie, what it describes). For example, a spatial raster image might be described in EML, and an FGDC CSDGM metadata document could be included in the additionalMetadata element with a pointer to the EML spatialRaster element to indicate that the FGDC metadata is providing supplemental documentation about that particular image entity. There is no validity constraint that restricts what metadata may be present in additionalMetadata.
dataset
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: ds:DatasetType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A resource that describes a data set, which can include one or more data entities such as data tables and spatial images (raster and vector). If included, this represents the primary resource that is desciribed in this eml document.
citation
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: cit:CitationType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A resource that describes a literature citation that one might find in a bibliography. If included, this represents the primary resource that is desciribed in this eml document.
software
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: sw:SoftwareType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A resource that describes a software package, which can include commercial and non-commercial software as well as data processing programs. If included, this represents the primary resource that is desciribed in this eml document.
protocol
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: pro:ProtocolType
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A resource that describes a scientific protocol, which can include one or more descriptions of methods and procedures. If included, this represents the primary resource that is desciribed in this eml document.
additionalMetadata
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
describesOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
idoptional

Description:
A flexible field for including any other relevant metadata that pertains to the resource being described. This field allows EML to be extensible in that any XML-based metadata can be included in this element, including metadata from other standards such as the FGDC CSDGM. The "describes" element of this field allows the specific part of the resource which is described by the additional metadata to be indicated formally.
describes
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Description:
A pointer to the id attribute for the subportion of the resource that is described by this additional metadata. This is a formal field in that it is an error to provide a value in the "describes" element that does not correspond to the value of one of the "id" attributes in another eml module. This is designed to allow automated processors to discover the contextual relationship between the additional metadata and the resource it describes.
Example:
knb.343.22

Attribute Definitions:

id

Type: xs:string

Use: optional


Description:
A unique identifier for this additional metadata that can be used to reference it elsewhere. This is a formal field in that it is an error to provide a value for the id attribute that is not unique within the document's set of id attributes. This is designed to allow other portions of the metadata to reference this section formally.
Example:
knb.343.22
packageId

Type: xs:string

Use: required


Description:
A unique identifier for this entire EML metadata document that can be used to reference it elsewhere. This identifier can be interpreted as the formal accession number for this EML package, and is therefore required. It must be unique within a particular data management system (see the "system" attribute).
Example:
knb.343.22
system

Type: xs:string

Use: required


Description:
The data management system within which an identifier is in scope and therefore unique. This is typically a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that indicates a data management system. All identifers that share a system must be unique. In other words, if the same identifier is used in two locations with identical systems, then by definition the objects at which they point are in fact the same object.
Example:
http://metacat.somewhere.org/svc/mc/
scope

Type: res:ScopeType


Description:
The scope of the identifier. Scope is generally set to either "system", meaning that it is scoped according to the "system" attribute, or "document" if it is only to be in scope within this single document instance. In this particular use of scope, it is FIXED to be "system" because the packageId is required and always has the scope of the required "system".
Example:
system

Complex Type Definitions:

Simple Type Definitions:

Web Contact: jones@nceas.ucsb.edu