Module Documentation: eml-entity
The EML Entity Module that defines the the structural characteristics of every entity in the dataset.

Element Definitions:

eml-entity
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
identifierRequiredMultiple Times
entityRequiredOnce
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Entity descriptors
Summary:
Container of entity descriptors of all entities in a dataset.
Description:
Eml-entity element contains a list of all entities in a dataset.
Example:

Lineage:
The eml-entity was introduced into EML 1.4 as eml-file.
identifier
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
systemoptional

Tooltip:
Unique identifier
Summary:
The unique identifier of this metadata file or object.
Description:
The identifier field provides a unique identifier for this metadata documentation. It will most likely be part of a sequence of numbers or letters that are meaningful in a larger context, such as a metadata catalog. That larger system can be identified in the "system" attribute. Multiple identifiers can be listed corresponding to different catalog systems.
Example:
<identifier system="metacat">nceas.3.2</identifier>
Lineage:
The 'identifier' field is derived from the eml-dataset meta_file_id filed in EML 1.4.
entity
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
entityNameRequiredOnce
entitySizeOptionalOnce
entityFormatRequiredOnce
compressionMethodOptionalOnce
encodingMethodOptionalOnce
recordDelimiterOptionalOnce
quoteCharacterOptionalMultiple Times
orientationOptionalOnce
numHeaderLinesOptionalOnce
caseSensitiveOptionalOnce
authenticationOptionalMultiple Times
dataProblemOptionalMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Entity descriptor
Summary:
Descriptor of one entity in the dataset.
Description:
Entity element is a descriptor of one entity in the dataset identified by its name. The entity element can contain information about the entity's size, format, orientation, header lines, case sensitiveness, geographic and temporal coverage, authentication description and data problem.
Example:

Lineage:
The entity element was introduced into EML 1.4 as file.
entityName
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Entity name
Summary:
Entity name specifier
Description:
The name identifies the entity in the dataset: file name, name of database table, etc.
Example:

Lineage:
The entityName was introduced into EML 1.4.
entitySize
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
unitrequired

Tooltip:
Entity size
Summary:
Describes the physical size of the entity.
Description:
This element contains information of the physical size of the entity, typically in bytes.
Example:
<entitySize unit="bytes">13</entitySize>
Lineage:
The entitySize was introduced into EML 1.4.
entityFormat
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Entity format
Summary:
Contains the name of the format for this entity.
Description:
This element contains the name of the entity's format. The entity's format is typically ASCII, Unicode, or some well-known binary format.
Example:
<entityFormat>ASCII</entityFormat>
Lineage:
The format element was introduced into EML 1.4.
compressionMethod
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Entity's compression method
Summary:
Name ofthe entity's compression method
Description:
This element describes any compression methods used to compress the entity, such as zip, compress, etc.
Example:

Lineage:
The compressed element was introduced into EML 1.4.
encodingMethod
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Encoding Method
Summary:
Method used for encoding the entity
Description:
This element describes the entity's encoded method, such as MIME base64 encoding or binhex encoding.
Example:

Lineage:
The encoded element was introduced into EML 1.4.
recordDelimiter
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Entity's record delimiter
Summary:
Character used to delimit records in the entity.
Description:
This element specifies entity's record delimiter when the base file type is ASCII. The record delimiter is usually a newline (\n) on UNIX or a carriage return (\r) on MacOS or both (\r\n) on Windows/DOS.
Example:
<recordDelimiter>\n\r</recordDelimiter>
Lineage:
The recordDelimiter element was introduced into EML 1.4.
quoteCharacter
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Quote character
Summary:
Character used to quote values for delimeter escaping
Description:
This element specifies a character to be used in the entity for quoting values so that field delimeters can be used within the value. This basically allows delimeter "escaping". The quoteChacter is typically a " or '.
Example:
<quoteCharacter>"</quoteCharacter>
Lineage:
The quoteCharacter element was taken from the NBII standard.
orientation
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
columnorrowoptional

Tooltip:
Entity's record orientation
Summary:
Specification of the entity's record orientation.
Description:
This element contains specification of the entity's record orientation by element's attribute "columnorrow".
Example:
The valid attribute values are "columnmajor" or "rowmajor". If the attribute is not specified, "columnmajor" is used.
Lineage:
The orientation element was introduced into EML 1.4.
numHeaderLines
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Header lines
Summary:
Header lines in the entity
Description:
Number of header lines or information that prepares data.
Example:
<numHeaderLines>3</numHeaderLines>
Lineage:
The numHeaderLines element was introduced into EML 1.4.
caseSensitive
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
yesornooptional

Tooltip:
Data case sensitiveness
Summary:
Specification of text case sensitiveness in the entity.
Description:
This element contains specification of text case sensitiveness of the data in the entity. It is specified from element's attribute "yesorno".
Example:
The valid attribute values are "yes" or "no". If the attribute is not specified, "yes" is used.
Lineage:
The caseSensitive element was introduced into EML 1.4.
authentication
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Authentication
Summary:
Authentication descriptor
Description:
This element describes authentication procedures or techniques, typically by giving a checksum method (e.g., MD5) and checksum value for the entity.
Example:

Lineage:
The authentication was introduced into EML 1.4.
dataProblem
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
paragraphRequiredMultiple Times
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:
problemTyperequired

Tooltip:
Data problem
Summary:
Description of any data problems in the entity.
Description:
This element describes any data problems in the entity: data anomalies or missing data.
Example:

Lineage:
The dataProblem element was introduced into EML 1.4.
paragraph
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Paragraph of text
Summary:
Paragraph of text describing any data problems in the entity.
Description:
This element describes any data problems in the entity: data anomalies or missing data.
Example:

Lineage:
The paragraph element was introduced into EML 1.4.

Attribute Definitions:

system

Type: xs:string

Use: optional


Tooltip:
Catalog system
Summary:
The catalog system in which this identifier is used.
Description:
This element gives the name of the catalog system in which this identifier is used. It is useful to determine the scope of the identifier, and to determine the semantics of the various subparts of the identifier. Unresolved issue: can or should this be a URI/URL pointing to the catalog system, or just the name?
Example:
<identifier system="metacat">nceas.3.2</identifier>
Lineage:
New to EML 2.0.
unit

Use: required


Tooltip:
Unit of measurement
Summary:
Unit of measurement for the entity size, typically bytes
Description:
This element gives the unit of measurement for the size of the entity, and is typically bytes.
Example:
<entitySize unit="bytes">13</entitySize>
Lineage:
The unit was introduced into EML 1.4.
columnorrow

Use: optional


Tooltip:
Attribute of orientation element
Summary:
Specification of the entity's record orientation.
Description:
This attribute specifies the entity's record orientation.
Example:
The valid attribute values are "columnmajor" or "rowmajor". If the attribute is not specified, "columnmajor" is used.
Lineage:
The columnorrow attribute was introduced into EML 1.4.
yesorno

Use: optional


Tooltip:
Attribute of caseSensitive element
Summary:
Specification of text case sensitiveness in the entity.
Description:
This attribute specifies text case sensitiveness of entity's data.
Example:
The valid attribute values are "yes" or "no". If the attribute is not specified, "yes" is used.
Lineage:
The yesorno attribute was introduced into EML 1.4.
problemType

Use: required


Tooltip:
Attribute of dataProblem element
Summary:
Specification of data problem type.
Description:
This attribute specifies the type of data problem. The attribute assertion is required.
Example:
The valid attribute values are "missing", "anomaly" or "error".
Lineage:
This attribute was introduced into EML 1.4.

Complex Type Definitions:

Simple Type Definitions:

Derived from: xs:string (by xs:restriction)

Allowed values:

  • columnmajor
  • rowmajor

Derived from: xs:string (by xs:restriction)

Allowed values:

  • yes
  • no

Derived from: xs:string (by xs:restriction)

Allowed values:

  • missing
  • anomaly
  • error

Web Contact: jones@nceas.ucsb.edu