Module Documentation: eml-attribute
The EML Attribute Module describes all attributes in a data file.

Element Definitions:

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

Tooltip:
Attribute descriptors
Summary:
Container of attribute descriptors of all attributes in a dataset.
Description:
Eml-attribute element represents a list of all attributes in a dataset.
Example:

Lineage:
The eml-attribute was introduced into EML 1.4 as eml-variable.
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.
attribute
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
attributeNameRequiredOnce
attributeDefinitionRequiredOnce
unitOptionalOnce
storageTypeOptionalOnce
codeDefinitionOptionalMultiple Times
numericRangeOptionalMultiple Times
missingValueCodeOptionalMultiple Times
precisionOptionalOnce
A choice of (
delimiterOptionalOnce
OR
fieldWidthOptionalOnce
)
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Attribute descriptor
Summary:
Descriptor of an attribute in the dataset.
Description:
Attribute element is a descriptor of an attribute in the data file identified by its name. The attribute element can contain information about the attribute's definition, format, storage type and data range, or missing value.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Attribute name
Summary:
Attribute name for identification
Description:
This element specifies name of the attribute (field) in the dataset. This information is typically used as a column header for the field/variable in a spreadsheet.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Attribute definition
Summary:
Precise definition of attribute in the dataset
Description:
This element gives a precise definition of attribute in the dataset.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Unit of measurement
Summary:
Unit of measurement for data in the field
Description:
This element specifies unit of measurement for data in the field.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Storage type
Summary:
Description of storage type from data in the field
Description:
This element describes the storage type for data in the field like: integer, floating point, character, string.
Example:
integer, floating point, character, string
Lineage:
The storageType was introduced into EML 1.4.
codeDefinition
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
codeRequiredOnce
definitionRequiredOnce
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Code definition
Summary:
Description of any codes associated with the attribute
Description:
This element describes a code associated with the attribute.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Code
Summary:
Code associated with the attribute
Description:
This element specifies a code associated with the attribute.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Code definition
Summary:
Description of the code associated with the attribute
Description:
This element describes the code associated with the attribute.
Example:

Lineage:
The definition element was introduced into EML 1.4.
numericRange
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Required?: How many:
A sequence of (
minimumOptionalOnce
maximumOptionalOnce
)
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Numeric range
Summary:
Numeric range of attribute
Description:
This element specifies the minimum and maximum value range of numeric attribute.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Minimum numeric range
Summary:
Minimum numeric range of attribute
Description:
This element specifies the minimum value range of numeric attribute.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Maximum numeric range
Summary:
Maximum numeric range of attribute
Description:
This element specifies the maximum value range of numeric attribute.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Character for missing value
Summary:
Character for missing value in the data of the field
Description:
This element is to specify missing value in the data of the field.
Example:

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

Tooltip:
Precision
Summary:
Number of significat digits after the floating point.
Description:
If data of that field are of floating point storage type this element specifies the number of significat digits after the floating point.
Example:
any integer number
Lineage:
The precision element was introduced into EML 1.4.
delimiter
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Attribute delimiter
Summary:
The end of the field is delimited by a special character called a field delimiter.
Description:
Variable width format fields can vary in their field length, thus the end of the field is delimited by a special character called a field delimiter (typically a comma or a space). Data sets are generally classified as fixedWidth format or variableWidth format, but we have determined that this is actually a per-field classification because one may encounter fixedWidth fields mixed together in the same data file with variableWidth fields. In our encoding scheme, the start of each field is assumed to be the column after the last column of the previous field, or the first column if this is the first field in the dataset. The end column for each field is classified using either a special character delimeter, or a fixed field length. variableWidth fields can vary in their field length, and the end of the field is delimited by a special character called a field delimiter, usually a comma or a tab character. fixedWidth fields have a set length, and so the end of the field can always be determined by adding the fieldWidth to the starting column number. Here is an example: Assume we have the following data in a data set: May,100aaa,1.2, April,200aaa,3.4, June,300bbb,4.6, The metadata for the 4 fields would include the following: <attribute> <attributeName>month</attributeName> <delimiter>,</delimiter> </attribute> <attribute> <attributeName>sitecode</attributeName> <fieldWidth>3</fieldWidth> </attribute> <attribute> <attributeName>subsitecode</attributeName> <fieldWidth>3</fieldWidth> </attribute> <attribute> <attributeName>response</attributeName> <delimiter>,</delimiter> </attribute>
Example:
comma, tab, white space, etc.
Lineage:
The delimiter element was introduced into EML 1.4. Semantics changed to work identically to the NBII DTD.
fieldWidth
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: xs:string
Attributes: Required?: Default Value:

Tooltip:
Field width
Summary:
FieldWidth specification for fixed field length.
Description:
FixedWidth fields have a set length, thus the end of the field can always be determined by adding the fieldWidth to the starting column number.
Example:
any positive integer, see example in "delimeter" description
Lineage:
The fieldWidth element was introduced into EML 1.4. Semantics changed to work identically to the NBII DTD.

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.

Complex Type Definitions:

Simple Type Definitions:

Web Contact: jones@nceas.ucsb.edu