Date on which the metadata was last updated, or was confirmed as being up-to-date,
or if not updated, then the date it was created
Purpose and meaning
This is the date at which the metadata can be considered current (rather than the
dataset itself). It may be the date at which the metadata was reviewed and confirmed as
being 'current'. It is used to distinguish which of two records with the same fileIdentifier the system will keep.
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Single
Data type
Date
Domain
Single date as specified by BS ISO 8601 in the extended date format (YYYY-MM-DD),
where YYYY is the year, MM is the month and DD is the day. Time (HH:MM:SS, where HH is the
hour, MM the minutes and SS the seconds) may be added if required, separated from the day
by 'T'.
Guidance
This should be updated whenever the metadata is updated due to a change in the
dataset, or when it is reviewed and confirmed as wholly correct.
The date should be at an appropriate level of resolution (e.g. the day, or the day
and month).
The date should not be in the future.
Comment
If the metadata has not been updated, then this should be the date when it was
created.
The encoding example for metadata date is shown in Example One. Note that it is
possible to record the date and time of the metadata instance using the encoding shown in
Example Two.
This is used to distinguish which of two records with
the same fileIdentifier the system will keep. Even if the records are moved to a different
server, if the fileIdentifier and metadata date are the same, the harvester will not collect
the new files.
Name : Metadata language
UK GEMINI id
33
Definition
Language used for documenting the metadata
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this is to identify the language used in a multi-lingual metadata
service, for example in the INSPIRE geo-portal.
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Single
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Free text
Guidance
It is recommended to select a value from a controlled vocabulary, for example that
provided by ISO 639-2 which uses three-letter primary tags with optional subtags.
The values for the UK are:
English
eng
Welsh
cym*
Irish
gle
Gaelic (Scottish)
gla
Cornish
cor
Ulster Scots
sco
*ISO 639/2 has two codes for Welsh: textual ('cym') and
bibliographic ('wel'). For GEMINI we recommend using cym, which abbreviates
that language's own name for itself.
In general, a default value of 'eng' can be applied.
If there is only a small amount of metadata in a second language, e.g. Alternative title, then Metadata language should still indicate the main language.
Comment
For INSPIRE, the metadata itself must be in one of the official European
languages, such as English or Irish.
Metadata language missing Metadata language is optional in ISO 19115 and GEMINI
2.2, but mandatory for INSPIRE and therefore in GEMINI 2.3. This is now checked by the UK
Location GEMINI schematron.
Name : Metadata point of contact
UK GEMINI id
35
Definition
Party responsible for the creation and maintenance of the metadata
Purpose and meaning
This is the organisation or role in an organisation responsible for this
metadata.
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Free text
Guidance
Should include organisation name and contact email address, as described under
Responsible party.
Comment
Examples
Large-scale Topographic Data Manager, Ordnance Survey.
To support the operation of UK Location and INSPIRE, discovery metadata records must
include a File Identifier for the resource.
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Single
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Free text
Guidance
File Identifier must be populated with a unique identifier. This may be a UUID
generated by a metadata creation tool. Once created and published to UK
Location, the File Identifier must not be changed.
A change to the File Identifier would represent the creation of a new resource.
If the UK Catalogue receives two records with the same File Identifier, the one
with the more recent metadata date will be retained.
Persistence and uniqueness across the metadata infrastructure are key
Only use characters that are allowed in URIs (RFC3986), in particular, do not use
curly brackets
The first XML child element of any GEMINI2 metadata instance shall be
gmd:fileIdentifier. The content of this XML element is the identifier of the metadata
instance. File identifier is not a metadata item of GEMINI2. It is not to be confused
with the metadata item Resource identifier.
The content of the XML element shall be a unique managed identifier, such as a
system generated UUID. Once the identifier has been set for a metadata instance it
shall not change.
Name of the metadata standard or profile used.
The relevant standard shall be cited with a reference to the appropriate register entry.
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this element is to record the metadata standard (profile) followed when creating the metadata.
This will be important when metadata is passed from one metadata system to another.
GEMINI is supported by a register of metadata standard and profile names, hosted on the NERC vocab server.
The relevant standard shall be cited with a reference to the appropriate register entry, using an Anchor.
Example
Example One – UK GEMINI 2.3
<gmd:MD_Metadata>
...
<gmd:metadataStandardName>
<gmx:Anchor xlink:href="http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/M25/current/GEMINI/">UK GEMINI</gmx:Anchor>
</gmd:metadataStandardName>
<gmd:metadataStandardVersion>
<gco:CharacterString>2.3</gco:CharacterString>
</gmd:metadataStandardVersion>
...
</gmd:MD_Metadata>
Example Two – MEDIN profile of GEMINI 2.3
...
<gmd:metadataStandardName>
<gmx:Anchor xlink:href="http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/M25/current/MEDIN/">MEDIN</gmx:Anchor>
</gmd:metadataStandardName>
<gmd:metadataStandardVersion>
<gco:CharacterString>3.0</gco:CharacterString>
</gmd:metadataStandardVersion>
...
The purpose of this element is to provide a readily recognisable name for the
resource.
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Single
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Free text
Guidance
The name should be readily recognisable
The title should be the formal or product name for the data resource, if
existing.
If no name exists, then a title should be created that is short, encapsulates the
subject, temporal and spatial coverage of the data resource, and does not contain
terms or jargon that make it incomprehensible.
Acronyms are acceptable in the Title providing they are fully expanded in the
abstract or Alternative Title.
Comment
Examples
OS MasterMap Topography Layer
Voter participation in Liverpool local elections, 1994, by ward
Short name, other name, acronym or alternative language title for the data
resource
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this element is to record any alternative titles by which the data
resource is known.
Obligation
Optional
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Free text
Guidance
Should be provided when the data resource has more than one title.
There is no need to fill in this entry unless there are other names used for the
dataset, for example historic names.
Commonly used abbreviations or acronyms should be recorded. If the acronym or
abbreviation has been used in the main Title, then use the full name in the
Alternative Title.
Other language equivalents should be recorded where they exist, for example the
Welsh language title (although this title may refer to a different data
resource).
The abstract should provide a clear and concise statement that enables the reader to
understand the content of the data or service
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Single
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Free text
Guidance
The abstract should provide a clear statement of the content of
the service, and not general background information.
For services with restriction on
the spatial resolution, these restrictions shall be expressed in the abstract. The
spatial resolution restriction text shall include either an equivalent scale as integer
valued scale denominator or a resolution distance using a numerical length value and
with a unit of length.
State what the 'things' are that are recorded.
State the key aspects recorded about these things.
State what form the data takes.
State any other limiting information, such as time period of validity of the
data.
Add purpose of data resource where relevant (e.g. for survey data).
Include a description of the extent or location.
Include legal references.
Aim to be understood by non-experts.
Do not include general background information.
Avoid jargon and unexplained abbreviations.
Acronyms should be expanded to the full name along with the abbreviated version at
the beginning of the abstract. The abbreviated version can then be used (see examples
below).
Note: the Schematron validation will raise an error if the abstract is less than 100 characters, or is the same as the title.
Comment
The most important details of the description should be summarised in the first
sentence, or the first 256 characters.
Examples
This file contains the digital vector boundaries for Lower Layer Super Output Areas
(LSOA) as at 31 December 2011 in England and Wales.
This file contains the National Statistics Postcode Lookup (NSPL) for the United
Kingdom as at February 2017.
<gmd:MD_Metadata>
...
<gmd:identificationInfo>
<srv:SV_ServiceIdentification>
...
<gmd:abstract>
<gco:CharacterString>Europe Mapping Service based on the Image2000 European mosaic (multispectral)</gco:CharacterString>
</gmd:abstract>
...
</srv:SV_ServiceIdentification>
</gmd:identificationInfo>
...
</gmd:MD_Metadata>
The purpose of this element is to indicate the general subject area of the data
resource using keywords. This enables searches to eliminate resources that are of no
interest. Ideally, a standardised set of keywords should be used, so that resources can be
identified in any search. This element is similar to Topic category, which has a coded list of
high-level categories, whereas Keyword allows more appropriate terms to describe the data
resource.
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
This class comprises the following elements:
Keyword value (mandatory)
Originating controlled vocabulary (conditional - if keywords originate from a controlled vocabulary)
These are specified as follows:
Keyword value
Originating controlled vocabulary
Definition
topic of the content of the data resource
name of the formally registered thesaurus or a similar authoritative source of
keywords
Obligation
mandatory
conditional - required if keywords
originate from a controlled vocabulary
Occurrence
multiple
single
Data type
CharacterString
Class CI_Citation (from
ISO19115)
Domain
free text
The following properties are expected:
title of type character string (free text)
reference date defined as
a date type (creation, revision or publication)
an effective date
Other Comments
-
a default value will generally be assigned for
this
Guidance
Keyword values should if possible be taken from a list of standard subject
categories, identified in the element 'Originating controlled
vocabulary'.
The GEMINI2 keyword item comprises keyword value(s) and, conditionally, the
specification of an originating controlled vocabulary. If keywords are not selected
from a controlled vocabulary the encoding shown in Example One shall be used.
In the context of INSPIRE the presence of at least one keyword is mandated. For
service metadata there shall be at least one keyword defining the category or
subcategory of the service using its language neutral name as defined in Part D 4 of
the Metadata Implementing Rules (the language neutral names are the words in brackets
using lower camel case notation). The keyword shown in Example Two is an example of
this
Where keywords do originate from a controlled vocabulary the encoding shown in
Example Two shall be used. Note the inclusion of the gmd:thesaurusName XML element
which contains the XML element gmd:CI_Citation. This element must contain at least a
title, reference date and date type. In the example keywords have been selected from
the GEMET Concepts controlled vocabulary.
Example Three shows how the GEMET INSPIRE themes and the GEMET concepts controlled
vocabularies should be cited according to the INSPIRE guidance [9].
Note that more than one keyword value may be selected from a single controlled
vocabulary. Note also that keywords may be selected from more than one controlled
vocabulary. In this case the encoding shown in Example One shall be used.
The srv:SV_ServiceIdentification XML element has an optional property srv:keywords
which exhibits the same behaviour as gmd:descriptiveKeywords. Consequently keywords
for service metadata could be encoded in the way shown in Example Five. This approach
shall not be followed in GEMINI2 metadata instances
This case arises because the XML element gmd:descriptiveKeywords is a an instance of
the property (or role in fact) on the ISO 19115 abstract class MD_Identification, from
which both SV_ServiceIdentification and MD_DataIdentification inherit. Therefore,
SV_ServiceIdentification inherits the descriptiveKeywords property and adds a similar
property called keywords.
Recommended best practice is to select a human readable value from a controlled
vocabulary. An example from the Marine Geospatial community is
http://seadatanet.maris2.nl/v_bodc_vocab_v2/search.asp?lib=P02
Example
Example One (services) - without controlled vocabulary
Putting in more than one INSPIRE keyword, where the first keyword in the list is not
the correct Annex/Theme
Name : Temporal extent
UK GEMINI id
7
Definition
Date for the content of the data resource
Purpose and meaning
This is the date or date range that identifies the currency of the data. It may refer
to the period of collection, or the date at which it is deemed to be current.
Obligation
Conditional for services - where a temporal extent is relevant to the
service
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Date
Domain
Date, or two dates defining the duration of the period, as defined by BS ISO
8601.
Guidance
Dates may be to any degree of precision, from year (YYYY) to full date and
time.
The extended date format (YYYY-MM-DD) should be used, where YYYY is the year, MM the
month and DD the day.
If required, time (HH:MM:SS, where HH is the hour, MM the minute and SS the second)
may be added, with T separating the two parts.
Periods are recorded as {fromdate/todate} (e.g. 2006-04-01/2007-03-31). Either
fromdate or todate (but not both) may be left blank to indicate uncertainty.
There may be more than one Temporal Extent.
The coarsest resolution allowable is 'year'.
Comment
If the data resource relates to a historic period, then this is part of the subject,
e.g. 'cretaceous period'. In this case the date is the date of discovery or
observation.
This element should not be confused with Dataset reference date which is an
identifying date for the data resource.
Temporal extent is the date of the validity of the data and is different from Dataset reference date which is an identifying date for the data resource.
For example, an atlas might represent data collected up to the end of one year, but
have a reference date of the following year.
The basic encoding for temporal extent is shown in Example One (datasets/series).
The temporal extent data shall be encoded using the gml:TimePeriod type from the gml
namespace. The underlying schemas and standards in fact allow greater flexibility here
but for the purposes of GEMINI2 only the gml:TimePeriod XML element and the
gml:TimeInstant XML element (for single dates) shall be used. In addition
gml:TimePeriod shall contain only gml:beginPosition followed by gml:endPosition. Time
positions shall be expressed in the Gregorian calendar and UTC as per BS ISO
8601.
The gml:TimePeriod and gml:TimeInstant XML elements must have an identifier in order
to be schema valid. A UUID can be used, as is shown in the Example One
(datasets/series). The identifier only needs to be unique in the scope of the metadata
instance so a value of 't1' (see Example Two - datasets/series) is acceptable.
Allowable content of id attributes:
GML XML elements which are used in metadata have a mandatory gml:id attribute.
The value domain of the identifier is referred to as XML name. XML names have
certain restrictions. They may contain any alphanumeric character, non-English
alphanumeric characters, ideograms and the underscore, hyphen and period. They may
not contain any other punctuation characters. The colon is allowed, but its use is
reserved for namespaces, so it cannot appear in an identifier. XML names may not
include any whitespace including spaces and carriage returns. All names beginning
with the letters XML (in uppercase, lowercase or any mixture thereof) are
reserved.
XML names may only start with letters, ideograms and the underscore character.
Consequently, care must be taken when using the value of a UUID as the value of an
identifier because these can begin with numeric characters. It is normal to append
an underscore to the beginning of identifier values where they begin with
numbers.
Furthermore, an identifier must be unique within the scope of the XML document
(i.e. there shall not be more than one id type attribute with a particular
identifier value).
If an id type attribute contains an illegally formed XML name the result will be
a schema validation error.
For format of date and date-time values:
Dates and date-time shall be expressed in the Gregorian calendar and UTC as per
BS ISO 8601. The formatting shall be as follows, in order of increasing precision:
yyyy (e.g. 1995)
yyyy-MM (e.g. 1995-01)
yyyy-MM-dd (e.g. 1995-01-25)
yyyy-MM-ddThh:mm:ss (e.g. 1995-01-25T12:01:55)
The BS ISO 8601 encoding also allows negative dates to represent BC. However,
gco:Date and gco:DateTime XML elements do not accept negative values.
The GEMINI2 standard states that temporal extents may be given with as coarse a
granularity as century (e.g. yy or 19). However, unfortunately this cannot be
encoded in ISO 19139 XML and will result in a schema validation error. The lowest
level of granularity allowable is the year.
GEMINI2 allows for uncertainty in the temporal extent so that one or other, but not
both, begin position or end position may be blank. The corresponding encoding in this
case makes use of the indeterminatePosition attribute which may take a value of
'unknown' (Example Three for datasets/series). The indeterminatePosition
attribute may also take the following values:
'now': in which case the current date will be taken as the value the
now value must be used for an ongoing end position (INSPIRE)
'before': in which case the actual date is unknown but known to be
before the specified date
'after': in which case the actual date is unknown but known to be after
the specified date
Example Four shows encoding examples using these values.
Dataset reference date is an identifying date for the data resource. It is a notional
date of 'publication' of the data resource. It is different from Temporal extent
which is the actual date of the currency of the data. For example, an atlas might have the
reference date '2007', but the data will have been collected over a period prior to
this.
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
This class comprises two elements:
Date as defined by BS ISO 8601
Date type (publication/revision/creation).
The extended date format (YYYY-MM-DD) defined in BS ISO 8601 should be used, where
YYYY is the year, MM is the month and DD is the day. It may be extended to include time
(HH:MM:SS), where HH is the hour, MM the minutes and SS the seconds, with the two parts
separated by the character 'T'.
Date
Date Type
Definition
date used to reference data resource
event used to
describe reference date
Obligation
mandatory
mandatory
Occurrence
single
single
Data type
Date
CodeList
Domain
date as defined in ISO8601
Values
are:
creation
publication
revision
Guidance
Dates may be to any degree of precision, from year (YYYY) to full date and time. The
extended date format (YYYY-MM-DD) defined in BS ISO 8601 should be used, where YYYY is
the year, MM the month and DD the day. It may be extended to include time (-HH:MM:SS,
where HH is the hour, MM the minute and SS the second), with 'T' separating
the two parts.
Identify whether date refers to creation, last revision or publication.
More than one Dataset Reference Date may be defined, but there must only be one of
type 'creation' and only one of type 'revision'
The date should be completed to a resolution sufficient to identify the version.
Thus if the data resource is updated annually, only a year is required, whilst if it
is updated weekly, a day is required.
If the resource is continuously updated or is a dataset series (e.g. a map series),
then a notional current date should be provided at a suitable level of
resolution.
Comment
INSPIRE recommends that at least the date of the last revision should be reported
for spatial datasets
The encoding for dataset reference date is shown in Example One.
Dates may be expressed with low precision, as shown in the example. GEMINI2 also
allows the date and time to be published in metadata. In this case the date encoding
shown in Example Two must be used.
The format of date and date-time values is described at Dates and Times
Dataset reference date shall include a date type. The content of this XML element is
drawn from a code list.
Confusion of Date and DateTime In ISO 19115,
Date and DateTime are distinct types. Although in many elements, either is allowed, the XML
encoding needs to be explicit about which is given. It is an error to put a date (such as
2010-05-12) in a DateTime element. Example of invalid structure:
This element defines the geographical extent of coverage of the data resource
relative to an administrative hierarchy. It enables searches to be carried out to find data
relevant to the area of interest. Extent polygons can be implied through reference to an
external gazetteer. Note that Extent is the coverage of the data resource, not the
individual objects in the data resource. Thus if the data resource was national parks in
England, the Extent would be 'England', even though many parts of England do not
have National Parks.
Obligation
Optional
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
The class comprises two elements:
(Optional) Authority code
Code identifying the extent
Guidance
An area approximating to the extent of coverage of the data resource should be
chosen. Where the extent does not coincide with any defined area or areas, then either
the nearest equivalent including the area of coverage, or a set of multiple areas that
make up the coverage should be provided.
This should not be over-generalised (i.e. do not take it as Great Britain if it only
covers England and Wales).
Comment
Examples
England
East Anglia
The Wash
http://data.os.uk/id/7000000000041546 Central Scotland, using OS linked data as a
gazetteer
https://local-authority-eng.register.gov.uk/record/GLA, Greater London Authority,
using GDS "Local authorities in England" as a controlled list
http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/C64/current/5/, Irish Sea, in the NERC Vocabulary "C64, United Kingdom Charting Progress 2 sea regions"
The examples shown below use codes (URIs in URL form) from the Ordnance Survey Linked Data[22] boundary data. The
code element can be used as a URL returning a page on the internet providing further
information. The code in Example One, ending in 7000000000041546, is the URL for
Central Scotland. Associated with this code is further information, such as the
geometry of Central Scotland.
The entity responsible for managing the extent code can be expressed in GEMINI
metadata. An example of the encoding is shown in Example Two
Recommended best practice is to select a human readable value from a controlled
vocabulary. An example from the Marine Geospatial community is
http://seadatanet.maris2.nl/v_bodc_vocab_v2/search.asp?lib=C19
INSPIRE recommendations for encoding free text values which reference a specific
external resource or registry is to use gmx:Anchor instead of gco:CharacterString
Note that the extent XML element is in the srv namespace.
This differs from dataset metadata instances where the extent XML element will be in the
gmd namespace.
The purpose of this element is to describe the vertical range of the data resource
(where relevant).
Obligation
Optional
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
EX_VerticalExtent, which comprises of three elements
minimum value
maximum value
coordinate reference
system
Definition
lowest vertical extent contained in the data
resource
highest vertical extent contained in the data resource
vertical coordinate reference system to which the maximum and minimum values are
measured
Obligation
mandatory
mandatory
mandatory
Occurrence
single
single
single
Data type
real
real
class
Domain
real number
real number
The class comprises two elements:
Authority code (optional)
Identifier of the coordinate reference system
Other comments
-
-
For example, code provided in the EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry
Guidance
Minimum value: Identify approximate lowest vertical extent in the specified
coordinate reference system
Maximum value: Identify approximate highest vertical extent in the specified
coordinate reference system
Coordinate reference system: Identify coordinate reference system used for the
vertical extent measurements. This should be recorded as a name or as a code, for
example as provided in the EPSG Geodetic Parameter Registry produced by
The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers
(see http://www.epsg-registry.org/)
Comment
This element should be used only where vertical extent is significant, e.g. in geology, mining, meteorology etc.
Examples
Minimum value: -100.0
Maximum value: 0.0
Coordinate reference system: height in metres above Newlyn Datum
GEMINI 1 to 2.0: made optional; occurrence changed from multiple to
single; description of class EX_VerticalExtent changed to match change to ISO
19115.
The encoding of the vertical extent information is explained. The vertical extent
information is expressed by a minimum and maximum coordinate value and a vertical CRS.
The vertical CRS expresses the CRS of the vertical extent coordinates alone. It does
not necessarily express the vertical CRS to which vertical coordinates in the data are
referenced - in other words it is possible that the vertical extent is defined in a
different CRS from the vertical CRS of the data. This is convenient if it were the
case that datasets within a domain were referenced to many different vertical CRSs
because it could be decided that all vertical extents in metadata are to be referenced
to a single common vertical CRS to aid searching or understanding by users. Searching
by vertical extent, referenced to different vertical CRSs, across metadata sets would
be complicated by the need to undertake many coordinate operations - which is not
necessarily a trivial task - or even possible in all cases.
The CRS of vertical extent elements must be provided in order to give meaning to the
minimum and maximum coordinates. From the CRS, for example, it is possible to
determine the orientation of the coordinate system axis (i.e. do positive values
increase upwards or downwards from the zero reference) and the units of the coordinate
values.
There are two approaches to encoding the vertical CRS: by reference (Example One) or
by value (Example Two). These examples express the same information: that the vertical
extent coordinates are referenced to Ordnance Datum (Newlyn). Codes and GML CRS data
are from the EPSG Registry.
Additionally, the gco:nilReason attribute can be used if the vertical CRS is unknown
(Example Three) but this renders the vertical extent information ambiguous at best.
Consequently it would be better to refrain from including vertical extent information
in the metadata instance altogether.
Example
Example One (services) - Vertical CRS by reference
Identifier, name or description of the system of spatial referencing, whether by
coordinates or geographic identifiers, used in the data resource
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this element is to identify the way in which the data is spatially
referenced in the data resource. This may be by coordinates (e.g. the National Grid of Great
Britain) or geographic identifiers (e.g. unit postcodes).
Obligation
At least one coordinate reference system shall be given
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
The class comprises two elements:
Code identifying the spatial reference system
(Conditional) codeSpace, - to be used if the code alone does not uniquely
identify the referred spatial reference system. - not to be used if the spatial
reference system is listed in the Default Coordinate Reference Systems
Guidance
For each spatial reference system
Identify the spatial reference systems used to spatially reference the data in
the data resource;
Check if the spatial reference system is listed in Annex D.4 (Default Coordinate
Reference Systems) of the INSPIRE Metadata Technical Guidelines
If the spatial reference system is not listed in the defaults, identify a well-known
register that defines the coordinate reference system or, if the spatial reference
system is using geographic identifiers (such as Post Codes, NUTS, what3words,
Geohashing), supply a resolveable HTTP-URI that provides more information about the
geographic identifier system.
Where there appears to be more than one spatial reference system used, take the one
that is used in resolving any conflict between the spatial referencing systems (e.g.
if the data is recorded referenced by unit postcodes, and a coordinate is then
associated, then unit postcode is the spatial reference system, whereas if the data is
recorded by coordinate, and unit postcodes are added as an attribute, then it is
'National Grid of Great Britain').
Comment
Only coordinate reference systems identifiers specified in a well-known common
register shall be used
Note that the data resource may be supplied in a range of other reference systems in
addition to that in which it is recorded.
When the provided text is a term or code from an externally defined explanation or
registry value, gmx:Anchor should be used instead of gco:CharacterString
The content of gmx:Anchor or gco:CharacterString must not be empty
Example
Example One - using gmx:Anchor for a default Coordinate Reference System (as defined
in Annex D.4 of the INSPIRE metadata technical guidance v.2)
Measure of the granularity of the data (in metres)
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this element is to provide an indication of how detailed the spatial
data is. It is equivalent to the ground sample distance. It should not be confused with the
scale of a map which is purely a display attribute (the spatial resolution should be defined
in the specification of the data resource).
Obligation
Conditional - where there is a restriction on the spatial resolution of the
service
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Real
Domain
Value > 0
Guidance
For data capture in the field, it is the precision at which the data is
captured. This may be the accuracy for topographic surveys, or the average sampling
distance in an environmental survey.
For data taken from maps, it is the positional accuracy of the map (defined in the
specification of the map series).
For image data, it is the resolution of the image.
In many given cases, only approximate values can be given.
Comment
This should not be confused with precision which refers to the resolution of the
measurements themselves. Thus for a buildings dataset, a building seed could be recorded
to a precision of 0.1 metres, but since the requirement is for the seed only to be within
the building footprint for the purpose of discriminating between buildings, the spatial
resolution of the buildings dataset would be the typical size of the building, i.e. about
10 metres.
For services, it is not possible to express the restriction of a service concerning
the spatial resolution in using the ISO 19139 XML Schema.
It shall be expressed in the Abstract.
The spatial resolution restriction text shall include either an equivalent scale as
integer valued scale denominator or a resolution distance using a numerical length
value and with a unit of length.
Location (address) for online access using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
address or similar addressing scheme
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this element is to point to where the service may
be directly accessed online OR, if no direct access is available, to an online resource
providing more information about accessing the service.
Obligation
Conditional - Must be supplied when online access is available
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Valid URL
Guidance
Specify a valid URL to the service.
If no online access for the service is available, but there is a publicly available
online resource providing additional information about accessing the described service, the URL
pointing to this resource shall be given instead.
Conditionally (required for invocable spatial data services otherwise optional) a
description should be provided
For an invocable spatial data service, the gmd:linkage/gmd:description child
element gmd:CI_OnlineResource shall contain a gmx:Anchor element pointing to the
value "accessPoint" of the code list OnLineDescriptionCode in the INSPIRE
Registry
Although not mandatory, the following ISO 19115 sub-elements should be included, for
best results with data.gov.uk:
function
name (this appears on the data.gov.uk site)
In relation to online INSPIRE network services, special guidance applies (see 'Data and Service
Linking').
Identify whether the resource may be accessed.
Determine the location of the resource (may be a URL).
For an invocable spatial data service the gmd:CI_OnLineFunctionCode element should point to value "information"
Comment
The URL provided as the value of the gmd:linkage element should point to one of
following type of resources:
a service metadata (capabilities) document of the described Spatial Data
Service
a service WSDL document of the described Spatial Data Service
a web page with further instructions for accessing the described service
Examples
A Web Map Service (WMS) capabilities document would be given like:
In the examples, the URLs provided are for OGC GetCapabilities requests.
The gmd:transferOptions XML element of gmd:MD_Distribution is used to encode a URL.
Note that it is necessary to encode distribution format information in all cases. If
the URL that is provided is the location of a point of contact then the distribution
format is moot. However, the distribution format property is required by an ISO 19115
constraint. In this case the INSPIRE guidelines show the encoding using gmd:MD_Format.
Note that the element gmd:MD_Distribution must have the element gmd:distributionFormat
as its first child according to a constraint in ISO 19115. Format information may not
always be known in which case the encoding of the element gmd:MD_Format shown in
Example One shall be used, following the INSPIRE guidance [9]. If the format and version values
are known, then they should be given (see Data format).
GEMINI2 allows for a URL which is a link to a point of contact where more
information is available or where the dataset can be downloaded.
ISO 19115 and the ISO
19139 encoding provides a means of indicating the function of the online resource by
means of the CI_OnLineFunctionCode code list. Two values from this code list provide a
means of discriminating between a URL that is provided for information (code list
value of 'information') and a URL that is the address used for downloading
(code list value of 'download') the data.
The INSPIRE OnLineDescriptionCode
provides a way of further distinguishing between access point URLs and end point URLs.
Access points call an operation directly; end points list operations and their access points.
Note that the GetCapabilities URL contains an entity reference (sometimes known as
an escape sequence) for the ampersand character. When an XML parser reads & it
replaces the sequence with &. When writing XML, XML aware software will escape
characters automatically but text editing software will not. The ampersand character
alone in XML is interpreted as beginning an entity or character reference. XML defines
five entity references:
< - The character <
& - The character &
> - The character >
" - The character "
' - The character '
Example
Example one, showing only required linkage content (for a WMS)
Defra metadata audit, October 2015: Very few records included direct links to WMS end points.
Name : Responsible organisation
UK GEMINI id
23
Definition
Details of the organisation(s) responsible for the establishment, management,
maintenance and distribution of the data resource
Purpose and meaning
This informs the user about who is responsible for the data resource
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
This class comprises eight elements relating to the responsible organisation:
Metadata element
name
Definition
Obligation
Occurrence
Data
type
Domain
Rules for how to fill in the entry
contact position
role or position of the responsible
person
optional
single
CharacterString
free
text
A general job title or generic role should be identified for someone in a position
of responsibility for the data resource. Do not identify an individual by name,
as this is subject to change without warning and the information is impossible to
keep up-to-date.
organisation name
name of
organisation
mandatory
single
CharacterString
free
text
The name of the organisation should be given in full, without
abbreviations
postal address
postal address of the
organisation
optional
single
CharacterString
free
text
The full formal postal address (as defined for example by Royal Mail) should be
given, including the postcode.
telephone number
telephone number by which individuals can talk to the
organisation or
individual
optional
single
CharacterString
free
text
The full telephone number should be given.
email address
internet email address which individuals can use to
contact the organisation or
individual
mandatory
single
CharacterString
free
text
A valid email address should be given. Do not provide a personal email
address.
The role of the responsible party should be identified. For
datasets and dataset series, at least a distributor should be given.
Guidance
The organisation name, email address and responsible party role are mandatory. Other
entries should only be given that are relevant and known.
Where no single individual is responsible, a generic role may be given.
Where there are multiple Distributors / Responsible Organisations, then a separate
entry should be given for each.
For dataset and dataset series, one of the Responsible Organisations must be in the
role of Distributor (If there is only one Responsible Organisation recorded, then it
must be in the role of Distributor.).
Where there are several distributors, a separate entry should be given for
each.
For best result with data.gov.uk:
Enter 'Owner' for UK Location Data Provider role.
Enter 'Publisher' For UK Location Data Publisher role.
These appear in the data.gov.uk search results.
If the data was created by someone other than the Data Provider, this should also be
recorded, using the role value 'Originator'.
Comment
Facsimile number is no longer required
Examples
See individual elements below.
Metadata element name
Purpose and Meaning
Examples
contact position
Role or post of the person to contact in the organisation
The mapping product manager
organisation name
Ordnance Survey, Great Britain
postal address
Adanac Drive, Southampton, United Kingdom, SO16 0AS
telephone number
+44 8456 050505
email address
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
web address
for further information about the organisation
http://os.uk
responsible party role
indicates whether this responsible party is acting as distributor, publisher,
author, etc.
GEMINI 1 to 2.0: This has been generalised from Distributor (and Originator)
to cover a range of possible roles, by the addition of 'responsible party role' and
minor errors in the class details have been corrected.
At least one limitation on public access shall give an INSPIRE reason
Comment
Limitations on public access are different from Use constraints which are warnings
about its suitability for particular types of usage, or constraints on the use that can be made of the data.
Missing or incorrect information
Licence information should be provided, preferably by a URL.
It is an error to state 'no limitations' in Limitations on Public Access, when the resource is
not open access.
Defra metadata audit, October 2015: In many cases either this field has been left
empty or where the PSMA (or similar) licensing arrangements are referenced there is either a
lack of detail or no links to the appropriate sites.
Name : Use constraints
UK GEMINI id
26
Definition
Restrictions and legal restraints on using the data resource
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this element is to describe any restrictions on usage of the data (as
opposed to access)
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
CharacterString
Domain
Free text
Guidance
Provide information on any constraints to using the resource, e.g. licensing, fees,
usage restrictions, or refer to a URL where this information is available, e.g. a
licence document. If entering a URL, enter this as a sub-element, not as part of free
text. Where relevant, Data Provider licence information should be provided in the form of a Licence Title,
and where possible, a licence URL. If more than one type of licence is included
then the URL should point to a Data Providers page.
Any known constraints should be identified. If no conditions apply, then 'no
conditions apply' should be recorded.
Comment
Use constraints are different from Restrictions on public access which describe
limitations on access to the data. A data resource can have open access (e.g. to look at
it), but restricted use.
This element shall be encoded in a different resourceConstraints/MD_LegalConstraints XML element to GEMINI element 25 Limitations on public access
The MD_LegalConstraints element shall contain a useConstraints element
Note: INSPIRE allows an accessConstraints element here; GEMINI recommends using Limitations on public access for these
The useConstraints element shall contain an MD_RestrictionCode element with code list value "otherRestrictions"
The LegalConstraints element shall also contain a gmd:otherConstraints element, with free text.
"No conditions" and "conditions unknown" shall be specified using a gmx:Anchor link to the relevant entry in the INSPIRE metadata registry, http://inspire.ec.europa.eu/metadata-codelist/ConditionsApplyingToAccessAndUse
In certain circumstances it might be appropriate to refer to an external document
describing constraints. In this case the encoding shown in Example Two may be used.
This is recommended for licenses, even the use of ISO 19115 otherRestrictions would not generally include license restrictions, as they have their own term in the ISO 19115 code list.
If there are no limitations the value of gmd:otherConstraints shall be 'no limitations' (see Example Three).
There may be more than one gmd:otherConstraints element
Example
Example One
<gmd:MD_Metadata>
...
<gmd:identificationInfo>
<srv:SV_ServiceIdentification id="bgs-0000-1">
...
<gmd:resourceConstraints>
<gmd:MD_LegalConstraints>
<gmd:useConstraints>
<gmd:MD_RestrictionCode
codeList='https://schemas.isotc211.org/schemas/19139/resources/codelist/gmxCodelists.xml#MD_RestrictionCode'
codeListValue='otherRestrictions'>otherRestrictions</gmd:MD_RestrictionCode>
</gmd:useConstraints>
<gmd:otherConstraints>
<gco:CharacterString>Not to be used for navigation</gco:CharacterString>
</gmd:otherConstraints>
...
</gmd:MD_LegalConstraints>
</gmd:resourceConstraints>
...
</srv:SV_ServiceIdentification>
</gmd:identificationInfo>
...
</gmd:MD_Metadata>
Licence information should be provided, preferably by a URL.
It is an error to state 'no conditions apply' in Use Constraints, when restrictions do in fact exist.
Name : Spatial data service type
UK GEMINI id
37
Definition
Generic name of the service type
Purpose and meaning
This identifies the type of service
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Single
Data type
GenericName
Domain
Possible values are as follows (in brackets are the language neutral names to be used):
Discovery Service (discovery)
View Service (view)
Download Service (download)
Transformation Service (transformation)
Invoke Spatial Data Service (invoke)
Other Service (other)
Guidance
Select generic type from list These service types are explained in the INSPIRE guidance [9].
The encoding example for spatial data service type is shown in the example
below. The value domain of the service type (i.e. the list of acceptable values to encode
in <gco:LocalName>view</gco:LocalName>) is specified in Part D 3 of the
INSPIRE Metadata Implementing Rules and is repeated below (the words are to be encoded in
lower case):
INSPIRE guidance [9]
states that Coupled resource shall be implemented by reference, i.e. through a URL
that points to the metadata record of the data on which the service operates; a
Coupled resource is implemented using XLinking.
Coupled resource is encoded using the operatesOn XML element in the srv namespace.
The data type of this element is the MD_DataIdentification XML element in the gmd
namespace.
The srv:operatesOn element shall contain a Unique Resource Identifier, (not to be
confused with a W3C URI) through an an xlink:href attribute, pointing to the
gmd:MD_DataIdentification element of the metadata record of the provided dataset or
dataset series. The value of the xlink attribute shall be a URL that allows access to
an unambiguous metadata instance, which may be:
The obligation on coupled resource is conditional: it is mandatory (in INSPIRE
metadata regulations and hence GEMINI2) if a linkage to the datasets on which the
service operates is available. This is always the case for view and download services
so if the service metadata is about a view (e.g a WMS) or download service (e.g. a WCS
or WFS), Coupled resource is effectively mandatory. Other types of service, such as
transformation, may not be coupled to a data resource so the constraint on the element
is not enforced by validation (i.e. XSD schema or Schematron). Implementers may wish
to declare a Coupled resource for other non-view service types and in these cases the
coupled resource will not necessarily be a dataset.
Example One shows encoding coupled resource using the by reference mechanism and an
OGC CSW GetRecordById request.
Example Two shows encoding Coupled resource with a reference to a metadata instance
in a WAF.
Example Three shows a variant of a CSW GetRecordById request, where a fragment
identifier is used to identify the specific MD_DataIdentification element operated on
by the service.
It should be noted that both an OGC CSW GetRecordById and a WAF available metadata
instance are full metadata instances which may contain more than one
MD_DataIdentification element, in accordance with ISO 19115. Therefore, an application
wishing to dereference the operatesOn element must 'know' which
MD_DataIdentification element to obtain from the metadata instance. In the case of
GEMINI and INSPIRE metadata it will be the first MD_DataIdentification element in the
instance (XPath //gmd:identificationInfo[1]) unless a fragment identifier is used, in
which case it may be in any location.
Example
Example One using the by reference mechanism and an OGC CSW request
In this example the fragment identifier #BGS-13480426 would correspond to the value of
the id attribute of the gmd:MD_DataIdentification element of the dataset metadata
record, like below
INSPIRE requires Coupled resource to be populated where relevant. This effectively
makes it mandatory for View & Download services, and the INSPIRE Geoportal reports this
as a validation issue. However, the Geoportal also reports this issue for a Discovery
service metadata record, where coupled resource is not mandatory. Encoding by value A by value encoding is shown below; this is not allowed by the
INSPIRE encoding guidance. Note that the xlink:href attribute of the operatesOn element has
been removed and that the operatesOn element now contains an MD_DataIdentification element.
Statement of conformity with the product specification or user requirement against
which the data is being evaluated
Purpose and meaning
The purpose of this is to record the conformity to the INSPIRE or other data
specification
Obligation
Mandatory
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
This class comprises the following elements:
Specification
Degree
Explanation
For details see below.
Metadata element name
specification
degree
explanation
Definition
Citation of the product specification or user requirement
against which data resource is evaluated
degree of conformity with the
specification
meaning of conformance for this result
Meaning
The purpose of this element is to identify the specification
against which conformity is evaluated
The purpose of this element is to
identify the conformity of the data resource to the cited specification
The
purpose of this element is to explain the meaning of conformity in this
context
Obligation
Mandatory
Mandatory
Mandatory
Occurrence
single
single
single
Data type
Class CI_Citation (from
ISO19115)
Boolean
CharacterString
Domain
The following properties are expected:
title of type character string (free text)
reference date defined as
a date type (creation, revision, or publication)
an effective date
true if conformant false if not conformant
free
text
Rules
Cite the specification to which the data resource should
conform
The data resource should be evaluated against the specification and
the result recorded
Include a statement about which aspects of the
specification the data resource conforms and any exceptions
Examples
D2.8.I.5 INSPIRE Data Specification on Addresses - Guidelines,
publication, 2010-04-26
true
Only mandatory items included
Guidance
At least one conformity statement shall be to an INSPIRE specification, even if simply to say that the data set is not conformant or not tested
Other conformity statements may be added, citing INSPIRE technical guidance or other specifications
Each conformity statement shall relate to only one specification
Assess the conformity of the data resource against its product specification or the INSPIRE thematic data specification.
State the data specification to which the degree of conformity applied and optionally an 'Explanation',
for example to reference the conformance criteria in the specification against which conformance is being claimed.
For INSPIRE:
Network Services should declare conformity to [Regulation 976/2009].
Invocable Spatial Data Services (including interoperable and harmonised Spatial
Data Services) shall declare conformity to [Regulation 1089/2010].
Comment
The specification is identified in the element Specification.
The conformance of a data resource may be considered with respect to more than one
specification.
For INSPIRE, the citation title shall be the official title of the INSPIRE
Implementing Rule, specification document or Conformance Class
For INSPIRE, the date given will be the date of publication of the INSPIRE
Implementing Rule, specification document or Conformance Class
For INSPIRE Implementing Rule documents, the value of the title element shall match
exactly the official title of the cited document in the language of the metadata.
Examples
Conformance of a dataset to Regulation 1089/2010 would have the title:
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive
2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of
spatial data sets and services., and would give a publication date of
2010-12-08
The encoding for Conformity is shown in the example.
Note that the encoding of conformity requires a specification (encoded using
gmd:CI_Citation), an explanation and a pass.
INSPIRE Metadata Implementing Rules state that there are three possible conformance results: conformant, not conformant and not
evaluated. Not evaluated is expressed by a conformity statement with a nilReason
(unknown) specified in the pass element.
All gmd:dataQualityInfo XML element shall have a gmd:scope
XML element, set to 'service'.
It is important to note that if the scope of the data quality information is 'service'
then the gmd:levelDescription XML element is required, as shown below.
Conformity statement missing
INSPIRE requires a 'conformity' statement, which can say that the resource conforms, or does not
conform to a specification, or that it hasn't been tested. This is encoded with an ISO 19139 quality report. Incorrect citation of INSPIRE regulation
When citing the INSPIRE regulation, the title and publication date need to match exactly.
Any deviation may result in the validation failure message "The gmd:pass element is not nillable and shall have a value" - even if the error is in the spelling of the title.
Name : Equivalent scale
UK GEMINI id
43
Definition
Level of detail expressed as the scale denominator of a comparable hardcopy map or
chart
Purpose and meaning
This is purely to conform to INSPIRE, and has little meaning for most digital
data
Obligation
Optional
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Integer
Domain
Positive integer
Guidance
Where the data is captured from a map, the scale of that map should be
recorded.
Comment
Expression of spatial resolution by distance is preferred. Spatial resolution
should only be expressed by equivalent scale where a distance cannot be
determined.
For services, it is not possible to express the restriction of a service concerning
the spatial resolution when using the ISO 19139 XML Schema.
It shall be expressed in the Abstract.
The spatial resolution restriction text shall include either an equivalent scale as
integer valued scale denominator or a resolution distance using a numerical length
value and with a unit of length.
Rectangle enclosing the extent of the data resource described in latitude and
longitude
Purpose and meaning
This is to enable the resource to be located geographically
Obligation
Conditional on there being a defined extent for the service
Occurrence
Multiple
Data type
Class
Domain
EX_GeographicBoundingBox
Metadata element name
West bounding longitude
East bounding
longitude
South bounding longitude
North bounding longitude
Definition
western-most limit of the data resource extent, expressed in
longitude in decimal degrees (positive east)
eastern-most limit of the data
resource extent, expressed in longitude in decimal degrees (positive
east)
southern-most limit of the data resource extent, expressed in latitude
in decimal degrees (positive north)
Obligation
mandatory
mandatory
mandatory
mandatory
Occurrence
single
single
single
single
Data type
Decimal, expressed in degrees to at least two decimal
places
Domain
-180.00 <= west bounding longitude <= 180.00
-180.00 <= east bounding longitude <= 180.00
-90.00 <= south bounding latitude <= north bounding
latitude
south bounding latitude <= north bounding latitude <= 90.00
Other comments
The West bounding coordinate usually has a value less
than the value of the East bounding coordinate, except when the extent straddles the
180 degree meridian.
The East bounding longitude usually has a value greater
than the value of the West bounding longitude, except when the extent straddles the
180 degree meridian.
northern-most limit of the data resource extent,
expressed in latitude in decimal degrees (positive north)
Guidance
Identify a bounding box slightly larger than the extent of the data resource, and
determine the coordinates of the boundaries. It may be necessary to convert from another
coordinate system (e.g. National Grid) into lat/long.
Only approximate values are required, sufficient to identify the extent on a global
basis. The bounding box is implicitly in WGS84.
Comment
The bounding box will often cover areas that are not directly related to the area
covered by the resource.
The encoding example for geographic bounding box for datasets is shown in the
example
Note that the extent XML element is in the gmd namespace. This differs from service
metadata instances where the extent XML element will be in the srv namespace.
The definition of the equivalent ISO 19115 class, EX_GeographicBoundingBox, is
'Geographic area of the entire dataset referenced to WGS 84'. Consequently,
the CRS of the coordinates expressed in metadata is always WGS 84 (identified by the
EPSG URI http://www.opengis.net/def/crs/EPSG/0/4326). This means that the coordinate
values shall be expressed in units of degrees (encoded using decimal numbers) with
axes orientated north and east. The geodetic datum is WGS 84.
Note that the encoding is very similar to that used in
metadata instances for datasets or series, except that the extent XML element is in the
srv namespace instead of gmd. This is because extent is a property of
MD_DataIdentification (ISO 19115) and SV_ServiceIdentification (ISO 19119/Amd 1:2008), not
a property of the parent MD_Identification.
GEMINI states that the bounding latitude and longitude should be stated to at least two
decimal places. The INSPIRE geoportal used to report two decimal places as an error; it does
not now. However, some software defaults to values that are unnecessarily "precise". For example:
No level description ISO 19115 requires that a 'level description' is
given for any quality statement that is not describing the 'dataset' or
'series' level. INSPIRE and GEMINI use the quality statement for both lineage and
conformity. This means that any 'service' record must provide a
gmd:DQ_Scope/gmd:levelDescription element, as shown above. A similar rule applies to hierarchyLevelName, which must be provided for any record that is not describing a
dataset.
