[IGS-DCWG-102] Re: Invitation to participate - IGS metadata exchange via XML

[Fran Boler]

Dear Colleagues-

As we hoped, there has been a lot of interest in this topic, from many 
individuals and groups.  I have some comments on the XML schema (below) 
to add to what others have offered. If anyone else has thoughts before 
we start the next round of discussion, please send them to this list in 
the next few days. We will be assembling comments into  a folder on 
Google drive and sharing with active participants. There are several 
proposals on the table and we will be requesting comments on all of the 
proposals in this next round.

My comments on the XML:
I would like to suggest that we add change tracking to the XML in the 
form of date elements, e.g.:

*

<dateInserted></dateInserted>

<dateDeleted></dateDeleted>

<deleteReason></deleteReason>*

The dateInserted field is self-explanatory. This would apply to all 
blocks. For a new site, multiple blocks will have the same insertDate. 
Except for cases of inadvertent errors in metadata publically presented 
by any system, the dateDeleted element would not be populated (and 
similarly deleteReason), and should be rarely used. However, if a 
mistake happened and incorrect metadata was publically available, this 
addition would allow the error to be documented, not simply replaced 
with the correct metadata. Further, the dateInserted/Deleted elements 
could be used for replacing the Modified/Added sections of the 
formInformation block, rather than separately storing that information. 
Since the XML schema does not explicitly use block numbering, the 
handling of the modified/added sections becomes ambiguous anyway.

For discussion on use of elements:
In the formInformation block, datePrepared should be dynamically 
generated. preparedBy should be the Agency/system that produces the XML. 
One could infer that if preparedBy is different than the agency in 
responsibleAgency, then the information could be one step or more 
removed from its authoritative source, and therefore potentially less 
reliable. This assumes that responsibleAgency is the right place for the 
authoritative holder of the metadata, or is another element to represent 
this needed?

Could the representation of latitude and longitude be reconsidered in 
light of the updated ISO 6709 allowing decimal degrees and other changes?

More soon,
Fran



On 1/9/15 10:00 AM, Fran Boler wrote:
> Author: Fran Boler, Carey Noll
>
>
> Dear Colleagues-
>
> As many of you know, at the IGS workshop in Pasadena this past June 
> there was discussion in the infrastructure and data center breakouts 
> about transmitting IGS site log metadata between data centers using 
> XML, using automated machine-to-machine transfer mechanisms. With the 
> introduction of the IGS Site Log Manager system, we believe the time 
> is right to do this. Advantages could include more rapidupdating of 
> site log information, more consistent information across data centers, 
> and more accurate metadata overall. Several data centers are committed 
> to moving forward on this effort in the next few months. In order to 
> implement such an exchange the first step will be to agree on the XML 
> schema to be used. SOPAC has had a longstanding geodesy XML project 
> (http://sopac.ucsd.edu/xmlGeodesy.shtml), and this is the ideal 
> starting point. We would like to kickoff this effort by requesting 
> feedback on the SOPAC Site Log XML schema.
>
> Those who would like to participate in this effort should respond with 
> an email (to IGS-DCWG at igscb.jpl.nasa.gov) as soon as possible 
> indicating your interest. *Please mention your level of involvement 
> as: “observer” or “planning to participate in the discussions” or 
> “planning to participate in discussions and work on implementation”. 
> *(Note:If you, as an igs-dcwg list member, do not have an interest in 
> this topic, you may wish to change your subscriber option to digest 
> for this list, or otherwise amend your subscription as there will be 
> additional traffic during this effort.)
>
> For those who will be active at this phase, please look at the SOPAC 
> Site Log XML schema and plan to provide comments to this list within 
> one month. Your comments should include any suggested amendments or 
> additions. As a rough timeline we would like to complete discussions 
> of the schema during February and begin discussing implementation 
> specifics no later than March.
>
> We wish to be inclusive and therefore ask you to circulate this 
> invitation to interested colleagues. All interested persons should 
> ensure that they are members of the igs-dcwg maillist by visiting 
> http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/mailman/listinfo/igs-dcwg.
>
> Kind regards,
> Fran Boler, IGS Governing Board Data Center Representative
> Carey Noll, IGS Data Center Working Group Chair
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IGS-DCWG mailing list
> IGS-DCWG at igscb.jpl.nasa.gov
> http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/mailman/listinfo/igs-dcwg

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