Skip to content

FAQ

What is the EMC?

The EMC is an Electronic Metadata Catalogue which provides users with information about existing spatial data that is currently available for use. The Spatial Data Infrastructure Act, 2003 (SDI Act, No. 54 of 2003) requires an Electronic Metadata Catalogue (EMC) as a component of the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI). The Electronic Metadata Catalogue is a web-based application that allows users to explore spatial information resources by querying the associated metadata records contributed by organs of state.

 

What is Metadata?

Metadata is data that provides information about other data. It is used to summarise and provide descriptive information about the content of the data without providing the data itself.

 

How does the DCPR differ from the EMC?

The Electronic Metadata Catalogue (EMC) gives users information about spatial data that already exists and is available for users, while the Data Capture Project Register (DCPR) gives users information about proposed spatial data that is not yet available, but is in the process of being captured. If users cannot find certain data in either the EMC (existing spatial data) or the DCPR (proposed spatial data), then it can be assumed that the data either does not exist or that existing data is not adequate to meet the user’s needs. Gaps can therefore be identified in the availability of spatial data and proposals for future spatial data capture projects can be made.

 

Who can register a project?

Organs of state are required to register their data capture projects with the Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) by requesting approval to capture spatial data unless already appointed custodians of the data capture.

 

Why are organs of state required to register their data capture projects?

According to the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No.2 of 2000), organs of state are required to make their data available to the public. Taxpayers’ money is used to perform data capture and data captured through public funding cannot be resold but has to be made freely available to the public. Costs may be incurred in terms of the COFUR principle – Cost of Fulfilling User Request, which relates to charging the user what it costs the organisation to make the information available in specific formats.

 

Why is it essential to capture metadata?

The SDI Act, section 12. (1), requires that data custodians have to capture and maintain metadata for any spatial information captured by them. To enable the Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) to govern data capture projects amongst organs of state. To ensure efficient, effective and economical spatial data capture. To reduce duplication of spatial data capture. To Notify users of projects intended for spatial data capture. To monitor the progress of data capture projects. To capture preliminary metadata for proposed spatial data sets. To supplement the EMC search for available data with the DCPR search for proposed data. To Monitor compliance with SASDI objectives. Once the data capture project is completed the metadata in the DCPR may be automatically transferred to the EMC as available spatial data.

 

What are the 22 core metadata elements according to SANS 1878 (South African profile of ISO 19115)?


SANS 1878 is made up of 22 core elements. There are mandatory elements, conditional elements and optional elements. Mandatory metadata elements (M) are elements that should be documented as a minimum requirement to conform to the standard. Conditional elements (C) should be documented if information are available on that specific metadata element, and optional metadata elements (O) are elements that provide a more extensive standard description of geographic data if required. Any metadata record claiming conformance to this National Metadata Standard should ensure documentation of all mandatory fields, and conditional fields (where applicable).

1(M). Dataset Title: Name by which the cited resource is known

2(M). Dataset reference date: Reference date for cited resource.

3(M). Dataset responsible party: Name & position information of an individual/organization that is responsible for the resource.

4(C). Geographic location of the dataset. MBR: Extent information of dataset- Minimum bounded rectangle (MBR)

  • WestBoundLongitude
  • EastBoundLongitude
  • NorthBoundLatitude
  • SouthBoundLatitude
  • Sample formats:
    • Degrees Min Sec
    • Decimal degree
    • Projection coordinates

(All depends on cited reference system.)

5(M). Dataset language: Language(s) used within the dataset (For example “English” (eng)).

6(M). Dataset character set: Full name of the character coding standard used for the dataset. (Example: 004 = UTF8)

7(M). Dataset topic category: The main theme of the dataset. (Example: 010 = Base Map earth coverage)

8(C). Spatial resolution of the dataset: Factor which provides a general understanding of the density of spatial data in the dataset. (Example: Level of detail expressed as the scale of a comparable hardcopy map or chart, or Ground Sample Distance (GSD).)

9(M). Abstract describing the dataset: A brief narrative summary of the content of the resource.

10(M). Distribution format: Name of data transfer format that represents a data object in a record, file, message, storage device or transmission.

11(O). Additional extent information for the dataset: (vertical and temporal)

  • Vertical Extent: 
    • Minimum value: Lowest vertical extent contained in the dataset
    • Maximum value: Highest vertical extent contained in the dataset
    • Unit of measurement: Vertical units used for vertical extent information, Examples: metres, feet, millimetres, hectopascals.
    • Vertical datum: Provides information about the origin from which the maximum and minimum elevation values are measured, e.g. Mean Sea Level(MSL)
  • Temporal Extent: 
    • Date and time for the content of the dataset.

12(O). Reference system: Reference system name

  • CRS:
    • Projection Used: Identity of the projection used
    • Ellipsoid used: Identity of the ellipsoid used
    • Datum used: Identity of datum used
  • Ellipsoid parameters
  • Projection Parameters

13(M). Lineage statement: Information about the events or source data used in constructing the data specified by the scope or lack of knowledge about lineage

14(C). On-line resource: Information about on-line sources from which the dataset, specification, or community profile name and extended metadata elements can be obtained (Example: http://www.ngi.gov.za)

15(M). Metadata file identifier: Unique identifier for this metadata file. (Examples: Landcover.meta and Landuse.meta)

16(C). Metadata standard name: Name of the metadata standard (including profile name) used (Example : SANS I878-1)

17(C). Metadata standard version: Version (profile) of the metadata standard used, Identification of the version of the metadata standard used to document the data set

18(M). Metadata language: (included if not defined by encoding standard): Language used for documenting metadata.(Example: English (eng))

19(M). Metadata character set: Full name of the ISO character coding standard used for the metadata set

20(M) Metadata point of contact: Party responsible for the metadata information.

  • Organisation Name
  • Physical Address
  • Postal Address

21(M).  Metadata time stamp: Date that the metadata were created or last updated

22(C). Spatial Representation type: Digital mechanism used to represent spatial information, from code list,e.g. 001= vector 007 = image formats

 

 

 

 

What is a harvest source?

Harvest sources allow importing remote metadata into this catalogue. Remote sources can be other catalogues such as other CKAN instances, CSW servers or Web Accessible Folders (WAF) (depending on the actual harvesters enabled for this instance).

 

What are the different user roles?

1. Anonymous User:  An anonymous user has search and viewing capabilities over public metadata records and moderated DCPR records of the EMC. This user role is not required to register nor are they a member of any organisation.

2. Registered User: A user role that represents a general user that has registered themselves on the system. By registering, this user has access to additional features such as the ability to receive notifications and to save searches. This user is not a member of any organisation but can access public catalogue records and is allowed to initiate DCPR workflows by creating and submitting requests.

3. Organisation Member: A user role that represents a registered user that has been made a member of an organisation. They have all the permissions of a registered user and can also view the organisation’s metadata records that are not public. Note that a single user can be made a member of multiple organisations.

4. Metadata Editor: This user role is a privileged user, that is part of a known institution or company. They must register on the EMC and provide additional information about its affiliation. This role is a member of an organisation that has permission to create (but not publicly publish), edit and delete metadata records on the EMC in the organisations where it is a member.

5. Metadata Publisher: This user role is a privileged user that is part of a known institution. They have the power to publish metadata records for consumption by the public as well as to create, delete and edit metadata records that are owned by their organisation. Metadata publishers are also able to manage other users’ permissions to their datasets. There can be multiple users with this role within an organisation.

6. NSIF Reviewer: A user role that represents a registered user that acts on behalf of the NSIF and is involved in the DCPR and error reporting workflows. It is able to visualise unmoderated DCPR requests and add additional information to them. This information shall reflect the recommendation of the NSIF to the CSI on whether the relevant DCPR request seems adequate or not.

7. CSI Reviewer: A user role that represents a registered user that acts on behalf of the CSI and is able to approve or deny DCPR requests. It is also involved in the error reporting workflow.

8. Portal Content Manager: This user role represents a registered user that is allowed to manage extra content on the system, such as the documentation sections, recent news, additional static sections, etc.

9. System Administrator: A user role that possesses full access permissions, being able to configure and maintain all aspects of the EMC and the DCPR.