Step 2
Preparation

Preparing to create metadata requires management of your GIS data and directory structures to make the process as quick and easy as possible. This means...

Clean-up and Consolidate datasets

• Creating metadata takes less time for fewer datasets. 
• Have a workspace for developing data outside the core directories. 
• Ensure that geospatial datasets meet National, Regional or other standards for ATTRIBUTES and structures.
• Combine coverages that should have identical data structure if they won't become enormous. Useful commands include: additem, dropitem, and redefine, append, mapjoin, get, and put.
• Consider consolidating similar coverages into single coverages with multiple region subclasses, for example an activity coverage with different types of activities. Useful commands include: polyregion, union, and regionarea.
• Place final/correct version of GEOSPATIAL DATASETS in your core data directories. 
• Inform users of any changes to filenames that would effect their ARCVIEW projects.

Decide where to store metadata

• Will metadata reside in the coverage, in the same directory, or in a website? 
  • Ensure that the link between the metadata and the data is not broken.
     
• The metadata will probably have to at least be duplicated to a website or clearinghouse for publication.