GCE Data and Metadata Formats

Metadata Formats

Comprehensive metadata (data documentation files) are available for all GCE-LTER data sets in both plain text and EML (XML) format.

• Text (ESA FLED)
  • formatted text file with metadata content conforming to the ESA FLED report recommendations (see GCE Metadata Reference)
  • recommended for viewing in a text editor or word processing application
• Basic EML
  • XML text file conforming to the Ecological Metadata Language 2.1.0 schema, containing summary information without data table and file details
  • recommended for use in XML-based metadata discovery catalogs
• Complete EML
  • XML text file conforming to the Ecological Metadata Language 2.1.0 schema, containing complete data set information including data table attribute and file details
  • recommended for use in XML-based metadata catalogs and metadata-aware data processing programs

Data File Formats

GCE-LTER data sets are generally available in multiple file formats to suit various end-user requirements and software capabilities. The list below summarizes the main features of these formats and recommendations for common types of software. Technical details are described in the next section.

• Spreadsheet (CSV) format (*.CSV)
  • text file in CSV (comma-separated value) format optimized for spreadsheet compatibility
  • contains a minimal file header listing the title, column names, column units, and column variable types (the metadata is provided separately)
  • recommended for users of spreadsheet and database applications
• Text File format (*.TXT)
  • tab-delimited text file with a one line header containing column titles only, as described in the corresponding EML metadata document
  • intended for downloading via data table distribution links in the EML document (i.e. eml/dataset/dataTable/physical/distribution/online/url)
  • also recommended for users of spreadsheet or database programs
• Text Report format (*.RPT)
  • conventional text file containing a complete metadata header followed by a tab-delimited data table and one or more tab-delimited statistical reports
  • recommended for users of word processor and spreadsheet programs
• MATLAB (GCE Toolbox) format (*.MAT)
  • MATLAB files with data in GCE Data Structure format
  • recommended for MATLAB users who have downloaded the GCE Data Toolbox program
• MATLAB (Variables) format (*-VARS.MAT)
  • conventional MATLAB data files, with data columns as named arrays and formatted metadata in a single character array (i.e. 'metadata')
  • recommended for MATLAB users who have not downloaded the GCE Data Toolbox program