GSoC 2014 Metadata for GRASS GIS maps and datasets

Title:	Metadata for GRASS GIS maps and datasets
Student Name:	Matej Krejci, ​Czech Technical University in Prague

Organization:

​OSGeo - Open Source Geospatial Foundation

Mentor Name:

​Martin Landa, ​Margherita Di Leo

GSoC proposal:

​view proposal

Motivation

Current GRASS GIS offers just a poor and out-of-date administration of metadata. The goal of this project is to implement administration of metadata according to the standards of ISO 19115, ISO 19139 and to create a graphical user interface which would allow the user to operate with metadata, such as creating, updating, browsing, searching etc.

Timeline

timeline from proposal		newly proposed timeline
MAY 1- 7	"Early starts" Study ISO, INSPIRE and FGDC standards
MAY 7 - 14	Getting familiar with GRASS GIS modules code.
MAY 14 - 19	Design of metadata GRASS library	design GRASS library (in Python) to read / write metadata based on ISO as flat XML files
MAY 19	Starting GoSC x
MAY 19- 25	Support of diferent metadata profiles	design GRASS library (in Python) to read / write metadata based on ISO as flat XML files including profies (XSD validation, Inspire as the show-case)
MAY 26 - JUN 16	"Break"(Prepare for bachelor final exam)	add support for conversion GRASS (current) metadata files <-> XML ISO metadata
JUN 16 - 24	Implement basic library model for command line	design cmd modules for reading and writing ISO-based metadata -> r.info.iso + v.info.iso (including support for conversion GRASS (current) metadata files <-> XML ISO metadata)
JUN 24 - 30	Modules functionality (searching, publishing metadata)	design GUI for reading and writing ISO-based metadata
JULY 1 - 7	Design GUI	design GUI for reading and writing ISO-based metadata -> g.gui.metadata
JULY 7 - 14	Connect GUI library, basic functions	advanced metadata publishing/searching based on owslib + pycsw
JULY 14 - 21	Implementation of search function to GUI	advanced metadata publishing/searching based on owslib + pycsw
JULY 21 - 30	Improve metadata validation using designed GUI	advanced metadata publishing/searching based on owslib + pycsw -> testing prototype
AUGUST 1 - 9	Polishing code	polishing code
AUGUST 9 - 18	Testing and documentation	testing and documentation
AUGUST 18	The end of GSoC	the end of GSoC

Roadmap

Week 1 (May 23)

studied metadata and tried to find suitable python lib during last three weeks:

• studied ISO 19115 and EN ISO 19119
  • INSPIRE
  • be advised to leave out implementation of FGDC - just ISO, INSPIRE
• get familiar with OWSLib and pycsw
  • set pycsw metadata server catalog
  • handled metadata by OWSLib
• spent time with design lib based on automated generation of XML from XSD - failed
• tested suitability of generateDS to generate python object from XML scheme (XSD)
• designed library for parse GRASS GIS metadata to XML based on md. ISO
  • parsed metadata from:
    • r.info
    • v.info
    • g.proj
• designed essential metadata profile for raster and vector maps (based on ISO standard)
  • prepared lib for new update of OWSLib that will be ready during next week. (in contact with author)
• created new timeline - main changes:
  • created basic metadata management based on creating, editing, validating ISO. (obligatory)
  • created advanced management based on client-server with using pycsw. (optional)