CSR – XML DOCUMENTATION (updated December 2005)

• Introduction
• XML-ISO19115 format and schema
• XML Procedure and Java Tools

INTRODUCTION

Cruise Summary Reports (CSR = former ROSCOPs) are the usual means for reporting on cruises or field experiments at sea. Within the Sea-Search project an innovative infrastructure has been developed and installed by the Deutsches Ozeanographisches Datenzentrum (DOD) to streamline the entering and updating of CSRs (CSRONLINE) and the searching and presenting of CSRs (CSRRETRIEVAL) by means of the internet.

Two options have been developed and are available for updating:

• Using CSRONLINE, whereby chief scientists enter their CSRs online. After login CSRONLINE offers a choice of blank fields or to use a previous report as template, thus providing a very effective entry. Filled out once, further CSRs are very simply updated by successive cruises or experiments. Very often just the dates have to be changed. After entry, the chief scientist receives an extra reference number and password by e-mail, which will allow him / her to update this specific CSR in a further session.

• Submitting CSR entries in an ISO19115 compliant XML format. This is adopted by Sea-Search partners, that operate their own national CSR entry system. They collect national CSR entries themselves and send at regular intervals a copy of new CSRs to DOD for inclusion in the central CSR metadatabase.

XML – ISO19115 Format and schema

For purposes of standardization, international exchange and interoperability with other systems and networks the International Metadata Standard for Geographic Information ISO19115 has been adopted for the exchange of CSR entries. The XML ISO19115 schema (or DTD) is defined and managed by the Technical committee TC211 of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), who is responsible for making international standards on geographic information (www.isotc211.org). The standard defines more than 300 metadata elements, most of which can be applied optionally. It contains around ten elements, which are mandatory ‘core’ metadata. Moreover one can create profiles and add new elements.

IFREMER (FR) has undertaken a major effort in Sea-Search to define the CSR XML format as a subset of this standard. This has resulted in an XML format for CSR which is fully ISO 19115 compliant and whereby coordinates (positions, cruise tracks) make use of the GML standard. The following documentation is available:

• CSR_V0.xls : description of the CSR mapping to ISO
• CSR_V0.xsd : corresponding XML schema
• moorings.xsd : XML schema for the GML description of the moorings
• vessel_route.xsd : XML schema for the GML description of the ship route
• CSR_V0_example.xml : example
• CSR_Form.doc: Original CSR – ROSCOP form in Word

For a wider recognition and adoption on a global scale the documented formats have also been submitted to the Marine XML consortium and posted at their website: http://ioc.unesco.org/marinexml

DOD has developed an import mechanism to process and to import CSR XML files into the central CSRRETRIEVAL database, which has been tested for partner contributions and now is operational.

XML procedure and Java Tools

• Mapping
  Each data holding centre, willing to submit CSR XML files, starts with ‘mapping’ its own CSR database to the CSR XML format. In practice this is comparing and setting the translation properties between own metadata and the CSR XML metadata, securing that all mandatory and relevant CSR XML fields are covered.

• Exporting partner’s data to CSR XML files
  The partner uses the mapping table to generate an export of its database as XML files with the XML tags as specified. The preferred method is to make use of the dedicated Java Tool.

• Java Tool:
  To support partners in generating CSR XML files a Java Tool has been developed by IFREMER in the framework of the Sea-Search project. This also can be used to generate EDMED XML files and CDI XML files. The Java Tool is available free of charge and can be downloaded from: www.sea-search.net/cdi_documentation
  This webpage also lists documentation about the use of the Java Tool.

© Copyright SEA-SEARCH.NET 1998 - - All rights Reserved.