File Metadata
Metadata tags are a classifications that need to be created and manually assigned to files. This means that there is some upfront and maintenance effort required to create, assign, and manage the metadata. But because you can create your own metadata, you can create a classification and organization system that really fits your content set.
Metadata Overview
Metadata enables you to organize and classify your content beyond just folder structures.
It is useful if you want to filter or analyze your content.Metadata Types
There are two main types of metadata.
- Taxonomy Metadata
- Enforces users to assign only the metadata values defined in a related
taxonomy.
Figure 1. Taxonomy Metadata Assignment. You assign metadata in the Properties tab. You can only select the values specified in a taxonomy associated with a given metadata item.
- Label Metadata
- Enables users to assign any metadata value. Labels already used for other files
are remembered and suggested.
Figure 2. Label Metadata Assignment. You assign metadata in the Properties tab by entering any value.
- Text Metadata
- Users can create any metadata value. No values are suggested as the user types.
- Date Metadata
- A date picker is provided to choose a calendar date.
Interface
You access the Metadata interface from the Administration interface.
Taxonomy Metadata
Taxonomy metadata values are defined by taxonomy terms.
Operation
To use your taxonomy as metadata, you need to connect an existing taxonomy with a metadata category.
The following example from the Metadata interface shows metadata items associated with taxonomies (values fields).
You can apply configured taxonomy metadata to DITA and non-DITA files in the content library.
You assign metadata in the Properties tab. You can only select the values specified in a taxonomy associated with a given metadata item.
You can filter items marked with taxonomy metadata in the content library.
You filter items marked with taxonomy metadata by using the Filters pane.
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when composing taxonomy metadata:
- You can use the Bulk Change option to apply metadata to multiple files and their dependencies in the content library.
- Apply any new metadata to the existing content in the content library, as necessary.
- Ensure that authors use taxonomy metadata to mark content by enforcing one of the
following strategies:
- At Creation
- Every time an Author creates a new topic or map, they assign metadata in the Create new window. Authors may sometimes go back and add additional metadata if they think another term should be applied or modified.
- At Approval
- Editors or Managers assign metadata to an entire map and all of its dependencies when the map is approved, using the Bulk Change option.
- At Creation and Approval
- Every time an Author creates a new topic or map, they assign metadata in the Create new window. Editors or Managers review and modify metadata when the map is approved.
- Taxonomy metadata ensures that all metadata items used in your organization align with a predetermined classification structure, which is your taxonomy of terms.
Create a Taxonomy
Create a taxonomy of terms to use when creating Taxonomy Metadata.
- In the Dashboard interface, click Taxonomy .
- Click New Taxonomy .
- Enter a label for the taxonomy terms.
- Click Save to create the new taxonomy.
- Click the taxonomy to add taxonomy terms.
- Click "Unnamed 1" to modify the taxonomy term.
- In the Labels field, enter a new label for the taxonomy term.
- Click Save .
- To create more taxonomy terms, do any of the following:
- To insert a new taxonomy term below the selected term, right-click the term and select Create Term Below . Enter a label for the taxonomy term and click Save .
- To insert a child term below the selected term, right-click the term and select Create Narrower Term . Enter a label for the taxonomy term and click Save .
- Click Save Changes .
You're ready to connect it to a metadata category. For more information, see Create a Metadata Category for Taxonomy Metadata.
Create a Metadata Category for Taxonomy Metadata
You must first have taxonomy configured. For more information, see Create a Taxonomy.
You're ready to apply your taxonomy metadata to your files. For more information, see Assign Taxonomy Metadata to Files.
Assign Taxonomy Metadata to Files
Use the Properties tab in the resource manager to assign Taxonomy Metadata to files.
You must create taxonomy metadata first. For more information, see Create a Taxonomy.
Delete a Taxonomy
Delete taxonomy structures that you no longer need.
- In the Dashboard interface, click Taxonomy .
- Click the X beside the taxonomy you want to delete.
- Click Delete .
Delete a Metadata Category
- In the Dashboard interface, click Metadata to open the Metadata interface.
- Click Delete next to the metadata category you no longer need to open the Delete category window.
- Click DELETE and the window closes.
- Click Save Changes to apply the deletions of the category.
Label Metadata
Label metadata values are independent from taxonomies. You can enter any value when assigning metadata to files in the content library.
Operation
To use label metadata, you need to create a metadata category in the Metadata interface.
You can apply configured label metadata to DITA and non-DITA files in the content library.
You assign metadata in the Properties tab by entering any value.
You can filter items marked with taxonomy metadata in the content library.
You filter items marked with taxonomy metadata by using the Filters pane.
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when using label metadata:
- We recommend to use label metadata if your organization does not have composed taxonomies or the existing taxonomies quickly evolve.
- Incorporate frequently used label metadata items into taxonomies.
- Third-party systems can use label metadata to integrate with easyDITA.
Create a Metadata Category for Label Metadata
Create a metadata category to contain your label metadata tags.
You're ready to create metadata tags as needed for this category. For more information, see Create and Assign Label Metadata Tags.
Create and Assign Label Metadata Tags
Assign existing label metadata tags to a file or create new labels.
You must first have a metadata category configured for the label metadata. For more information, see Create a Metadata Category for Label Metadata.
You assigned Label Metadata to the file.
Taxonomy-Driven Attributes
Use the Taxonomy-Driven Attributes feature apply taxonomy terms as attribute values on DITA elements.
It is useful if you want to conditionalize your content and want to control what values authors can apply.For more information on attributes utilization, see Bulk Change Files Metadata.
Overview
In the following example, the “novice” and “expert” taxonomy terms will be used as values for audience attributes.
In the Attributes tab of the topic editor, your Taxonomy-Driven Attributes populate lists that correspond to particular attributes.
Considerations
- You can use only one taxonomy per one attribute
- You can use a single taxonomy for multiple attributes
- By default, the taxonomy-driven attributes feature is disabled in the topic editor.
If you want to enable the taxonomy-driven attributes feature on your easyDITA instance, contact your easyDITA representativeNote: Enabling the taxonomy-driven attributes feature on your easyDITA instance disables you from manually entering the attributes in the topic editor. In other words, you can only assign the attributes specified in taxonomies..
Configure Taxonomy-Driven Attributes
You enable Taxonomy-Driven Attributes by creating a taxonomy in easyDITA and editing a customization file in oXygen.
In the Attributes tab of the topic editor, your Taxonomy-Driven Attributes populate lists that correspond to particular attributes.
Bulk Change Files Metadata
Change the metadata of multiple files at once using a bulk change.