DFIRM Tools FAQs: DFIRM Metadata Builder

  1. One or both of the following error messages appeared when I tried to build a metadata file…
  2. The following error message appeared when I tried to build a metadata file…
  3. The following error message appeared when I tried to build a metadata file…
  4. Why do I have to overwrite the existing metadata file, if I want to create a new metadata file?
  5. The following dialog box appeared when I tried to build a metadata file…
  6. The following dialog box appeared while I was creating a new metadata file…
  7. What information is required for each of the source citation templates?
  8. I do not understand some of the terms on the metadata templates, and I do not know what information needs to be entered.
  9. The following dialog appeared when I tried to populate a source template…
  10. The following dialog appeared when I tried use the USGS Quad Index or NGS Benchmark template for the second time…
  11. The following dialog box appeared when I tried to add a new source to an existing metadata file…
  12. The following dialog box appeared when I tried to add a new source to an existing metadata file…
  13. The following dialog box appeared when I tried to edit a source in the existing metadata file…
  14. The following dialog box appeared when I tried to edit a source in the existing metadata file…
  15. I was only able to pick one source from the drop-down list to edit.
  16. In the metadata file the publication date and calendar date are listed as ‘prelim’, but the metadata is for an effective study, not a preliminary study.
  17. I want to edit the Keywords and/or the Altitude Resolution value in the current metadata file.

1.  One or both of the following error messages appeared when I tried to build a metadata file:

Termination message – Data frame projection information does not match Study_Info table projection information.
Termination message – Data frame units do not match Study_Info table projection information.

The value for the field Projection Zone in the Study_Info table was changed while you were in the current ArcMap session.  Close ArcMap, and do not save the .mxd.  Relaunch the step in JTX.  When ArcMap opens, the data frame projection and datum will be set to the values within your Study_Info table.  You should now be able to build your metadata file successfully.

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2.  The following error message appeared when I tried to build a metadata file:

Termination message – Datum, projection, and projection zone information within Study_Info table do not match.

The horizontal datum and/or projection in the Study_Info table do not match the projection information designated by the domain value in the Projection Zone field.  To synchronize all of the projection information in the Study_Info table, use the DFIRM Layer Data Loader tool to add the Study_Info table to your project.  Enter an editing session, select the record in the Study_Info table, and use the Attribute Selected Features tool on the GeoPop toolbar to edit the Datum, Projection, and Projection Zone values in the Study_Info table to match.  Once you have saved the edits to the table, stop editing, and start creating your metadata file again.

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3.  The following error message appeared when I tried to build a metadata file:

Termination message – Certain fields in the Study_Info table must be populated to generate a metadata file.

The metadata tool obtains certain information from the Study_Info table, therefore, specific fields must be populated in order to create a metadata file.  To populate any of the fields listed in the error message, use the DFIRM Layer Data Loader tool to add the Study_Info table to your project.  Enter an editing session, select the record in the Study_Info table, and use the Attribute Selected Features tool on the GeoPop toolbar to edit the necessary values in the Study_Info table.  Once you have saved the edits to the table, stop editing, and start creating your metadata file again.

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4.  Why do I have to overwrite the existing metadata file, if I want to create a new metadata file?

Only one metadata file can exist per DFIRM study per effective date.

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5.  The following dialog box appeared when I tried to build a metadata file:

Termination message – Source citations are not sequential.

As sources are created with the GeoPop tools, the source citation IDs are incremented sequentially when more than one record is added for a source type (i.e., Study1, Study2, Base1, Base2).  However, if the user deletes a record in a sequential sequence, the Metadata Tool will not allow the user to generate a metadata file.  The user needs to manually edit the source citation IDs to ensure that all the source types are numbered sequentially with no omitted numbers.

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6.  The following dialog box appeared while I was creating a new metadata file:

Termination message – Information is incomplete.

If the user exits out of any of the dialogs that appear to collect the required information, the metadata creation process is terminated after the user confirms cancellation of the tool, and the message box above will appear.  You must re-start the metadata building process.

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7.  What information is required for each of the source citation templates?

Requirements for source citation templates

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8.  I do not understand some of the terms on the metadata templates, and I do not know what information needs to be entered.

Moving a mouse over the field names in the templates will access specific field definitions and entry examples.  Additionally, all of the templates, except the Other template, have a View Sample Form button.  This button will display a sample of the template populated with example information.

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9.  The following dialog appeared when I tried to populate a source template:

Information dialog - Calendar date year not valid

Dates entered into the template must be the current date or later.  Dates cannot be in the future.

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10.  The following dialog appeared when I tried use the USGS Quad Index or NGS Benchmark template for the second time:

Information dialog – Citation source duplication.

Each DFIRM study should only have one USGS Quad Index citation and one NGS Benchmark citation.

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11.  The following dialog box appeared when I tried to add a new source to an existing metadata file:

Termination message – No additional sources found.

Unless you have added a new record to the Source Citation table (L_SOURCE_CIT), you cannot add a new reference in the metadata file.  Use the DFIRM Layer Data Loader tool to add the Source Citation table to your project.  Enter an editing session and use the Add New Row tool on the GeoPop toolbar to add a new record to the Source Citation table.  Once you have saved the edits to the table, you can stop editing and use the Add Source button on the DFIRM Metadata Builder toolbar to add a new source to the metadata file.

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12.  The following dialog box appeared when I tried to add a new source to an existing metadata file:

Termination message – Source citations have been removed.

Once a metadata file is created, sources cannot be removed from the Source Citation lookup table (L_SOURCE_CIT).  Removing sources from the lookup table does not remove the associated information in the existing metadata file.  If sources are deleted, a new metadata file must be created, overwriting the existing metadata file.

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13.  The following dialog box appeared when I tried to edit a source in the existing metadata file:

Termination message – Information is incomplete.

If the user exits out of the dialog to select an editable source, the metadata editing process is terminated after the user confirms cancellation of the tool, and the message box above will appear.  You must re-start the metadata editing process to edit the existing source citation information.

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14.  The following dialog box appeared when I tried to edit a source in the existing metadata file:

Termination message - No source was selected.

When the Edit Source Selection dialog appears, the drop-down window is blank, and the user needs to hit the down arrow button to view the list of their source.  However, if the user hits OK, the error message will appear because no actual source was chosen for editing.  You must re-start the metadata editing process to edit the existing source citation information.

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15.  I was only able to pick one source from the drop-down list to edit.

Only one source can be edited and saved at a time.  The Edit Source tool will have to be run for every source you want to edit.  However, sources can be edited multiple times, as necessary.

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16.  In the metadata file the publication date and calendar date are listed as ‘prelim’, but the metadata is for an effective study, not a preliminary study.

If the field EFF_DATE in FIRM Panel Index (S_FIRM_PAN) is blank, then the effective date in the metadata will be populated with ‘prelim’.  Populate the field in the FIRM Panel Index attribute table with the appropriate effective date, and recreate the metadata file.

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17.  I want to edit the Keywords and/or the Altitude Resolution value in the current metadata file.

Only the information for individual sources is editable.  To change the keywords or altitude resolution in the metadata file, a new metadata file must be created, which overwrites the existing metadata file.

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