MIP FAQs: Metadata Upload

  1. Currently, the MIP does not allow you to create multiple metadata files for the same task type. Therefore, every time you upload a new metadata file for that task type, it will supersede the preceding metadata file. How should we populate the MIP if you have multiple sources for floodplain mapping data (example)? Should you create 2 floodplain mapping data development tasks and upload 2 different metadata sources or create 1 floodplain mapping data development task and include both metadata sources in 1 file?
  2. Having orthophoto raster base data submitted for Task 12(Base Map Acquisition), should raster and vector base data be referenced in the same metadata, and located in the same folder on the MIP? According to the FEMA metadata profiles (FEMA-NFIP-Profile_OrthoImagery_v101.doc) there is a separate profile for orthos. Therefore, would there be two metadata docs in the folder, one for the spatial dbase files and one for the orthos? If so, what effects would this have on the MIP Workflow program, will it be confused by two metadata docs?
  3. For all of my survey task items for pre-2006 projects I am having the following error messages. Please see the error message below. I have uploaded a dummy text file to accommodate the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) issue and I still receive the error message. Watershed Information System (WISE™) tools were not used for any of our projects and therefore the Data Capture Standards (DCS) error message (from what I understand) should not be occurring. I have contacted my RMC about this issue, but wanted to also pass along the problem to MIPHelp.
  4. Certain mapping partners were contracted to do a task that didn't fit neatly into any MIP categories. Years ago, while using the Monitoring Information on Contracted Studies (MICS) system, this was set up as Perform Field Survey. FMSM (FEMA mapping partner) has no deliverable that would fit this category. They have uploaded their recon reports to the specified locations. Can you please fix the workflow so that they can skip these steps? In addition, the store content step will have to be altered since there will be no metadata.
  5. The following studies are old projects migrated into the MIP from MICS. These projects were funded under the MCC contract (before the NSP, i.e. not funded with Map Mod) and therefore are not subject to MIP requirements. They are already effective studies for which the RMC is entering contract and schedule info for the Region. These projects have been effective for awhile and we do not have access to the upload data required at the Produce Map Products step. Also, since these studies are FY00-FY03 studies (not funded with Map Mod), the Region is not holding the contractor to the MIP requirements. Therefore, I need to advance the study without being required to upload the DFIRM database and metadata AND without having a QC report. Please set up a workaround for the Produce Map Products portion of the workflow for each of these studies so that we can continue to push the project through to the current effective status.
  6. The metadata has been run through MetaMan successfully, is named correctly, and is in the correct folder on the submittal drive (see first screen shot), and the submittal has otherwise passed Validate Content for Jasper Co, IA (Case number 06-07-B080S). However, this is stuck at Store Content with an error message.
1.  Currently, the MIP does not allow you to create multiple metadata files for the same task type. Therefore, every time you upload a new metadata file for that task type, it will supersede the preceding metadata file. How should we populate the MIP if you have multiple sources for floodplain mapping data (example)? Should you create 2 floodplain mapping data development tasks and upload 2 different metadata sources or create 1 floodplain mapping data development task and include both metadata sources in 1 file?

Short Term/Currently: Create 2 floodplain mapping data development (DD) tasks and upload 1 metadata file:  This option will require a lot of coordination with the Regional Management Center (RMC) and the 2 DD leads so that each D125contractor will not overwrite each others metadata files.  Then at some point the RMC or assigned “primary” will have to sow all of the metadata together and upload 1 metadata file.  If the RMC will take on this metadata sow/upload task they will have to make sure that each DD task lead is coordinating with them when they upload the data and metadata files. 

Example:  Contractor A will inform the RMC they will be uploading the files through data load artifacts/MIPHelp (if necessary).  Then the RMC will go to the project folders and copy all of the metadata files locally using Windows Explorer from Contractor A’s upload.  Then, the RMC can inform Contractor B to upload their files.  Once Contractor B has uploaded their files, they will have overwritten those of Contractor A’s, which is fine because the RMC has saved these files locally.  Then it is the RMC’s responsibility to take the two metadata files and sow them together.  Within this metadata file the user should specifically reference the each individual source of data for each respective portion of the metadata file.  Once the RMC has the 1 metadata file ready they can request MIPHelp to place the files into the proper folders. The metadata files need to be sowed together and placed in the proper folders before the “Store Content” step can move forward.

Long term:  There is already a Change Request (CR) logged to correct this issue.  The fix will allow users to save/upload more than one metadata file for a specific task type.

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2. Having orthophoto raster base data submitted for Task 12(Base Map Acquisition), should raster and vector base data be referenced in the same metadata, and located in the same folder on the MIP? According to the FEMA metadata profiles (FEMA-NFIP-Profile_OrthoImagery_v101.doc) there is a separate profile for orthos. Therefore, would there be two metadata docs in the folder, one for the spatial dbase files and one for the orthos? If so, what effects would this have on the MIP Workflow program, will it be confused by two metadata docs?

For the ‘Acquire BaseMap’ task, the MIP will look for <CID>_BaseMap_metadata first; however if that file does not exist, then it will look for <CID>_Orthoimagery_metadata next to verify the presence of a valid metadata file and ingest the contents into Content Manager.  In the case that both are presence, the MIP will store the submission contents based upon the metadata entities in the Basemap metadata and the Orthoimagery metadata file will be archived as a retrievable data file.

Note:  This functionality was implemented in March 2006.

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3. For all of my survey task items for pre-2006 projects I am having the following error messages. Please see the error message below. I have uploaded a dummy text file to accommodate the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) issue and I still receive the error message. Watershed Information System (WISE™) tools were not used for any of our projects and therefore the Data Capture Standards (DCS) error message (from what I understand) should not be occurring. I have contacted my RMC about this issue, but wanted to also pass along the problem to MIPHelp.

The ‘FGDC metadata is not present’ error is generated when your metadata file is missing, in the wrong location, and/or named incorrectly.  The metadata file for the data development task must be in the (data development task) name\General folder per Appendix N specifications and named [CID]_Survey_metadata.  (Note: All subfolders in the zip file you upload via the Load Data Artifacts portlet will be maintained when the zip file is unzipped.)

However, please note that Section N.3.3.1 of Appendix N (May 2005) requires metadata be created and submitted with your DCS data submission.  If you do not upload valid metadata, your data submission will not be able to be archived on the MIP, and therefore, it will never be discoverable or retrievable via the Search and Retrieve portlet.  Additionally, if you do not upload metadata which adheres to the appropriate metadata profile, the RMC will reject the data submission at the Validate Content Submission task associated with Perform Field Survey.

Even if WISE was not used in the data production/development, all DCS tasks (Hydraulics, Hydrology, Survey, and Terrain) are required to create and submit a DCS quality assurance (QA) report.  The DCS QA report should be uploaded to the associated root folder for the task (e.g., Develop Topographic Data – Terrain folder), in other words, the report should not be in a subfolder within your uploaded zip file.  Log into Citrix, launch WISE, and click on the DCS Validator tool.  Enter in the necessary information and create the DCS QA report.  (Note: The MIP does not require a passing QA report; the MIP only required the presence of the report.  Your RMC will decide if you truly passed or failed meeting Appendix N specifications.) 
The DCS QA report naming convention is as follows:

Note:  Even if appropriate for legacy projects and the RMC approves, Mapping Partners should not be 'creating' dummy metadata files.  There is a ppt presentation called 'Metadata and Uploading Requirements' so if you would like the most recent version, please submit a request to MIPHelp asking for it.

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4.  Certain mapping partners were contracted to do a task that didn't fit neatly into any MIP categories. Years ago, while using the Monitoring Information on Contracted Studies (MICS) system, this was set up as Perform Field Survey. FMSM (FEMA mapping partner) has no deliverable that would fit this category. They have uploaded their recon reports to the specified locations. Can you please fix the workflow so that they can skip these steps? In addition, the store content step will have to be altered since there will be no metadata.

Edit the following pseudo-metadata file for the recon reports (Hint: editing in Notepad works well).  Name the file according to the naming conventions in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Metadata Profile Guidelines document, and upload the file at the appropriate task in the workflow.  When the associated Store Content task is completed, the data (i.e., recon reports) will be archived according to the metadata entities.  Note: There will not be any spatial entities, so the data cannot be discovered through the DCS/Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) Search or Map Viewer bounding boxes, only the General Search.

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5.  The following studies are old projects migrated into the MIP from MICS. These projects were funded under the MCC contract (before the NSP, i.e. not funded with Map Mod) and therefore are not subject to MIP requirements. They are already effective studies for which the RMC is entering contract and schedule info for the Region. These projects have been effective for awhile and we do not have access to the upload data required at the Produce Map Products step. Also, since these studies are FY00-FY03 studies (not funded with Map Mod), the Region is not holding the contractor to the MIP requirements. Therefore, I need to advance the study without being required to upload the DFIRM database and metadata AND without having a QC report. Please set up a workaround for the Produce Map Products portion of the workflow for each of these studies so that we can continue to push the project through to the current effective status.

Please note that ALL final DFIRM database deliverable submissions must pass the independent QC process, as mandated by Appendix L since 2003.  We can bypass the QC notification requirement for those projects that have passed QC’s data auto-validation and visual QC review for final submissions.

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6.  Process Admin (PA) tool is not working and I need to delete a data development task. What should I do?

Your metadata file is failing to ingest into Content Manager because at least one of the data values in a metadata entity is not valid for the fields in the database.  Please submit a ticket to MIPHelp.

Note:  Failing to ingest metadata into Content Manager only happens at the Store Content tasks.  If the metadata was validated with MetaMan, the user should never receive this type of error;

When you upload your draft DFIRM database deliverable submissions at the Develop DFIRM Database task, the data/metadata submission is automatically sent for the independent QA/QC.  The passing notification from QA/QC is not required until the associated Validate Content Submission task. 

Additionally, at the Validate Content Submission task, the metadata file must be in .xml format for it to be recognized by the MIP.  Use MetaMan to validate and convert the metadata file.  Since the screen does not currently have a Load Data Artifacts portlet (this will change in a future Service Pack), you can either copy the .xml metadata file to the correct folder via Citrix’s Windows Explorer (if you have write permissions to the folder) or send the metadata file to MIPHELP and let us know to where you need the file copied.

Note: Please ensure the xml file does not contain any embedded comments.

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