All Known Implementing Classes:

MetaDataImpl
```
@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="MD_MetaData",
     specification=ISO_19115)
public interface MetaData
```
Root entity which defines metadata about a resource or resources.

Since:

GeoAPI 2.0

Author:

Martin Desruisseaux (IRD), Cory Horner (Refractions Research)

Method Summary

All Methods Instance Methods Abstract Methods
Modifier and Type	Method	Description
`Collection<? extends ApplicationSchemaInformation>`	`getApplicationSchemaInfo()`	Provides information about the conceptual schema of a dataset.
`CharacterSet`	`getCharacterSet()`	Full name of the character coding standard used for the metadata set.
`Collection<? extends ResponsibleParty>`	`getContacts()`	Parties responsible for the metadata information.
`Collection<? extends ContentInformation>`	`getContentInfo()`	Provides information about the feature catalogue and describes the coverage and image data characteristics.
`Collection<? extends DataQuality>`	`getDataQualityInfo()`	Provides overall assessment of quality of a resource(s).
`String`	`getDataSetUri()`	Uniformed Resource Identifier (URI) of the dataset to which the metadata applies.
`Date`	`getDateStamp()`	Date that the metadata was created.
`Distribution`	`getDistributionInfo()`	Provides information about the distributor of and options for obtaining the resource(s).
`String`	`getFileIdentifier()`	Unique identifier for this metadata file, or `null` if none.
`Collection<String>`	`getHierarchyLevelNames()`	Name of the hierarchy levels for which the metadata is provided.
`Collection<ScopeCode>`	`getHierarchyLevels()`	Scope to which the metadata applies.
`Collection<? extends Identification>`	`getIdentificationInfo()`	Basic information about the resource(s) to which the metadata applies.
`Locale`	`getLanguage()`	Language used for documenting metadata.
`Collection<Locale>`	`getLocales()`	Provides information about an alternatively used localized character string for a linguistic extension.
`Collection<? extends Constraints>`	`getMetadataConstraints()`	Provides restrictions on the access and use of data.
`Collection<? extends MetadataExtensionInformation>`	`getMetadataExtensionInfo()`	Information describing metadata extensions.
`MaintenanceInformation`	`getMetadataMaintenance()`	Provides information about the frequency of metadata updates, and the scope of those updates.
`String`	`getMetadataStandardName()`	Name of the metadata standard (including profile name) used.
`String`	`getMetadataStandardVersion()`	Version (profile) of the metadata standard used.
`String`	`getParentIdentifier()`	File identifier of the metadata to which this metadata is a subset (child).
`Collection<? extends PortrayalCatalogueReference>`	`getPortrayalCatalogueInfo()`	Provides information about the catalogue of rules defined for the portrayal of a resource(s).
`Collection<? extends ReferenceSystem>`	`getReferenceSystemInfo()`	Description of the spatial and temporal reference systems used in the dataset.
`Collection<? extends SpatialRepresentation>`	`getSpatialRepresentationInfo()`	Digital representation of spatial information in the dataset.

Method Detail

getFileIdentifier

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="fileIdentifier",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
String getFileIdentifier()

Unique identifier for this metadata file, or null if none.

Returns:: Unique identifier for this metadata file, or null.

getLanguage

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="language",
     obligation=CONDITIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Locale getLanguage()

Language used for documenting metadata.

Returns:: Language used for documenting metadata, or null.

getCharacterSet

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="characterSet",
     obligation=CONDITIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
CharacterSet getCharacterSet()

Full name of the character coding standard used for the metadata set.

Returns:: character coding standard used for the metadata, or null.

getParentIdentifier
```
@UML(identifier="parentIdentifier",
     obligation=CONDITIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
String getParentIdentifier()
```
File identifier of the metadata to which this metadata is a subset (child).

Returns:

Identifier of the metadata to which this metadata is a subset, or null.

getHierarchyLevels

@UML(identifier="hierarchyLevel",
     obligation=CONDITIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<ScopeCode> getHierarchyLevels()

Scope to which the metadata applies.

Returns:: Scope to which the metadata applies.

getHierarchyLevelNames

@UML(identifier="hierarchyLevelName",
     obligation=CONDITIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<String> getHierarchyLevelNames()

Name of the hierarchy levels for which the metadata is provided.

Returns:: Hierarchy levels for which the metadata is provided.

getContacts

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="contact",
     obligation=MANDATORY,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends ResponsibleParty> getContacts()

Parties responsible for the metadata information.

Returns:: Parties responsible for the metadata information.
Since:: GeoAPI 2.1

getDateStamp

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="dateStamp",
     obligation=MANDATORY,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Date getDateStamp()

Date that the metadata was created.

Returns:: Date that the metadata was created.

getMetadataStandardName

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="metadataStandardName",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
String getMetadataStandardName()

Name of the metadata standard (including profile name) used.

Returns:: Name of the metadata standard used, or null.

getMetadataStandardVersion

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="metadataStandardVersion",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
String getMetadataStandardVersion()

Version (profile) of the metadata standard used.

Returns:: Version of the metadata standard used, or null.

getDataSetUri
```
@UML(identifier="dataSetURI",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
String getDataSetUri()
```
Uniformed Resource Identifier (URI) of the dataset to which the metadata applies.

Returns:

Uniformed Resource Identifier of the dataset, or null.

Since:

GeoAPI 2.1

getLocales
```
@UML(identifier="locale",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<Locale> getLocales()
```
Provides information about an alternatively used localized character string for a linguistic extension.

Returns:

Alternatively used localized character string for a linguistic extension.

Since:

GeoAPI 2.1

getSpatialRepresentationInfo

@UML(identifier="spatialRepresentationInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends SpatialRepresentation> getSpatialRepresentationInfo()

Digital representation of spatial information in the dataset.

Returns:: Digital representation of spatial information in the dataset.

getReferenceSystemInfo

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="referenceSystemInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends ReferenceSystem> getReferenceSystemInfo()

Description of the spatial and temporal reference systems used in the dataset.

Returns:: Spatial and temporal reference systems used in the dataset.

getMetadataExtensionInfo

@UML(identifier="metadataExtensionInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends MetadataExtensionInformation> getMetadataExtensionInfo()

Information describing metadata extensions.

Returns:: Metadata extensions.

getIdentificationInfo

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="identificationInfo",
     obligation=MANDATORY,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends Identification> getIdentificationInfo()

Basic information about the resource(s) to which the metadata applies.

Returns:: The resource(s) to which the metadata applies.

getContentInfo
```
@UML(identifier="contentInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends ContentInformation> getContentInfo()
```
Provides information about the feature catalogue and describes the coverage and image data characteristics.

Returns:

The feature catalogue, coverage descriptions and image data characteristics.

getDistributionInfo
```
@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="distributionInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Distribution getDistributionInfo()
```
Provides information about the distributor of and options for obtaining the resource(s).

Returns:

The distributor of and options for obtaining the resource(s).

getDataQualityInfo

@Profile(level=CORE)
@UML(identifier="dataQualityInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends DataQuality> getDataQualityInfo()

Provides overall assessment of quality of a resource(s).

Returns:: Overall assessment of quality of a resource(s).

getPortrayalCatalogueInfo
```
@UML(identifier="portrayalCatalogueInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends PortrayalCatalogueReference> getPortrayalCatalogueInfo()
```
Provides information about the catalogue of rules defined for the portrayal of a resource(s).

Returns:

The catalogue of rules defined for the portrayal of a resource(s).

getMetadataConstraints

@UML(identifier="metadataConstraints",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends Constraints> getMetadataConstraints()

Provides restrictions on the access and use of data.

Returns:: Restrictions on the access and use of data.

getApplicationSchemaInfo

@UML(identifier="applicationSchemaInfo",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
Collection<? extends ApplicationSchemaInformation> getApplicationSchemaInfo()

Provides information about the conceptual schema of a dataset.

Returns:: The conceptual schema of a dataset.

getMetadataMaintenance
```
@UML(identifier="metadataMaintenance",
     obligation=OPTIONAL,
     specification=ISO_19115)
MaintenanceInformation getMetadataMaintenance()
```
Provides information about the frequency of metadata updates, and the scope of those updates.

Returns:

The frequency of metadata updates and their scope.

Interface MetaData