Metadata

An element can be linked to multiple metadata in order to add more context to the project.

Common use-cases are:

  • creation dates,

  • storage location,

  • notes from a subject-matter expert

  • Tables with various data

Types

Arkindex supports a few types of metadata:

  • Text, without formatting

  • Markdown, for text that needs formatting such as tables, list, etc. (More information about Markdown)

  • Date, for complete (year-month-day) or incomplete (just the year, or year-month) dates

  • Location, to specify a place by name or GPS coordinates

  • Reference, used internally during imports to point back to an external ID

  • Numeric, for decimal numbers that can be filtered on with comparison operators

  • URL, for HTTP or HTTPS links that will be made clickable

Rules

  • An Element can have several metadata of the same type.

  • An Element can have several metadata of the same type and name, but they will be ordered.

  • A metadata name can be up to 250 characters long.

  • The types and names of metadata are restricted for each project through allowed metadata, and have to be set by a project administrator.

  • A metadata with the type URL must be a valid URL starting with http:// or https://.

  • A metadata with the type Date must use a YYYY-MM-DD, YYYY-MM or YYYY, or declare a year interval with YYYY-YYYY.

  • A metadata with the type Numeric must be a valid floating-point number.

  • A metadata with the type Markdown can use Markdown syntax or a limited set of HTML tags. Special characters such as &, < and > will be escaped.

Web interface

You can view element metadata on the Details panel, when browsing a project.

View all the metadata linked to an element
Figure 1. View all the metadata linked to an element

If you have a contributor access on the project, you will also be able to create or update metadata using a simple form.

Create a metadata on an element
Figure 2. Create a metadata on an element
Metadata can only be created or updated with a contributor access to the project if allowed metadata have been configured for the project. The form will otherwise be disabled.

Free edit mode

Project and instance administrators can bypass the restrictions imposed by allowed metadata and create or update metadata with any name and type through the Free edit toggle of the metadata creation or edition forms. Any metadata created through this mode will cause a new allowed metadata to be created automatically.

"Create metadata on an element in free edit mode
Figure 3. Create metadata on an element in free edit mode

API Endpoints

These endpoints are the most useful to handle Element metadata: