Morpho – metadata management software

1. Morpho – metadata management software SEEK Training January 2004

2. Morpho Is a data management software tool for ecologists. http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/software/morpho/

3. Morpho • provides a way for ecologists to share data by defining a common structure to document their data (i.e. create metadata) so that other ecologists and/or software programs can correctly interpret the data. • It uses an XML format to create the common structure.

4. So basically, Morpho is an xml editor • But what is xml?

5. xml • Like html, xml uses a system of coded tags <xxx>…..</xxx> • Whereas html defines the look and feel of text, xml defines the content.

6. XML vs. Eml As xml can define any content and Morpho is designed for ecologists this xml format has been structured for ecological data and is called EML.

7. EML Ecological Metadata Language is a content standard for documenting ecological data that is implemented using XML schema to define the structure.

8. EML The basic structure of EML emerged from the work of Michener et al. (1997), in which a set of metadata (information about the data which is pertinent to use the data) descriptors specific to the ecological sciences were developed.

9. Morpho allows you to create & edit metadata without writing EML codes or remembering the structure of EML and the five classes of Metadata descriptors

10. Additionally Morpho allows you to • Search & query metadata collections • View data & data collections • Verify/edit data • Provide access control Through the Metacat server

11. Metacat • is a generic XML database that allows storage, query, and retrieval of arbitrary XML documents

12. So as you now have a basic understanding of …Morpho • What it is • What it does • How it works You will now have an opportunity to explore Morpho

13. In this exercise you will… • Determine what constitutes useable data. • Apply Ecological Metadata Descriptors to data • Use Morpho to up load and edit a data package

14. Allison and Cicchetti example • Taxonomic issues (gaps in our knowledge and understanding of discovering, describing and naming individual species and working out their relationships to provide a classification) are seen by many as an impediment to sound management and conservation of biodiversity -- Global Taxonomy Initiative*. • While primary research on systemics is crucial so is the creation and maintenance of easily accessible databases with reliable information on species names and their hierarchical classification. As an early career scientist in biology, much of the research you will conduct can provide valuable and pertinent taxonomic information and metadata. • In this exercise we will provide you an opportunity to use Morpho to add and edit metadata to a pre-existing data set. Using data from the 1976 classic article Sleep in Mammals: Ecological and Constitutional Correlates, by Allison Cicchetti, you learn the importance of adequate metadata and the difficulty in using archived data.

15. Step 1: Locate Allison and Cicchetti data using the web Using either your favorite web browser or ecological database locate the data from the 1976 article Sleep in Mammals: Ecological and Constitutional Correlates, by Allison Cicchetti.

16. While conducting your web search please respond to the following questions. • What resources are available for locating ecological data? • Is the data saved in a useable format? • What information is there? • What information is missing? • Is this information integral? • Is there enough adequate metadata to use this data?

17. Once you have located useable data please download and save the data file to a folder called Allison_ Cicchetti_lastname on the local drive (C drive) in the folder workspace.

18. Step 2: Use Morpho to edit Data

19. Open Morpho Locate the morpho software on your computer

20. Open Morpho • This is the screen that will open on your computer • As a new user you will need to create a new profile

21. Creating a new profile in Morpho Follow the instructions in the wizard pop up window that opens by creating a profile name and adding your first and last name in the open dialogue boxes and click next.

22. At this point you will notice that you have to register for a new metacat account at the KNB site so you must stop with Morpho and go to the KNB website.

23. Registering with KNB http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/

24. in the lower left-hand part of your screen you will notice a login & registration box

25. Click on link “create new account” to open the window where you can create your metacat account

26. Creating your Metacat Account • This window will open • Please fill in the registration information • Register as unaffiliated

27. Creating your Metacat Account • Write down this information as you will need your username and password to create your profile in Morpho! • You can use this account to search for data on the KNB website and to access data on Morpho

28. Creating a Profile in Morpho • Once you have registered at the KNB site and have established your metacat account you can finish creating your profile in Morpho….

29. Creating a Profile in Morpho • enter your metacat account information from the KNB website

30. Creating a Profile in Morpho • Add an identifier Prefix • This identifier will become the prefix of your stored metadata file names. • This identifier prefix can be anything

31. Creating a Profile in Morpho • Enter the Metacat username and the organization name which you registered on the knb.ecoinformatics.org site.

32. Creating a Profile in Morpho • Enter a prefix that will be added to all the data set you enter under this profile.

33. Creating a Profile in Morpho • The last step is to login into the metacat server. • enter your Metacat password. • This is the password you created on the KNB website

34. Using Morpho on Archived Data Allison and Cicchetti example using Morpho **

35. We will begin to use Morpho by uploading your saved allison and cicchetti to Morpho or the data • The software has a wizard package that walks you through step by step to upload data. • During this process, you will notice that much of the metadata can be added with this wizard

36. Adding a new data package to Morpho with the Package Wizard

37. Adding a new data package to Morpho with the Package Wizard • To upload saved data to Morpho locate data on hard drive by clicking browse

38. This window will open • Go to the C drive • Open workspace and locate your saved allison and cicchetti data

39. if data is saved as an asci file the wizard can automatically save the metadata associated with the data

40. Adding a new data package to Morpho • Enter the contact information for the data set you are adding • Fields in red are required

41. If the asci file was saved with delimiters Morpho will format data table according to delimiters View and check data table

42. If your data was not saved as a delimited asci file…please use canned data set (comma delimitated) located in workspace it is called allison and cicchetti data For exercise.txt

43. If the asci file was saved with delimiters Morpho will format data table according to delimiters View and check data table

44. Add a Table Name and description of data

45. Add/edit metadata to each column of data • Move cursor to find information about fields • Fields in red are required

46. Save data package to Morpho • You have the option in Morpho to save locally or to network. In this instance you will want to save locally – on your hard drive. • By saving to the network others will have access to your data – remember you can change this (local or network) using Morpho later

47. Using morpho to edit metadata • Once data is up loaded to Morpho you can edit data or metadata • This is the window that opens after you press finish in the morpho wizard.

48. Either click on Data in the data package window

49. Or click on edit at the appropriate level of metadata

50. The Morpho editor will open • Information with red dots is required • Multiple editor windows can be opened at each metadata level