Metadata Display Types

Text This display type provides a simple text field, which can contain any text. This is the most common form of metadata and provides the simplest input method in most cases.

Dropdown This display type provides a set of pre-configured text choices. The list of available selections is defined by setting up the Controlled Vocabulary for the field. When you create this type of field for the first time, you will be prompted to enter the words you want to allow (the Vocabulary).

Keywords This display type provides a text entry box, but unlike unstructured text each word entered is considered to be a separate keyword, which can be clicked (hyperlinked). Keywords are entered with spaces or commas separating each word. Keyword phrases are supported by using "double quotes" around the keyword phrase. When you select this type of field, you can enter any keywords as there is no Controlled Vocabulary.

Controlled Keywords The same as keyword fields, but you specify the keywords in advance, and users may only select keywords in the Controlled Vocabulary. When you create this type of field for the first time, you will be prompted to enter the words you want to allow (the Vocabulary).

Tree A variation of a Controlled Keywords field, the Tree display type provides a way to store nested, hierarchical data (sometimes referred to as a 'taxonomy'). This is one of the most powerful kinds of metadata and is suitable for a wide range of common tagging requirements.

When you select Dropdown, Keywords, Controlled Vocabulary or Tree on the Edit / Create Metadata Field page, you will be prompted to Set Up Vocabulary. Fields of this type are indicated in the list of fields on the Customise Metadata Page by the presence of a book icon You can select this at any time to add/modify the available keywords.
 

Actions on Unknown Metadata

When Specifying a Controlled Vocabularly

As well as specifying the keywords from which users can select, you also need to specify how your IMS Library should handle keywords that fall outside the list you specify.

Files uploaded to IMS may have embedded meta data (IPTC or XMP) which may or may not be within the scope of your Controlled Vocabulary. You will be prompted to specify Actions as follows.

Replace with keywords from existing files This option deletes the currently specified Controlled Vocabulary, searches for all unique data in your IMS Library and adds the unique metadata it finds to the vocabulary. IMS does not remove data from your files; this option only changes the Controlled Vocabulary.

Extend using keywords from existing files IMS looks for any keywords that can be found in your existing files, and adds them to the vocabulary if they are not already included.

Clear the vocabulary This clears the vocabulary. IMS does not remove metadata from your files; this button only clears the Controlled Vocabulary.

When Uploading

Site Options

More options for controlling the way in which metadata in uploaded files is processed before being added to an IMS Library are available on the Upload Settings page. Please refer to Configuration & Site Options for details.

More About Metadata