EML

[Matt Jones]

Hi Melissa,

Metadata that is in EML syntax is already in text format, because EML 
documents are XML [1] documents which are text documents.  XML requires 
the use of Unicode [2] text, which automatically makes it possible to 
include symbols from any language as well as mathematical and logical 
symbols that are commonly used in the ecological sciences.  EML 
documents can be opened and edited in any Unicode compliant text editor.

If you want to get the metadata that is in EML documents out of the XML 
format for use in other systems, that is not difficult either.  There 
are a variety of approaches, including the use of XSLT [3] 
transformations (we are using this to transform EML into NBII format), 
programmatic XML parsing APIs such as SAX [4] and DOM [5], and text 
manipulation approaches such as using regular expressions in Perl.  The 
list is endless.

Please let me know if I've missed the crux of your question.  Thanks,

Matt

[1] Extensible Markup Language (XML) http://www.w3c.org/XML/
[2] http://www.unicode.org/
[3] XSL Transformations (XSLT) http://www.xslt.com/
[4] Simple API for XML (SAX) http://www.saxproject.org/
[5] Document Object Model (DOM) http://www.w3c.org/DOM/


hughes.melissa at epamail.epa.gov wrote:
> To Whom It May Concern:
> I'm a contractor working for the U.S. EPA as specified below.  I have
> been tasked to investigate the use of EML.  I have (hopefully) a simple
> question.  Can metadata in EML be exported as a text file or would
> filters have to be built to do this?
> 
> Thank you for your assistance.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Melissa M. Hughes
> Computer Sciences Corporation
> U.S. EPA - Atlantic Ecology Division
> 27 Tarzwell Dr.
> Narragansett, RI 02882
> 
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