Table of Contents
An overview of the metadata configuration program (MDC)
30. April 2025
Table of Contents
When you install a Fotoware server application, a little helper application is installed and placed in the Fotoware program group in the server's Start menu, called Metadata Configuration. This application reads the contents of the MetadataConfiguration.xml file in the ProgramData\Fotoware\Metadata folder on the system drive and displays them in a tree of namespaces.
All Fotoware server applications running on the same Windows instance share this metadata configuration schema. After updating the metadata configuration, all Fotoware services on the server need to be restarted to load the new metadata configuration.
Note: FotoStation clients use their own metadata configuration. Any changes to the metadata configuration on the Fotoware server(s) should also be made on the client side, for example through deployment of the metadata schema to FotoStation clients.
MDC overview
Once opened, the metadata configuration program is divided in two sections. On the left is a list of namespaces and on the right are the fields that are part of the namespace selected in the left panel.
Select a namespace, such as Dublin Core, for example, to display the fields in that namespace. Above the list of fields are a URL and an alias. The URL is the unique identifier that sets this namespace apart from all others. If you create your own namespace, you should make sure you assign a unique URL to it - many choose to use their website URL and publish their field definitions on the URL they specify so that others may benefit from their field definitions.
The Alias is a short code that is used to refer to the namespace. Typically, you can see it if you perform a dump of the XMP block content of an asset you've captioned. FotoStation, for example, shows this content when you open the properties of a file.
Languages node
The XMP specification and Fotoware’s implementation support multi-lingual metadata and are also built in support for multiple languages for the user interface of the metadata editors. You can localize the displayed labels and enter metadata for several different languages. If you require this functionality in your system, select all the languages you want to use in the Languages node.
Show all Languages: Only the most common languages are shown by default. If you want to insert metadata for an additional language not on the list, select the Show all languages checkbox to view all available languages.
Namespaces node
Here, you will find the different namespaces defined in the schema file. A namespace is a way of grouping related fields and avoiding name collision between fields with identical names. You can add a namespace either by creating a new namespace (right-click on the Namespaces node and select Add namespace from the context menu), or you can import a namespace that somebody else has created (right-click on the Namespaces node and select Import namespace from file from the pop-up menu). Note, however, that creating a new namespace is normally done to create a new set of fields for a particular purpose. If you need to create one new field, you should create your own namespace if possible since existing namespaces are locked per se. However, we allow you to add fields (that are missing) to existing namespaces. Ensure that the field you add conforms to the exact specification of the namespace. Also, if you discover that your organization needs to create several new fields for a use that is not covered in the included namespaces, you should create your own namespace to insert these new fields.
Namespace naming conventions
A namespace will often contain information about who created it and what it should be used for. The namespace is identified by a URI, a Unique Resource Identifier, (often in the format http://ns.domain.com/namespace/version/). The URI doesn’t have to be a valid web address, but the identifier must be unique. Use a domain name that you own when creating a new namespace. Alternatively, use purl.org (external link) to create vendor-independent URIs.
XMP Fields node
When you click on the XMP fields node, you will see a list of all the available XMP fields in the schema file. When expanding the XMP fields node, you see the list of groups. Two groups (IPTC Core and Fotoware IPTC) are predefined. A group is a way of making it easier to locate fields that you need to view. The groups will appear in Fotoware applications to make finding the fields you need easier. A group can consist of fields from multiple different namespaces, as in the case of IPTC Core.
If you wish, you can create new fields and/or new groups (right-click on the XMP Fields node and select Add new field or Add new group, respectively, from the pop-up menu). Add a field to a group by selecting the field and then dragging and dropping the field into the new group.
What's next?
Next, you may want to try creating a new namespace.