Colectica Releases Open Source Tool for the Data Documentation Initiative’s Metadata Schema Development Efforts
The Data Documentation Initiative will soon be releasing version 3.2 of its DDI metadata standard for statistical data. Colectica has created and released an Open Source tool to detect inconsistencies in the XML schemas of the developing DDI 3.2 metadata format.
Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) August 31, 2013
Colectica is pleased to announce the release of a new software tool to perform consistency checks on the developing DDI 3.2 metadata standard. Colectica staff members have been working with the Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) for several years in drafting the updated version of the standard. Their work on the DDI Technical Committee has directly influenced the tools development.
A main focus on version 3.2 is consistency and usability, and the DDI Technical Committee came up with a list of design and content guidelines to ensure this. The new tool performs automated checks against the XML schema to ensure these guidelines are followed. In addition to checking the structures in the schema, the tool also does a spell checking of all elements, attributes, and inline documentation to make sure that the released DDI standard has a professional feel.
"This focus on consistency should allow users and developers to more quickly adopt DDI Lifecycle" said Dan Smith, a Partner at Colectica. He continued "all the content areas of the standard are now programmatically usable in structurally similar ways."
The new tool, called DDI Schema Checks, is available for free download on GitHub. The source code has been licensed under the Open Source GNU Lesser General Public License and is also available.
About Colectica
Launched in 2010, Colectica® is the fastest way to design, document, and publish statistical research using open data standards. The Colectica Platform is an ideal solution for statistical agencies, survey research groups, public opinion research, data archivists, and other data centric collection operations that are looking to increase the expressiveness and longevity of the data collected through standards based metadata documentation. The company offers a range of highly specific products and services designed to give power to people through easy integration and access to data.