Module Documentation: eml-entity
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The eml-entity module - Entity level information within datasets

The eml-entity module defines the logical characteristics of each entity in the dataset. Entities are usually tables of data (eml-dataTable). Data tables may be ascii text files, relational database tables, spreadsheets or other type of tabular data with a fixed logical structure. Related to data tables are views (eml-view) and stored procedures (eml-storedProcedure). Views and stored procedures are produced by an RDBMS or related system. Other types of data such as: raster (eml-spatialRaster), vector (eml-spatialVector) or spatialReference image data are also data entities. An otherEntity element would be used to describe types of entities that are not described by any other entity type.

The eml-entity module, like other modules, may be "referenced" via the <references> tag. This allows an entity document to be described once, and then used as a reference in other locations within the EML document via its ID.

Module details
Recommended Usage: This module is used to describe data entities.
Stand-alone: Only when 'otherEntity' is used.
Imports: eml-documentation, eml-coverage, eml-physical, eml-methods, eml-attribute, eml-resource, eml-constraint, eml-text
Imported By:
View an image of the schema: eml-entity image

Element Definitions:

otherEntity  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: OtherEntityType
The other entity element is a descriptor of a not-otherwise-defined entity in the dataset, identified by its name. The element can contain information about the entity's basic identity, its temporal, geographic and taxonomic coverage, and its type.
Example(s):
Photograph of rocky intertidal plot 12 from Santa Cruz Island
attributeList  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: att:AttributeListType
The list of attributes associated with this entity. For more information see the eml-attribute module.
constraint  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: con:ConstraintType
Description of any relational constraints on ' this entity. For more information see the eml-constraint module.
entityType  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: res:NonEmptyStringType
The entityType field contains the name of the entity's type. The entity's type is typically the name of the type of data represented in the entity, such as "photograph". This field is used only if this is an 'other' entity and you want to specify the kind of "other" entity this is.
Example(s):
Photograph
alternateIdentifier  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Attributes: Use: Default Value:
systemoptional
An additional, secondary identifier for this entity. The primary identifier belongs in the "id" attribute, but additional identifiers that are used to label this entity, possibly from different data management systems, can be listed here.
Example(s):
VCR3465
entityName  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: res:NonEmptyStringType
The name identifies the entity in the dataset: file name, name of database table, etc.
Example(s):
SpeciesAbundance1996
entityDescription  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: res:NonEmptyStringType
Text generally describing the entity, its type, and relevant information about the data in the entity.
Example(s):
Species abundance data for 1996 at the VCR LTER site
physical  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: phys:PhysicalType
Information on the physical format of this entity. Each logical entity can be serialized in one or more physical formats, which can be described here. For each physical format, provide a "physical" element that describes the format and how to obtain that version. Two physical elements MUST describe the same entity precisely (i.e., after obtaining and parsing the physical data stream described under each physical element, one MUST end with an identical logical entity). For more information see the eml-physical module.
coverage  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: cov:Coverage
Information on the geographic, spatial and temporal coverages used in this entity. Please see the eml-coverage module for more information.
methods  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: md:MethodsType
Information on the specific methods used to collect information in this entity. Please see the eml-methods module for more information.
Example(s):

additionalInfo  This element has no default value.
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Type: txt:TextType
This field provides any information that is not characterized by the other entity metadata fields.
Example(s):
Multiple sampling events represented

Attribute Definitions:

id

Type: res:IDType

Use: optional

system

Type: res:SystemType

Use: optional

scope

Type: res:ScopeType

Use: optional

Default value: document

system

Type: res:SystemType

Use: optional

The information management system within which this identifier has relevance. Generally, the identifier would be unique within the "system" and would be sufficient to retrieve the entity from the system. The system is often a URL or URI that identifies the main entry point for the information management system.
Example(s):
http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/knb/

Complex Type Definitions:

OtherEntityType 
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Use: How many:
A choice of (
A sequence of (
EntityGroup  
A sequence of (
attributeListoptional
constraintoptionalunbounded
entityTyperequired
)
)
OR
res:ReferencesGroup  
)
Attributes: Use: Default Value:
idoptional
systemoptional
scopeoptionaldocument

Group Definitions:

EntityGroup 
Content of this field: Description of this field:
Elements: Use: How many:
A sequence of (
alternateIdentifieroptionalunbounded
entityNamerequired
entityDescriptionoptional
physicaloptionalunbounded
coverageoptional
methodsoptional
additionalInfooptionalunbounded
)
The EntityGroup defines the common structure for descriptions of any type of entity, including the name and attributes of the entity. The term entity is used in the sense of an entity in a relational model. The most common entity is a table, something with columns and rows, but can also represent an image or other type of data. See 'eml-attribute' for descriptions of the required attribute fields.

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