Skip to content

Using the CSW client

You manage a data catalog that can be harvested in CSW, and you'd like to retrieve this metadata in Isogeo. All you need to do is follow the steps below.

CSW node principles

When we speak of a CSW node (Catalog Service Web), we mean the implementation of the OGC standard, which has 2 components:

  • the server, which generates streams according to the profiles defined by the standard, which can be queried by CSW clients;
  • the client, which sends requests formatted according to the standard to any CSW server and retrieves the metadata.

We call them nodes because they can form a data catalog exchange network.

CSW servers are harvested using the CSW client integrated into the Isogeo module, which implements the CSW profile of standard version 2.0.2 (see OGC 07-006r1 and OGC 07-045).

Tip: for the server part, see the dedicated chapter.

Create a Service CSW entry point

To create a "Service CSW" entry point, you need to :

  1. In the "Entry points" menu, create a new entry point;
  2. Select the "CSW Service" type;
  3. Name the entry point (example: CG Calvados catalog) ;
  4. Enter the CSW URL without the parameters (i.e. without anything after the ?) ;
  5. Register ;
  6. Scanner.

New CSW entry point

Once the scan is complete, all the metadata sheets collected can be consulted in the inventory.

These records cannot be modified, as we consider that they are still managed in the harvested catalog. If you wish to modify them and thus manage them with Isogeo, you must delete the entry point and part with your old cataloguing tool ;)

Remarks :

  • CSW harvesting follows the same operating rules as the ISO 19139 XML import described in the "Importing existing data" chapter;
  • the ISO 19139 XML available in the "resources" tab of the file is absolutely identical to the original (even if invalid).