There are a number of data publishing scenarios that are not effectively addressed through online tools such as TAPIR and DIGIR "wrappers" or the IPT. This includes cases where there may not be regular access to the internet for example or capacity to host a local IPT instance. In addition, participant at recent GBIF Nodes and other meetings have indicated a desire for simple data management and publication tools that support publishing data via GBIF.
Currently, GBIFS is evaluating the use of FileMaker Pro to create and deploy relatively simple and rapid-development desktop solutions that support data entry and publication. FileMaker Pro provides the capacity to create deployable, license-free runtime applications. Our strategy is to extend and support the capabilities of simple Excel spreadsheet templates by providing a capacity to import these into a more organised and normalised schema for subsequent publication to a DarwinCore Archive.
Requirements
- Desktop applications for Mac OSX and Windows
- Simple data entry interfaces that support entry or import of:
- Minimal registration information that include institutional information, technical contact info, etc.
- Basic Metadata profile that supports current "IPT-level" metadata inclusive of minimal needs for primary biodiversity data description as well as minimal "Checklist" metadata requirements.
- Relational data model that links record level data to resource and registration information
- Interface features that include:
- Form-based data entry
- Registry and Resource metadata
- Record-level data entry
- List/Table views of data
- Capacity to sort and view columns of data in data view
- Controlled lists of terms where appropriate based on:
- Existing controlled terms that can be easily imported into the tool
- Darwin Core BasisOfRecord terms supported by GBIF
- ISO Language and Country Codes
- TDWG regional vocabularies (if relevant)
- Select vocabularies (as relevant) derived from vocabularies.gbif.org
- Value-lists based on previously entered values within the application instance itself to facilitate consistency of free-text terms
- Export to a set of DarwinCore archive files
- Resources are output to folders identified by a resource identifier and include:
- EML metadata
- meta.xml file
- Core files (occurrence or taxon) and extensions supported within the specific application
- Internationalisation roadmap documented to enable published applications to be supported in different languages.
- Filemaker doesn't support simple internationalisation so some solution should be identified. May require layout-level changes not available to the published runtime application.
Steps for development
- Specification of scope - What data types should be supported by these applications.
- Vernacular names species lists
- Simple Thematic Checklist
- Basic taxonomic Checklist
- Specimen data with MRTG extension
- Observational data entry with MRTG extension
- Development of Schema/Mapped to DwC-Archive properties
- Prototype Development in Filemaker Pro
- Review and comments/remediation
- Functional version with Export of DWC-Archive
- Darwin Core archive validated
- Publication process identified and documented
- Deployment (english)
- Spanish, French versions