JRAMetamaker flexes its muscle
A presentation by James Rile, PlanetDjVu, October 5, 2002


JRAMetamaker 1.0 is a web-server application for entering metadata into DjVu documents that are stored on a web server.

What is metadata?
Simply stated, metadata is a set of fields of information that classify and define a document.

Why embed metadata in a document?  
- to make the document portable - the metadata travels with the document

- to eliminate the possibility of broken links (as when the metadata is stored in an
  external database)

- to permit full-text indexing to also include metadata in the search-index (as
  demonstrated in JRASearch).  Having fields of data in the search-index permits
  structured queries and unstructured (full-text) queries to be performed in
  combination.

Why enter metadata in the web browser?

Let' s face it - entering metadata is a labor-intensive and repetitive task.  It is difficult to ask a technician to sit for 8 hours entering metdata, as you must do when the data entry interface is a local desktop application.

Putting the metadata entry task in the web browser liberates the technicians to perform their task anywhere, anytime.  This permits shorter data entry sessions on a completely flexible schedule.  Technicians do not even have to be on-site, which opens up the possiblity of using the services of mothers, students, and part-timers that need the flexible hours and flexibility of location.

An on-line demonstration of JRAMetamaker can be reviewed and evaluated at:

Here is how it works:




The index fields are displayed in a browser frame on the left side of the screen.

On the right side of the screen, page 1 of the current document is displayed.

Above both of these frames is a custom navigation toolbar that allows operators to field-index an entire folder of documents.


JRAMetamaker Control Buttons

Clicking his button inserts the entered metadata directly into the opened DjVu or PDF file, saves the file, and then automatically opens the next one for indexing.

The second button inserts the entered metadata into the opened file, saves it and leaves it open.

Use the third button if you need to undo (clear) what you have entered.

Use the fourth button to return to the file list (see below)



The File List in JRAMetamaker displays the files that were retrieved for field-indexing.

"Committing" the files moves them to a final folder for search-indexing.  "Getting" files will bring in a new batch of unindexed files for field-indexing.


Editors Note:

Please visit the PDFMetamaker product page at SearchPDF.com.  We are providing the same advanced management of PDF metadata file creation in PDFPublish that we implemented for DjVu in the JRAMetamaker application.


















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