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Metadata formatting between FME and ESRI

  • January 27, 2026
  • 3 replies
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montoyar
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Working in FME Workbench v.2024.2

I am working on a process that validates my metadata format and converts it if needed, then exports the final format to xml for backup. 

We are trying to ensure all of our metadata is in ISO 19139, but we know some feature classes are FGDC CSDGM Metadata. We would like to use FME to convert the format and then update/write to the existing feature class's metadata in our enterprise geodatabase with it. 

Secondly, we want to also create a backup of the xml file which will be saved to a local folder. I have done this using an "Attribute File Writer" and only writing the geodb_metadata_string to a .xml file, however, when trying to reimport it into ArcMap/ArcGIS Pro I receive a "Failed to import metadata" alert. Comparing it an export directly from ArcGIS it is clear they differ. It seems like FME is converting it to their own format when reading it in.

Any suggestions on either of these processes would be appreciated, thanks!

Best answer by crystalatsafe

Hi ​@montoyar 

I believe metadata is saved internally within a feature class in the ArcGIS metadata XML format.

When FME reads metadata from the geodbatabase, it should be output in the ArcGIS metadata format in geodb_metadata_string.

When you reimport the XML backup file into ArcGIS, what format do you select? Is the import successful when you choose  "ArcGIS Metadata" for the Type parameter?

 

Here are a few links that may be helpful:

Working with Geodatabase Metadata: Writing/Updating Metadata

Harvesting and writing ISO19115 XML Metadata

Metadata

3 replies

crystalatsafe
Safer
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  • Safer
  • Best Answer
  • January 30, 2026

Hi ​@montoyar 

I believe metadata is saved internally within a feature class in the ArcGIS metadata XML format.

When FME reads metadata from the geodbatabase, it should be output in the ArcGIS metadata format in geodb_metadata_string.

When you reimport the XML backup file into ArcGIS, what format do you select? Is the import successful when you choose  "ArcGIS Metadata" for the Type parameter?

 

Here are a few links that may be helpful:

Working with Geodatabase Metadata: Writing/Updating Metadata

Harvesting and writing ISO19115 XML Metadata

Metadata


montoyar
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  • January 30, 2026

Hello ​@crystalatsafe - Thank you for your response.

 

When I was reimporting I was mainly trying with “Current style” which was “ISO19139” and received the fail to import error. I believe I had tried with “ArcGIS Metadata” which I didn’t receive an error but didn’t notice my change from the XMLUpdater showing when refreshing… I now realize this is because I was changing the title, which seems to default to the feature class name. I tested changing other metadata attributes and importing with “ArcGIS Metadata” and do correctly see the changes being implemented.


crystalatsafe
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Hi ​@montoyar 

I’m happy to hear it’s working for you now. Thanks for updating the thread!