Training for creation of formal metadata
	Workshop session two

Introduction to metadata parsers: mp and cns

Objectives

Topics of discussion

1. Motivation (from GD strategy): purpose of parsers
   • Confirm document structure conforms to standard
   • Check element values that can be checked
   • Re-express information in other useful formats

2. How parsers work (not too long, I promise! ;-)
   • Parsers expect format conventions to be observed
   • But they cannot rely on correct input data
   • Recognize element names
   • Keep track of element hierarchy (e.g. through indentation)
   • Build a parse tree
   • Traverse the parse tree, checking parents and children
   • Check data values
   • Traverse the parse tree to output data
   • Report errors

3. Break

4. Hands-on session
   1. Exercise 1: Using mp
   2. Exercise 2: Pre-processing metadata using cns