err2html: Making mp's error messages more readable with err2html

Because the error messages generated by mp are somewhat terse, new users will generally have difficulty interpreting them at first. With time, these users will hopefully develop familiarity with the standard and with the typical error messages. Err2html is a small stand-alone application designed to provide an enhanced presentation of the error report in order to facilitate peoples' learning of the standard elements and the error messages that mp generates.

Getting err2html

Err2html is included in the standard packages of metadata tools by Peter Schweitzer; see Formal metadata tools and information for platforms supported and downloadable packages. Linux is supported as well as Microsoft Windows (95 or later).
Users of Windows may also download just the executable program. You'll only need the file err2html.exe

Using err2html

Like mp, err2html is run from the command prompt, which is typically found under "Accessories" in the Windows programs menu. You have to run mp first, directing its error messages to a file:
C:> mp myfile.met -e myfile.err
Here myfile.met is a metadata record that you have created using some other software. Run err2html specifying the error file as the input and redirecting the output to a new file:
C:> err2html myfile.err -o myerr.htm
Then use your web browser to look at the file myerr.htm.

How does err2html help?

Extensions

Err2html understands registered profiles but not less-formal extensions to the metadata standard. This is because it wouldn't know their "section numbers" and couldn't link their names to an online hypertext reference document.

Technical contact

Peter N. Schweitzer
    Mail Stop 954, National Center
    U.S. Geological Survey
    Reston, VA 20192

    Tel: (703) 648-6533
    FAX: (703) 648-6252
    email: pschweitzer@usgs.gov