Creating and Editing the Structure Map

Overview

One of the most compelling features of the METS files is the structure map and file section which ties the bibliographic metadata to all the digital resource files and shows how those images related to the digital resource.

For digital resources generated in the SobekCM METS Editor, all page image type files (including related text files and ALTO files) are organized within the first structure map, which is referred to as the "physical" map. This is essentially the table of contents for a book-type digital resource. This can provide chapters, sections, subsections, and name each page within the digital resource.

All non-page image files are placed within a second structure map, which organizes files for downloading.

If only one type of files are included, than only one structure map is included in the final METS file.

Structure Map View

When a new METS file is created, generally all the page image and related files are added to the METS file. Initially, they are all added within a Main division.

You can view the structure map(s) by selecting the last tab Structure Map in any template.

Figure 1: Structure Map Editing Tab

Naming Pages

It is usually best to name/number all the pages and then assign the divisions.

Right-clicking on the page label allows you to Edit Page Label which can name the page and the group of images which comprise that page.

Figure 2: Page-Level Options

A small form will allow you to enter the page number.

Figure 3: Entering the Page Number

Just entering the number itself into the field and hitting enter will add 'Page ' and the number as the page label. In addition, all subsequent pages will be named correspondingly as well.

Figure 4: All Pages Renumbered

You can also enter any other label for the page, such as 'Map 2' or 'Plate i', etc..

Figure 5: Naming the Page

Entering any value that either ends in a roman numeral or a number will cause all subsequent pages to be named sequentially and use the same beginning portion of the page label. For example, the value entered above ( 'Map i' ) would cause each subsequent page to be numbered 'Map ' followed by the next roman numeral.

Figure 6: All Pages Renamed

You can set preferences on whether subsequent pages are automatically, sequentially numbered from the main menu.

Figure 7: Setting the Automatic Page Numbering

Editing an Existing Division

Right-clicking on the division label allows you to Edit Division and to add other divisions (see next section).

Figure 2: Division-Level Options

Editing the division allows you to select from a menu of division types.

Figure 3: Selecting the Division Type

The name field for the division is context sensitive. Thus, selecting divisions that can be named (Chapter, Section, Appendix, etc..) allows you to type the name for that division.

Figure 4: Editing the Division Name

For divisions that cannot be further named (Main, Title Page, Front Cover), the name segment will remain un-editable.

Figure 5: Uneditable Division Name

Insert a new Sibling, Parent, or Child Division

By using the ability to add new parent, sibling, or child divisions, you can arrange the pages of your digital resource into a deeply hierarchical table of contents.

Figure 6: Division-Level Options

The option to Add new Parent Division adds a division above the current division and makes the current division a child of the new division.

The option to Add new Sibling Division adds a new division below the current division and at the same level as the current division. This new division will have the same parent as the current division.

The option to Add a new Child Division adds a new division below the current division and makes the new division a child of the current division.

You can drag divisions around to change the order or drag pages around. You can only drag one page at a time right now, but this is currently on our development queue as a major improvement.

By using all these options above, you can create a deeply hierarchical structure, like the one below:

Figure 7: Building a Hierarchical Structure Map

Resource Files (Downloads) Structure Map

Editing the second structure map (with the downloadable files) is analogous to editing the page image structure map.

Figure 7: Working with the Resource Files Structure Map

In the example above, you can see that the "page" is named, which names the collection of files of the same name. This allows multiple file types of the same object to be correctly tagged together. Instead of being called "pages" though, in this structure map they appear as a group of files.

You can also organize these nodes hierarchically, although this is not currently utilized by the SobekCM digital repository.