| Quick-Start Introduction to PDS Archiving |
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PDS Label Files
In the typical case, each file has its own PDS label.
An attached label occurs at the beginning of the data file, while a
detached label resides in a separate file from the data.
Either way, the label is an ASCII file with fixed-length records which follows
all the formatting requirements for PDS label files, even if it is attached
to the beginning of a binary data file.
Where to Start
There are two main sections to the label file: the first describes the
general file parameters; the second describes the record structure of
the data (by defining it as a PDS OBJECT).
We recommend you start with
either a label from a similar type of data set which
already exists in the archive, or a blank template, like
the one listed at the bottom of this page.
The blank template contains the bare minimum of keywords for documenting the
file parameters.
Once you've got the file keywords filled in, determine the appropriate
PDS object type for your file, insert that template into your label, and
fill in the blanks for your data. Once again, additional
keywords can and should be
used in the OBJECT definition in order to provide as much information
as possible for the archive.
At the bottom of this page is a list of blank templates for the objects
most commonly used.
When writing your own labels you should feel free to use as many
keywords as seems appropriate to completely document the file.
The discipline node coordinating the ingestion process can supply
sample labels and
advice about what keywords might be appropriate for your data set.
What to Do Next
Once the labels are written they should be verified.
Verification should check that:
- the data have not been substantively altered by any reformatting
that was done; and
- the label descriptions are complete and accurate.
Visual inspection usually plays a big part in verification.
There are also software tools available from PDS and the discipline
nodes to assist in this process.
Blank Templates
These links point to copies of templates which contain brief notes about the contents of each field.
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