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InstructionGFIS RSS information types - description and example feeds Other information types
Instruction
GFIS is a CPF initiative which aims at providing easy access to forest information world-wide for all types of stakeholders. It builds on partnerships between institutions that supply information in an agreed format. The information can be searched across partner information platforms. The information types used by GFIS and their information exchange schemata are maintained by the GFIS Implementation Group.
Current GFIS information types are News, Events, Recent publications and Job vacancies. GFIS defines open information exchange formats for its information categories. The GFIS Information exchange helps partners to generate their inputs and allows them to manage their contributions to GFIS. It is based on the RSS 2.0 Specification and the DCMI Element Set.
RSS 2.0 is a standard for syndicating information that can be separated into discrete items, including, news, for example, and lots of other types of information. GFIS feeds must be created using the UTF-8 character set.
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GFIS RSS information types - description and example feeds
The following examples will show how to create feeds for different information types. After a feed has been created and made available via the WWW it must be added to your account through the GFIS Feed settings which appear after having signed in. GFIS is then able to read the feed periodically and store new information for searching.
Important notes
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News
News as defined in the GFIS context concerns any information about recent events or happenings in the field of international forestry. This can include, but is not limited to, information about forest resources, their users and institutions that are involved in forestry.
Example of a GFIS news feed
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>The title of the channel</title>
<link>The URL of the organization</link>
<description>The description of the channel</description>
<item>
<title>The title of the news</title>
<link>The URL of the news</link>
<description>The description of the news</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:00:01 +0200</pubDate>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
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Events
An event is an activity where participants come together physically or in cyberspace and discuss one or several pre-set issues. An event is open for participants outside the hosting organization. The event may or may not be open to anyone interested. Events include, but are not limited to, exhibitions, on-line meetings, conferences and workshops.
Press-conferences, inaugurations or launching activities, courses and internal meetings are not counted as an event.
Metadata for a meeting provide descriptive information that serves as the basis for the discovery of the purpose, location, duration, responsible agents, links to related meetings and resources of the meeting.
Below are examples for events feeds harvested by the GFIS gateway. The first format is used jointly by GFIS and Agrifeeds and it is called an AG-Event Application Profile. Agrifeeds: http://www.agrifeeds.org/
Example of a GFIS events feed
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"
xmlns:ags="http://purl.org/agmes/1.1/">
<channel>
<title>The title of the channel</title>
<link>The URL of the organization</link>
<description>The description of the channel</description>
<item>
<title>The title of the event</title>
<link>The URL of the event</link>
<description>The description of the event</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:00:01 +0200</pubDate>
<ags:dateStart xsi:type="dcterms:W3CDTF">YYYY-MM-DD</ags:dateStart>
<ags:dateEnd xsi:type="dcterms:W3CDTF">YYYY-MM-DD</ags:dateEnd>
<ags:location>
<ags:locationCity>
Location city of the event
</ags:locationCity>
<ags:locationCountry xsi:type="dcterms:ISO3166">
Country code of the event
(A three-letter (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 compliant) country code is required)
</ags:locationCountry>
</ags:location>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
<channel>
<title>The title of the channel</title>
<link>The URL of the organization</link>
<description>The description of the channel</description>
<item>
<title>The title of the event</title>
<link>The URL of the event</link>
<description>The description of the event</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:00:01 +0200</pubDate>
<dc:coverage>
start=YYYY-MM-DD; end=YYYY-MM-DD; spatial=Location of the event;
</dc:coverage>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
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Recent publications
One feed is for the news section about "new research or policy publications". This is a feed syndication for "content alert" type of feeds of various publishers of forestry journals and organizations publishing important policy documents.
Example of a GFIS recent publications feed
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
<channel>
<title>The title of the channel</title>
<link>The URL of the organization</link>
<description>The description of the channel</description>
<item>
<title>The title of the publication</title>
<link>The URL of the publication</link>
<description>The description of the publication</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:00:01 +0200</pubDate>
<dc:creator>
The party responsible for the publication
</dc:creator>
<dc:subject>
Describe the content of the resource using keywords
</dc:subject>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
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Job vacancies
A job vacancy announcement in the GFIS context is a brief description of a post with specific terms of reference within the information provider institution. The announcement includes details of the closing date for applications. General listings for qualified staff without specific terms of reference and deadlines (roster type announcements) are not published through GFIS.
Below are examples for job vacancies feeds harvested by the GFIS gateway. The first format is used jointly by GFIS and Agrifeeds. Agrifeeds: http://www.agrifeeds.org/
Example of a GFIS job vacancies feed
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"
xmlns:ags="http://purl.org/agmes/1.1/">
<channel>
<title>The title of the channel</title>
<link>The URL of the organization</link>
<description>The description of the channel</description>
<item>
<title>The title of the job vacancy</title>
<link>The URL of the job vacancy</link>
<description>The description of the job vacancy</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:00:01 +0200</pubDate>
<ags:dateEnd xsi:type="dcterms:W3CDTF">YYYY-MM-DD</ags:dateEnd>
<ags:location>
<ags:locationCity>
Location city
</ags:locationCity>
<ags:locationCountry xsi:type="dcterms:ISO3166">
Location country
(A three-letter (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 compliant) country code is required)
</ags:locationCountry>
</ags:location>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
<channel>
<title>The title of the channel</title>
<link>The URL of the organization</link>
<description>The description of the channel</description>
<item>
<title>The title of the job vacancy</title>
<link>The URL of the job vacancy</link>
<description>The description of the job vacancy</description>
<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:00:01 +0200</pubDate>
<dc:coverage>end=YYYY-MM-DD;</dc:coverage>
</item>
</channel>
</rss>
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Elements inside <item> needed for the GFIS RSS information types
| Information types that require this element | Element | Description and examples |
| All | title | The title of the item |
| All | description | The description of the item |
| All | link | The URL of the item |
| All | pubDate | The date when the item was published (RFC-822), eg. Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:00:01 +0200 |
| Events | dc:coverage |
|
| Job vacancies | dc:coverage | The date when a job application time will expire (YYYY-MM-DD), e.g. end=2006-08-15; |
| Recent publications (recommended) | dc:creator | This field is used to describe the person or organization responsible for creating the intellectual content of the publication. |
| Recent publications (recommended) | dc:subject | This field is used to describe the content of the resource using keywords and/or classification codes. |
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"Datasets and databases" and "Library and document collections" differ somewhat from RSS based information types described above from the information providers' point of view. The biggest difference is that information providers add their information to other destinations than GFIS. "Datasets and databases" are based on the NBII Clearinghouse information system and the "Library and document collections" are based on FAO's AGRIS information system. If information providers want to make information searchable through GFIS from these two information types they can add their information to either of these systems. Definitions for these information types and links to guidelines are shown below.
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Datasets
A dataset is information encoded in a defined structure (for example, lists, tables, databases), intended to be useful for direct machine processing. It is any resource that is a collection of pieces of data (raw or statistically analyzed). Also, a multi-dimensional array of data elements that is logically related, and arranged in a prescribed format. Datasets may be spatial (a collection of logically related features arranged in a prescribed manner, such as water features), or tabular/relational (a file, a spreadsheet, data in a table or relational database).
Elements in a dataset may include values, measures, points, coordinates, conditions, qualities, frequencies or attributes that are a result of an observational study.
Databases and Information Systems
A database is a collection of related information, organized and presented to serve a specific purpose, and which allows for rapid query and retrieval. It is a large collection of data in a computer, organized so that it can be expanded, updated, and retrieved rapidly for various uses.
A database allows a user to search records that are stored on a server. These records are created by some type of back-end software solution (examples are Access, SQL, and Oracle). Users can query against one or more record elements. Results are usually displayed as dynamic output.
By comparison, a search engine is searching Web pages (not database records) that match your query.
Database = Searchable records via a query interface
Web site = Searchable text of Web pages via a simple search box
Detailed guidelines:
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Library and document collections
Library and document collections, as a specific resource type in GFIS, means books (textual material that is monographic in nature) and continuing resources (textual items with a recurring pattern of publication often referred to as 'serials', e.g., periodicals, newspapers, yearbooks, etc.). These can be print publications or electronic publications.
Data exchange specifications are built on Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1: Reference Description. Where applicable, refinements and qualifiers based on the Agricultural Metadata Element Set (AgMES) have been applied.
Detailed guidelines:
- AGRIS_guidelines.pdf (PDF - 42 KB)
- Guidelines about how to add your metadata records to the AGRIS information system
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