Difference between revisions of "FITS (File Information Tool Set)"
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= Description = | = Description = | ||
[http://fitstool.org FITS] allows data curators to identify, validate, and extract technical metadata for the objects in their digital repository. It does this by encorporating a range of mostly third-party open source tools, normalising and consolidating their output. | [http://fitstool.org FITS] allows data curators to identify, validate, and extract technical metadata for the objects in their digital repository. It does this by encorporating a range of mostly third-party open source tools, normalising and consolidating their output. | ||
| − | + | ||
| + | === Provider === | ||
Harvard Library | Harvard Library | ||
| − | + | === Licensing and cost === | |
[http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html GNU Lesser GPL] – free. | [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html GNU Lesser GPL] – free. | ||
| − | === | + | |
| − | FITS | + | === Platform and interoperability === |
| + | FITS is written in Java and is compatible with Java 1.6 or higher. | ||
| + | It uses six external tools: | ||
| + | * [[JHOVE (Harvard Object Validation Environment)| JHOVE]] | ||
| + | * [[ExifTool]] | ||
| + | * [[Metadata Extraction Tool]] | ||
| + | * [[DROID_(Digital_Record_Object_Identification)|DROID]] | ||
| + | * [http://web.archive.org/web/20061106114156/http://schmidt.devlib.org/ffident/index.html FFIdent] | ||
| + | * [http://unixhelp.ed.ac.uk/CGI/man-cgi?file File Utility] | ||
| − | + | A few Harvard Library-created tools; and many open source libraries. | |
| − | |||
Instructions for command line use are given for Windows and Unix. | Instructions for command line use are given for Windows and Unix. | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | + | === Functional notes === | |
FITS acts as a wrapper, invoking and managing the output from several other open source tools. Output from these tools are converted into a common format, compared to one another and consolidated into a single XML output file. Technical metadata is only output (and a part of the consolidation process) for tools that were able to identify the file. All other output is discarded. | FITS acts as a wrapper, invoking and managing the output from several other open source tools. Output from these tools are converted into a common format, compared to one another and consolidated into a single XML output file. Technical metadata is only output (and a part of the consolidation process) for tools that were able to identify the file. All other output is discarded. | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | Documentation exists in the form of a user manual and more technical developer manual. | + | === Documentation and user support === |
| − | The project actively uses the fits-users google group has 30 members, and is active as of January 2012. | + | Documentation exists in the form of a user manual and more technical developer manual. |
| − | + | The project actively uses the fits-users google group has 30 members, and is active as of January 2012. | |
| − | + | The FITS web site links to a [https://github.com/harvard-lts/fits github site] that includes the source code and an issues tracker. | |
| + | |||
| + | === Usability === | ||
FITS uses a command line interface; it is designed to be integrated into other software workflows, and so is aimed at those with application design experience. | FITS uses a command line interface; it is designed to be integrated into other software workflows, and so is aimed at those with application design experience. | ||
| − | + | ||
| + | === Expertise required === | ||
Installation and configuration require deep systems administration and application design knowledge, as well as familiarity with file format and metadata standards. | Installation and configuration require deep systems administration and application design knowledge, as well as familiarity with file format and metadata standards. | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | FITS outputs in XML format. | + | === Standards compliance === |
| − | + | FITS outputs in XML format. | |
| − | The FITS website shows over 2000 downloads of the software. | + | |
| + | === Influence and take-up === | ||
| + | The FITS website shows over 2000 downloads of the software. | ||
| + | The tool was designed for and is in use at the Harvard Library [http://hul.harvard.edu/ois/systems/drs/ Digital Repository Service]. | ||
= User Experiences = | = User Experiences = | ||
| Line 47: | Line 61: | ||
= Development Activity = | = Development Activity = | ||
<!-- Provide *evidence* of development activity of the tool. For example, RSS feeds for code issues or commits. --> | <!-- Provide *evidence* of development activity of the tool. For example, RSS feeds for code issues or commits. --> | ||
| + | FITS 0.2.0 was first released as open source in July 2009. As of April 2014 the latest release was version 0.8, released in January 2014. The tool was created to be used in Harvard's Digital Repository Service, and development is active and ongoing. | ||
| + | |||
All development activity is visible on GitHub: http://github.com/harvard-lts/fits/commits | All development activity is visible on GitHub: http://github.com/harvard-lts/fits/commits | ||
Revision as of 14:30, 22 January 2015
Description
FITS allows data curators to identify, validate, and extract technical metadata for the objects in their digital repository. It does this by encorporating a range of mostly third-party open source tools, normalising and consolidating their output.
Provider
Harvard Library
Licensing and cost
GNU Lesser GPL – free.
Platform and interoperability
FITS is written in Java and is compatible with Java 1.6 or higher. It uses six external tools:
A few Harvard Library-created tools; and many open source libraries. Instructions for command line use are given for Windows and Unix.
Functional notes
FITS acts as a wrapper, invoking and managing the output from several other open source tools. Output from these tools are converted into a common format, compared to one another and consolidated into a single XML output file. Technical metadata is only output (and a part of the consolidation process) for tools that were able to identify the file. All other output is discarded.
Documentation and user support
Documentation exists in the form of a user manual and more technical developer manual. The project actively uses the fits-users google group has 30 members, and is active as of January 2012. The FITS web site links to a github site that includes the source code and an issues tracker.
Usability
FITS uses a command line interface; it is designed to be integrated into other software workflows, and so is aimed at those with application design experience.
Expertise required
Installation and configuration require deep systems administration and application design knowledge, as well as familiarity with file format and metadata standards.
Standards compliance
FITS outputs in XML format.
Influence and take-up
The FITS website shows over 2000 downloads of the software. The tool was designed for and is in use at the Harvard Library Digital Repository Service.
User Experiences
Development Activity
FITS 0.2.0 was first released as open source in July 2009. As of April 2014 the latest release was version 0.8, released in January 2014. The tool was created to be used in Harvard's Digital Repository Service, and development is active and ongoing.
All development activity is visible on GitHub: http://github.com/harvard-lts/fits/commits
Activity Feed
Below the last 5 commits: Failed to load RSS feed from https://github.com/harvard-lts/fits/commits/master.atom: There was a problem during the HTTP request: 404 Not Found