== What is YAMCAT? ==

YAMCAT is a user friendly database for geographic metadata running on a simple Apache webserver with PHP and mySQL.


== What can YAMCAT do for me? ==

* Spider through a given directory on the filesystem and find all XML metadata from ArcGIS for vector shapes and raster files. Then parse them into the database, with title, abstract, purpose, geographic extent, originator and even the preview image!

* Let users register, log in and fill out contact information. They can enter metadata with linkage to the ressource in a convenient online form. The structure of the user database table is compatible to GeoNetwork.

* Even better, user don't need to fill out a form, they just upload the metadata XML file created by ArcCatalog! Information will be parsed and added as a record to the databse.

* Harvest metadata from peers using GetRecords request of the OGC/CSW protocol. ISO 19139 metadata will also be parsed to records in the database, some errors will automatically be fixed.

* Give our user a nice and proper user interface for browsing for metadata by title, category or a simple point on a map.


== How to install YAMCAT? ==

You only need a simple webspace with Apache/PHP/mySQL in current versions - no Tomcat/Java/XSLT crap required!

* Get the files from github and upload them to your server. 

* Create a user "yamcat" (or whatever) with own database with your phpMyAdmin, then apply the yamcat.sql to it.

* Set write permissions for webserver to /files directory.

* Go through the few options documented in the config.php and start your website.
 

== Migration of GeoNetwork users to YAMCAT ==

Due to identic structure of the users table this very easy, an example for export from PostgreSQL to CSV:

[code]
gdi:~ # psql -U geonetwork -d geonetwork
psql (9.1.3)
Type "help" for help.

geonetwork=> \copy users to 'geonetwork.csv' csv
geonetwork=> \q
gdi:~ #
[/code]

Now transfer CSV to new server and import for example to mySQL:
[code]
gdi:~# mysql -ugeoportal -psecret geoportal
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 2400
Server version: 5.1.63-0+squeeze1 (Debian)

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

mysql> set character set utf8;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> LOAD DATA LOCAL
       INFILE 'geonetwork.csv'
       REPLACE
       INTO TABLE users
       FIELDS
       TERMINATED BY ','
       OPTIONALLY ENCLOSED BY '"';

Query OK, 34 rows affected, 69 warnings (0.02 sec)
Records: 29  Deleted: 5  Skipped: 0  Warnings: 65
[/code]

Check your table users afterwards or try to log in with your old credentials afterwards.