1 Overview
2 Selection Box
3 Text Box
4 Checkbox
5 Date
6 Time
7 DateTime
8 Date/Time/DateTime Format
9 StartUpXML Example
10 ExportXML Example

There are different Metadata Types:

Selection: drop-down box, containing several, user-definable <item> elements.
Text: text field.
Checkbox: checkbox, can either be off ("0") or on ("1").
Date: Date selection via a text input field or a “DatePicker”.
Time: Time selection via a text input field.
DateTime: “DateTime” selection via text field or “DateTimePicker”.

All of these elements can be used as often as you want and in any possible order and combination.

Overview

All metadata elements follow the same XML structure. Each element starts with the following XML element:

<control></control>

This element can only have one attribute ("resetAfterRecord"), which resets the Metadata Field's value after each Recording (“0”, means the value stays as it is. “1” will reset the value):

<control resetAfterRecord="1"></control>

Within this <control> element, you have to define the “name”, “label”, “currentValue”, and “type”:

<control resetAfterRecord="0">
        <name>quality</name>					#use this name to address the value of this element within the ExportXML 
        <label>Quality</label>					#this name will be used to tag the element within the just:in interface (inspector)
		<currentValue>Medium</currentValue>		#sets the default value for this element
        <type class="Selection">				#defines the control type (selection, text, checkbox, etc.)
            <item>Low</item>
            <item>Medium</item>
            <item>High</item>
        </type>
</control>

Selection Box

The “Selection Box” element can be used if the operator should choose from a predefined set of options:

Text Box

The “Text Box” element can be used for any element, which should contain text only:

Checkbox

The “Checkbox” is for any elements, that can only have two states:

Date

This element lets you choose a “Date”:

Time

This element lets you choose a specific “Time”:

DateTime

With this element, a specific “Date” and “Time” can be defined.

Date/Time/DateTime Format

Please note that the Date and Time Format changes within the System Preferences are only possible with macOS Monterey or with earlier macOS versions. Starting with macOS Ventura this is no longer possible. When using macOS Ventura or later, please consider using the following Terminal commands to adjust the Date and Time formats:

Date:

defaults write -g AppleICUDateFormatStrings -dict 4 "ddMMyyyy"

Time:

defaults write -g AppleICUTimeFormatStrings -dict 4 "HHmm"

Adjust the format part according to your needs and restart Just Control.

Please note that you cannot change the Date format within the “Language & Region” preference pane within the “System Settings” pane, as this will override the custom Date and Time settings applied above (macOS Ventura only).

StartUpXML Example

Please note that the “StartUpXML” file structure must follow the rules mentioned above; otherwise, the Metadata Sets will not work correctly and can lead to unexpected results.

ExportXML Example

The “ExportXML” file can have any possible structure. As mentioned above, the variables defined in the “StartUpXML” can be addressed as shown below.

ToolsOnAir User Guide Central

[JIM] Metadata Types v.6.2