tag:help-archives.hannonhill.com,2010-02-09:/discussions/general/18452-pros-and-cons-of-metadata-sets-vs-data-definitions-for-managing-metadataCascade CMS: Discussion 2014-10-08T17:54:43Ztag:help-archives.hannonhill.com,2010-02-09:Comment/332895112014-06-05T17:55:56Z2014-06-05T17:58:40ZPros and cons of metadata sets vs data definitions for handling metadata<div><p>I'm trying to understand whether there are any advantages to
using Cascade's built-in metadata sets to handle metadata rather
than using data definitions to handle metadata.</p>
<p>When we initially set up Cascade, we were inclined to
exclusively use metadata sets to house our metadata because we
assumed a feature designed for metadata would give us the most
potential to leverage that metadata going forward. But now I'm not
so sure. The recently added smart data definitions are a bit more
friendly to end users than metadata sets. Plus, to the best of
knowledge, the only way to publish block-level metadata to a page
is if that metadata resides in a data definition rather than in a
metadata set (as we were told when we set up Cascade, but please
correct me if this is no longer true).</p>
<p>Does anyone feel metadata sets have a clear advantage over data
definitions? If so, in what way? I suppose it depends on how the
metadata needs to be used and maintained, but at this point it
feels like the advantage goes to data definitions.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input.</p></div>geofftag:help-archives.hannonhill.com,2010-02-09:Comment/332895112014-06-05T18:26:44Z2014-06-05T18:26:44ZPros and cons of metadata sets vs data definitions for handling metadata<div><p>Hi geoff,</p>
<p>It all depends on how you want to use what you called metadata.
Metadata set first. You can associate a block, a page, a file, a
folder, and a symlink to a metadata set. But you cannot associate
them to a data definition block (I am not talking about block
choosers here). When you index these assets, metadata is visible
and the indexing is fast. But as you have pointed out, capabilities
of metadata sets are relatively limited.</p>
<p>Data definitions. You have to use them with blocks or pages.
When you index pages, you have to include page content to be able
to see the data. This can be very slow. But again, data definition
blocks can do a lot of things that metadata cannot. For example,
you can use a block chooser to allow a data definition block to
wrap up another block, and provide other fields for customization.
This metadata cannot do.</p>
<p>About this part: "the only way to publish block-level metadata
to a page is if that metadata resides in a data definition rather
than in a metadata set", I am totally lost.</p>
<p>Wing</p></div>Wing Ming Chan