[rogue_ronin]

@Kevin: Yeah, those are the basic additions I'm looking at. There's also some stuff in the second section that I think might be good to use as well, but I'm not certain. I'd like it if more folks chimed in, too, but I suspect it takes a rare type of OCD to work on this stuff!

I'm trying to work out a set of basic, but reasonably thorough, XHTML metadata, preferably in a Dublin Core format, that is consistent with what Sigil uses or recognizes (because Sigil is the first app to take such a thing seriously.)

Technically, Sigil supports (or will support) the entire DC, because it will pass through all valid <meta> tags. So, technically, there's nothing to discuss in that area. But, of course, figuring out what is actually useful when creating an eBook, and putting together a simple list of what to use (from the myriad possibilities) is where this thread should work itself out. This XHTML eBook metadata stands somewhat apart from whatever form it may take later (particularly in a Sigil ePub.)

The most recent list is using entirely DCTERMS because it's consistent, is a superset of the DC namespace, and enables us to encode a larger set of metadata in a more specific way. The suggestions you made were spot-on; all I did was package them up nicely.

Since Sigil looks for DCTERMS as well as DC, there's no reason to mix different namespaces in this recommendation/spec. While Sigil's output will be only valid ePub spec, and thus may use the DC namespace, there's no reason to limit the input to that space since there is logic built into it to recognize a larger set of metadata -- and the resulting XHTML is simpler, more readable and consistent. (Makes it look like some actual thought went into it!)

As you've recognized, what Sigil understands on input, and what might be available in the metadata, are different lists. Someone could make a simple list of free-form terms to use; in fact, for everything that matches the ePub spec, it would be nice if there were a Sigil-specific free-form list.

Now, as to the stuff that cannot be matched to DCTERMS: simple enough, really -- just turn 'em into basic <meta> tags...

File Name
<meta name="FileName" content="FILENAME.EXT">

File Version
<meta name="FileVersion" content="VERSION NUMBER">

File Comment
<meta name="FileComment" content="COMMENT">

File-As
<meta name="FileAs" content="LASTNAME, FIRST MIDDLE">

Sub-title
<meta name="SubTitle" content="SUBTITLE">

Publication City
<meta name="PublicationCity" content="CITY NAME">

(I think we're getting new ePub spec this year -- maybe some of these will be included. I'm hoping for "Sub-title.")

I'd love to hear if someone can think of a way to map these to the DCTERMS. I'm also open to further arguments against them. I may be married to FileName, for instance, because I'm using it in my process so much.

@Valloric: Of the above, Sigil will largely just pass them through to the OPF: the only question is, is it reasonable that Sigil should recognize the File-As tag (much as it recognizes Author or Title)? There should only be one such tag, so it could sensibly be mapped to the primary creator.

On the other DCTERMS in the prior list: I'd love to hear some arguments, particularly for Abstract, Alternative Title and Audience. I tend to come from a fiction-book perspective, and might need some schooling on non-fiction.

m a r