Introduction

As you progress and begin to accrue files, you will also have a growing need to embed these materials with appropriate metadata tags.

These metadata tags are called checksums. They are essentially bits of information that are planted onto files and then read later to see if there have been any changes in the data within. If there are differences in the file's checksum in its lifetime, it will mean that it is necessary to review the contents and see if there is any degradation or glitches present. If there are issues found, then it will be necessary to restore a backup version of this corrupted file.

Modules to Review

BWF MetaEdit is a free software tool that you can use to embed WAV files with these checksums. WAV files that you will likely work with during a digitization project include your copy master (or master file) and access master. These lossless, uncompressed files will be your staples from which to work off of to later make accessible, shareable audio for online sites, learning tools, or other community engagement needs.

For more information on how to download and install BWF MetaEdit, other terms related to metadata and checksums, or an introduction to the concept of metadata in general, please review the following related pages and modules:

For how to download and install this software, please review Module 6: Installing Audacity and MetaEdit from the DiGI training modules series.

For a refresher on the importance of metadata and where to find it, please navigate to Module 7: What is Metadata? from the DiGI training modules series.

To learn more about other important metadata-related terms and their definitions, please see the living Glossary of Digitization Terms

Fundamental Uses

In the learning module housed on this page, you will be introduced to each section of BWF MetaEdit that is relevant for embedding checksums, following the instalment instructions and steps outlined in Module 6: Installing Audacity and MetaEdit

Then, there is a walkthrough visualization to guide you through the process of embedding the checksums as well as how to troubleshoot if you encounter issues on the fly.

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For additional support and if you encounter error messages, it is advised to navigate to the internal BWF MetaEdit Help Tab and enter into the software's support centre. Here, you can find a list of potential error messages and what they might mean. The image above shows you the pathway to get to this support centre.

If you have further questions or need technical assistance with using BWF MetaEdit, you can also reach out to the Language Technology Program team: Ben (ben@fpcc.ca) and James (james@fpcc.ca).

Digitization has also provided here the images within the module and the one above that demonstrates how to navigate to the internal Help Tab in BWF MetaEdit. They are presented in a PDF package for people to keep with them and have on their desktops as a quick reference:

Images from Module

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