= OME-XML Java Library =

The OME-XML Java library is a collection of Java packages for manipulating OME-XML metadata structures. The OME-XML Java library's metadata processing facilities form the backbone of the [http://loci.wisc.edu/software/bio-formats Bio-Formats] library's support for OME-XML conversion.

It is not to be confused with the [http://www.openmicroscopy.org/site/support/legacy/ome-server/developer/java-api OME-Java API] for communicating with an [http://www.openmicroscopy.org/site/support/legacy/ome-server OME Server] from Java—until recently, the OME-Java library was a combination of both the OME-XML Java library and the OME-Java API in one package, but as of September 2008 they have been split into two separate libraries: '''ome-xml.jar''' is the OME-XML Java library, and '''ome-java.jar''' is the OME-Java API.

== Download ==

You can download '''ome-xml.jar''' from the [http://loci.wisc.edu/bio-formats/downloads Bio-Formats downloads] page. The license is [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html LGPL].

== Installation ==

To use, add '''ome-xml.jar''' to your classpath or build path.

== Usage ==

You can peruse the [http://hudson.openmicroscopy.org.uk/job/LOCI/javadoc/ online API documentation], specifically the ome.xml.* packages. For an example of usage, see the [https://skyking.microscopy.wisc.edu/trac/java/browser/trunk/components/bio-formats/src/loci/formats/ome/OMEXML200809Metadata.java Bio-Formats metadata architecture].

The OMENode is the root ("OME") node of the OME-XML. Each XML element has its own node type (e.g., "Image" has !ImageNode) with its own accessor and mutator methods, to make navigation of the OME-XML structure easier than it would be with a raw DOM object. However, there are some limitations to what can be done with the API. If your application needs access to a node's backing DOM element to work with it directly, you can call getDOMElement() on a node.

== Source code ==

The OME-XML Java library is an open source project—the source code is freely accessible via our SVN repository. See [http://loci.wisc.edu/software/accessing-source-code these instructions] for details on checking out the code.