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An asset is the core unit of data in DataErai. It brings together everything about one piece of data:
  • Metadata — title, description, tags, and structured fields.
  • Content — the actual file or files.
  • Notes — a Markdown description for context.
  • Relationships — links to other assets that capture provenance.

Metadata

Every asset has metadata you can edit — its title, description, and tags — plus structured fields. Structured fields can be extracted automatically from recognized instrument files, and you can add or edit your own. Metadata is what makes assets findable in search.

Content

Content is the file or files attached to an asset. You add content by uploading in the browser or with the desktop app and CLI. An asset can also exist with no content yet — see Create an asset before uploading.

Notes and README

Each asset can have a Markdown note — a place to document the protocol, instrument settings, caveats, or anything a future reader (including you) will want to know. It renders as formatted prose on the asset.

Stars

Star an asset to bookmark it for quick access later. You can star collections and projects the same way.

Locking

Lock an asset to prevent further changes to it — useful once data is final and you want to protect it from edits. Locking is part of the Admin level of permissions.

Next steps

Provenance & relationships

Link assets to record how your data came to be.

Search & discover

Find assets by metadata, tags, creator, and collection.