This tutorial covers:

1. How to iterate through all available properties in the data file.
2. How to iterate through all possible values for each property.
3. How to access the description for each property.
4. How to access the description for each value.

Example of listing properties and possible values from a Dataset The example illustrates:

1. Initialize the data set

   												
   DataSet dataSet = StreamFactory.Create(fileName, false);
   
   												

									
foreach (var property in dataSet.Properties) 
{
    Console.WriteLine(property.Name + " - " + 
        property.Description);
}

									

									
foreach (var property in dataSet.Properties) 
{
    Console.WriteLine(property.Name + " - " + 
        property.Description);

    foreach (var value in property.Values)
    {
        sb.Append(" - ");
        sb.Append(value.Name);
        if (value.Description != null)
        {
            sb.Append(" - ");
            sb.Append(value.Description);
        }
        sb.Append("\n");
        Console.WriteLine(sb.ToString());
        sb.Clear();
    }
}

									

												
        public static void Run(string fileName)
        {
            // DataSet is the object used to interact with the data file.
            // StreamFactory creates Dataset with pool of binary readers to 
            // perform device lookup using file on disk.
            DataSet dataSet = StreamFactory.Create(fileName, false);
            StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

            Console.WriteLine("Starting Mata Data Example");

            // Loops over all properties.
            foreach (var property in dataSet.Properties) 
            {
                // Print property name and description.
                Console.WriteLine(property.Name + " - " + 
                    property.Description);

                // For each of the values of the current property.
                foreach (var value in property.Values)
                {
                    // Print value name.
                    sb.Append(" - ");
                    sb.Append(value.Name);
                    // If value has a description add it.
                    if (value.Description != null)
                    {
                        sb.Append(" - ");
                        sb.Append(value.Description);
                    }
                    sb.Append("\n");
                    // Print value and reset string builder.
                    Console.WriteLine(sb.ToString());
                    sb.Clear();
                }
            }

            // Finally close the dataset, releasing resources and file locks.
            dataSet.Dispose();
        }


												

Metadata is essentially a short description for an entity in the 51Degrees device data model. Metadata is used to provide a meaningful description for an entity such as property or value and can be useful in a variety of situations:

• When generating reports using 51Degrees data it can aid the reader to have a short description alongside each property listed.
• When exposing part of the API to the end user it can help to know what the property definition is, or what the value definitions are before they make a choice. E.G. An advertising agency that lets their clients' target specific devices can benefit if every choice is provided with a description.

The Property Dictionary page is an example that uses our metadata. The page is generated dynamically using the metadata and entities of the 51Degrees Enterprise data file. The following table shows just a few of the available properties.

Enterprise and Premium Only