You can create an XML catalog file using the application Protégé[1]. The version of Protégé used in these instructions is version 4.3.0.

To create an XML catalog file for a locally cached set of external ontologies:


  1. Open Protégé.
  2. Select File > New.

    Figure 1: Creating an OWL ontology in Protégé application.
  3. Select Save as.

    Figure 2: Saving an OWL ontology in Protégé.
  4. Navigate to a folder location.
  5. Name the empty ontology.
  6. Click Save.

    Figure 3: Saving the OWL ontology file to a selected location.
  7. Click File > Open.

    Figure 4: Opening the OWL ontology in Protégé.
  8. Click Yes.

    Figure 5: Opening the OWL ontology in the current window option.
  9. Select the newly created ontology.
  10. Click Open.
    Figure 6: Selecting an OWL ontology to open. 

To create an XML catalog file for the desired locally cached set of external ontologies:


  1. Click File > Edit active ontology library.

    Figure 1: Creating an XML catalog file in Protégé.
  2. Click on the Folder Repository for the empty ontology.
  3. Click Delete (-). 

    Figure 2: Deleting a folder repository.
  4. Click Add (+).

    Figure 3: Adding a folder repository.
  5. Click on Folder Repository.
  6. Select Recursively searchsubdirectories.

    Figure 4: Locating for a folder repository.
  7. Select the desired folder.
  8. Click Open.
    Figure 5: Selecting a folder repository.
  9. Click OK.
    Figure 6: The new folder repository is added.



[1] Protégé is a free, open-source ontology editor, and a framework for building knowledge management systems.

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