code: def _get_metadata_as_string(self):
          
          metalist = []
          for metaname, meta in iteritems(self.metadata):
              message = "Single value in metadata dictionary should be a list!"
              assert isinstance(meta, list), message
              for data in meta:
                  if data:
                      metalist.append("!%s_%s = %s" % (self.geotype.capitalize(),
                                                       metaname, data))
          return "\n".join(metalist)
docs: Get the metadata as SOFT formatted string.