ecatalogue module - fieldmuseum/EMu-Documentation GitHub Wiki

FAQ | Q&A | ISSUES

What does a record in the Catalogue module represent?

A catalogue record represents one identification history -- "identification" in terms of taxonomy, object-kind, provenience, age, or otherwise. For Natural History collections this can include type status. A record cannot be both a record of a single individual AND a record of multiple individuals at the same time.

Current Sub class Status

Subclassed?: Yes

Record Types:

a single individual/item [ClassOfRecord = Single]

  • in 1 part (1 Catalogue record)
  • split up into many parts prepared in 1 or many ways.
  • Generally “Specimen” or “Object”

or a group of many individuals [ClassOfRecord = Group]

  • prepared in 1 or many ways.
  • Generally a “Lot”

Or an summary of formed collections [ClassOfRecord = Inventory]

  • may or may not yet be data-entered as lots or individuals
  • Categorized level inventory of lots/Specimens (for example taxonomic or stratigraphic) existing in formed collections. This is separate from a “back-log” inventory of specimens/items that have been accessioned but not yet integrated into a formed collection. For example an Insect Collection Unit”
  • Generally a “Collection Unit”

Record Structure:

Hierarchical Parent/Child Associations, and Network Relationships

In this module, Parent/Child Associations can reflect a whole item and its related sub-parts. A child record can inherit data from its parent and/or there may be logic that changes data, based on the presence of a parent/child attachment. Network Relationships can also reflect natural history relationships between separate items, to document Darwin Core Resource Relationships.

STRUCTURAL CHANGES: Rationale

Reason(s) for Change Request: Shared Collection and Custody tabs- April 2024

  • To consolidate all the catalogue/catalog/primary etc. tabs and provide a single place and workflow to generate collection events

Status

  • Version 9
  • Funded - FMIT
  • FMNH Specific customisation

Details

Two new tabs that will replace all the others includes connections to the new counts and preps/parts fields.

STRUCTURAL CHANGES: Rationale

Reason(s) for Change Request: 6c NEW TAB: Preps/Parts - Consolidated Backend Table. Unified Specimen/Parts Schema SOW v1.1- April 2021

  • To show the consolidated backend table of all Preps/Parts/Counts fields. All fields here are read-through/display-only from their respective data entry tabs. Primarily for use by Admins.
  • The Parts/Prep multivalue table intends to combine all of the counts fields into something universally useful and expandable to as yet undefined standards. We had to account for collections with:
    • No counts (specimen based collections): and indicators for prep types that also include what will be parts (skull, brain, viscera, tissue*, etc)
    • Individual counts of preparations (lot based collections): number of alcohol, number of skeletal, number of cleared and stained.
    • a combination of specimen and lot based collections: Some have no counts and are assumed to be 1 single specimen of one or more preparations, some have counts in one or more fields that represent specimens with indicators for preparation
    • Counts that use one or more of any of the fields used above in a slightly differently manner to represent whole specimens and parts of specimens (slices of a meteor for example)
    • Multivalue tables of any of the lots counts (Insects)
    • Single count fields that represent an original count, a current count, counts of parts of a set and counts of fragments of parts of sets along with parent/child records associated with those counts. (Cultural)

Associated with all count fields across all disciplines is the need to provide information about sex and lifestage (http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/lifeStage). This is included on a separate tab (Phenology tab), but as part of the large Preps/Parts backend table. As part of the processes of implementing this kind of cross catalogue change we are creating shared vocabularies for some of the new fields (e.g. lifestage, sex.) We will also be making changes to how we record tissue and genetic information utilizing the Preps/parts table, parent/child catalogue records and, eventually, a modification of one of our existing Tissue tabs. In the future it is hoped that 2 user tabs will not be necessary, however space limits of the current UI of EMu and the need to transition collections that have not traditionally recorded preps, parts and/or counts led us to the two tab approach.

Status

  • Version 5.1
  • Funded - In Test
  • FMNH Specific customisation

Details:

The consolidated table is an extension of the existing multivalued table on the AllPreMTab. New fields have been added to the table to replace the existing:

  1. phenology MV table on the AllPheTab (Phenology
  2. Lot History MV table on the AllLotTab (Lot History - DEPRECATED)
  3. Lot Details MV Table on the AllLot2Tab (Lot Lots - DEPRECATED)

FMNH pdf

STRUCTURAL CHANGES: Rationale

Reason(s) for Change Request: 6a EXISTING TAB: AllMea2Tab (Measurements) - March 2021

  • Development to consolidate multiple measurements tabs.

Status

  • Version 5.1
  • Funded - In Live
  • FMNH Specific customisation

Details

The Measurements tab can be used to accommodate both quantitative and qualitative data. The data recorded here should be a measurable value, quantity or character. (Measurements of reproductive Organs are recorded here.) Use the Description tab for more verbose, formatted, descriptive information. (Observations of reproduction are recorded on the Description Tab.)

FMNH pdf

STRUCTURAL CHANGES: Rationale

Reason(s) for Change Request 5 NEW TAB: AllRelNhTab Relationship dwc:Resource Relationship Extension SOW Version 1.4

  • Development of a client-wide relationships tab to accommodate the related resources DwC extension.

Status

  • Version 5.1 / 6.2
  • Funded - In Live
  • Client-wide customisation

Details

Provide a generic implementation of the Darwin Core Resource Relationship Extension along with specific changes required by FMNH, NMNH and MPM for the TPT TCN.

All work will be carried out on the latest source code version of EMu. The current release is EMu 6.2. Hence FMNH, NMNH and MPM will be required to upgrade to EMu 6.2 to have the work incorporated. FMNH have indicated that due to current undertakings they are unable to upgrade to EMu 6.2. In order to implement the client changes for FMNH the Natural History Catalogue changes will have to be back ported to EMu 5.1.

  • Add DwC tabs to base Natural History catalogue (Generic - FMNH, NMNH)
  • Add DwC tabs and back-end fields to Darwin Core module
  • Add Relationship tab to base Natural History catalogue
  • Customise Relationship tab for Parent/Child link (Specific) (No longer required)
  • Add client-side fields outside the DwC standard (Generic/Specific?)
  • Add client-side logic for Relationships tab (Generic/Specific)
  • Add new fields to each back-end catalogue (Specific)
  • Add server-side logic to each back-end catalogue (Specific)

Axiell Ticket: JIRA#361

Post Axiell SOW FMNH Specific Relationship Tab - Original FMNH Proposal (Pre Combo with NMNH) pdf

TPT Project Report for Axiell Development