Field section of the Schema Configuration tool
Fields have several properties that tables do not.
• Type indicates the type of field and is not user editable.
• Length indicates the length of the field. This can be useful to indicate how much text can be added to a particular string or text field.
• Is Required refers to the required fields on forms. When entering data into a form with required fields the form changes can not be saved until all the required fields contain data. Any system required fields can not be edited. Other fields can be changed.
• Field Format Type offers choices for altering string fields into either a Formatted (described below),Pick ListorWeb Link.
At this time User-Defined Pick Lists that are configured in the Schema Configuration also need to be added to individual forms by exporting the form set and editing the xml file for the form. Please refer toUser-Defined Pick List. System Pick Lists are already included in the Specify forms and can be edited. Please refer toSystem Pick Lists.
Creating a Formatted Field and editing an existing System Pick List will immediately be reflected within other Specify modules, such as queries and forms which include the edited field.
New, or User Defined Pick Lists and Web Links will not be automatically reflected within the forms in Specify. The User Defined Pick List and Web Links must be configured in the Web Links or Pick List editors. Forms will then need to be exported, edited in XML to include the Pick List and Web Link, then imported back into Specify. Please refer to
Import/Export Formsfor more details.
Format a Field
Overview
Accession and Catalog Number formats are configured during the institution setup, but users may have other fields that require either a number scheme or a format. A format allows a field to include various data components, such as static text, a date or an incremented number. Gift Number and Loan Number often have a unique format within collections. These can be formatted in the Schema Configuration tool, which will change the format for the entire discipline. In other words, if a Gift Number is formatted in the schema configuration all the collections within the discipline will be required to use the new format, which will display on the Gift form.
Catalog and Accession Numbers may not be edited in the Schema Configuration tool. At this time they may not be edited once they have been created. Field Formats that are created in the Schema Configuration tool may NOT be edited once data resides in the database.
Field Formats can not be changed if data exists within the database in the format. In other words, before changing a field format all data using the old format must first be deleted.
Field formatting functions are configured using the Format Type section at the bottom of the Schema Configuration tool.
Choose Formatted from the pick list next to the Format Type caption.
Format Type
If a format exists choose it from the middle drop-down list.
List of existing Field Formats
Actions
1. Click the ... button to open the initial Field Formatting Editor.
Available Field Formats Buttons at the bottom of the dialog offer the following:
• (checkmark) selects the saved format as the default, which will be used by the application.
• (edit) opens the Field Formatting Editor for editing a saved format. • (delete) removes the format.
• (add) opens the Field Formatting Editor for creating a new format. Clicking the (edit) or (add) button opens the following editor dialog.
Field Formatting Editor
The table, field and field length information is displayed on the top left.
• Name is used within the application files. It should be text only and will not be displayed to the user anywhere else in the application.
• Title will be displayed in any application format lists that are presented to the user.
• Reset Counter Every Year will become enabled when a Numeric section that 'Is Incremented' as well as a 'Year' are included in the format (this is explained in more detail in the following text). Checking this box will start a new count each year.
A format can be made up of one or many sections. Begin creating a format by clicking the (add) button on the right side of the editor to add a section.
2. Choose the type of section to add.
Choose a Type
• Numeric consists of numbers only and can be auto incremented by checking the 'Is Incrementer' box and using Auto Numbering when entering data. Specify will increment from the highest number present in the database. The length of the section can be set between 1 and 10 characters. For formats which also include a year, the number can restart the count every year by clicking the Restart counter every year box. • It is important to remember that field formats are implemented at a Discipline level and that formats that include a section that is incremented will include a numbering scheme that is shared by all Collections within the Discipline.
• Alphanumeric can contain both characters a through z and numbers. A field will appear which allows the section to be set between 1 and 10 characters in length.
• Alpha may only be alphabetical characters a through z. A length field will appear which allows the section to be set between 1 and 10 characters in length.
• Separator refers to a character that separates the various sections. Separator choices include - . / ' '(space) _ and are one character in length.
• Year will add the year on the format. The current year will automatically be entered into this field on the form, but can be edited.
• Any char(acter) allows any keyboard character. A field will appear which allows the length to be set between 1 and 10 characters.
• Constant refers to any section that will remain constant and is not editable on a form. This section is useful for an institutional code. Type the characters for the constant in the field labeled Text located under the Type box. The length of the Constant section is only limited by the number of characters remaining in the 50 character field length. 3. Fill in the remaining information for the chosen section.
4. Once the section is configured correctly add it to the format by clicking the button.
The section will appear in the window with the appropriate information in each of the columns.
• Type refers to the Type of section that was chosen from the pick list.
• Value shows the character used to represent the segment in the Sample at the bottom of the window.
• Size refers to the number of characters chosen for the section. This is not applicable to the Separator or Year section types.
• Is By Year refers only to the Year but also allows incremented numeric sections to be renumbered every year.
• Is Incrementer refers only to the Numeric section type that is incremented.
5. Reorder sections by clicking the (reorder up) and (reorder down) buttons on the right side of the editor.
6. Delete unwanted sections by clicking the (delete) button.
7. Continue adding sections until the format is complete and displays correctly in the Sample window at the bottom of the editor.
Note: For data entry purposes, when manually entering a formatted number field, it is paramount that numbers be padded with 0's. For example, if 3 numbers are available in a numbering scheme (###) and the desired number is 1, then 001 must be entered. If only 1 is entered, then Specify will read this as 100. This will produce incorrect results in searches, queries and reports.
8. Choose a Field Format
Once a field format has been configured it will need to be selected from the center pick list on the main Schema Configuration window.
Choose a Format