IMPORTANT INFORMATION — How Do I... & Other Questions

Batch deleting individuals

null@example.com (paul.stevens) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:05:45 +0000

Hi all,

A while ago we had an issue with data input which meant we've created lots of "individual" record sources who don't actually exist! (Their names all consist of an iNaturalist nickname plus a verifier's surname.) We have deleted all the records with the dodgy names and re-uploaded them with the correct ones but we don't know how to delete all the dodgy individuals. Is there an easy way to do it?

Thanks very much, Jo

Error with Del7 - is there another way of batch deleting records?

null@example.com (paul.stevens) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:35:12 +0000

Hi. I understand from looking through this forum that this has been an issue before! I'm trying to delete some duplicate records. I have followed these steps to create a list of records to delete:

Create a csv file containing the records you want to delete.

Change the Obs Key field to “Taxon_Occurrence_Key” and cut and paste this so that it’s the first column in the sheet

Add a field called “Determination_Type” in which all the rows must have the value “Delete”

Add a column called “Verifiers_Comments” and another one called “Scientific_name”, both of which can be blank

Delete all the other fields in the csv and close it

however, when I try to use this as the input to Del7, I get the following error message:

There is an error in the SQL code. The error message is: "The DELETE statement conflicted with the REFERENCE constraint "FK_TAXON_PRIVATE_DATA_OCCURRENCE". The conflict occurred in database "NBNData", table "dbo.Taxon_Private_Data", column "Taxon_Occurrence_Key".

Can anyone help?

Thanks very much, Jo

Recorder 3 database to transfer to Recorder 6

null@example.com (atheta01) — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 11:39:13 +0000

Is there any documentation enabling R3 users to transfer their data to R6?

R6 on SQL Server 2025

null@example.com (rebecca.slack) — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:15:46 +0000

Has anyone tried moving R6 to SQL Server 2025?
I can see on the Forum that SQL Server 2022 has worked but we are considering a move to 2025 due to the generous storage provided on SQL Server 2025 Express. Would be good to hear of any good or bad experiences!

Can I batch update abundance with a list TOK keys?

null@example.com (Holly_FifeNature) — Wed, 20 May 2026 15:32:05 +0000

I have approximately 750 records that require an amendment to their abundances. These are records where the abundance is incorrectly reading as '1 mine count of tenanted' instead of '1 count of tenanted mine' for example. Is there any way that this can be done using a batch update and the TOK keys? I have looked at the batch updates but I can't see anything obvious that would help me.

Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Holly

Latest Dictionary Update

null@example.com (atheta01) — Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:20 +0000

URGENT PLEASE....

I've just paid for the 26/27 R6 Licence renewal.

Clicking on the Dictionary Update file I get a message "File cannot be downloaded securely"

What's going on?? Not had this problem before.

Site Status

null@example.com (Wolfgang) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:55:03 +0000

Hi,
I would like to change some site statuses in the term list like 'AONB' which is now called 'National Landscape'. But it looks like I can't, probably because these statuses were defined by Recorder centrally? Does it makes sense to edit these statuses directly in the tables in the background or is that dangerous and will it be overwritten by every dictionary update? Who knows the answers?

Thanks,
Wolfgang
HBIC

Taxon rank is missing

null@example.com (Wolfgang) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:53:36 +0000

Hi,
we have upgraded to the most recent dictionary and everything seemed fine. Now we want to add some local statuses to some species. When we try that we get for two taxa the message "The Taxon Rank is required. Please select a value." It focusses then on the drop down with the taxon ranks, but doesn't let me select anything. That happens only for a few species (Ulmus plotii, Carex demissa x hostiana). We try to update the statuses in the Master Checklist. Who knows what happens here? What can we do?

Thanks,
Wolfgang
HBIC

Duplicate records

null@example.com (atheta01) — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:29:41 +0000

What is the way to pick up duplicate records in Recorder? Is there a report for this??

Report code question

null@example.com (HBRG Data Manager) — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:01:20 +0000

I am at last getting round to deal properly with the problem you assisted with in the autumn, Mike, and am trying to edit the .xml file to suit my purposes better.

At present the Survey is not specified in the code, and I need to enter the survey name each time the report is run. The current relevant line seems to be
WHERE SV.Survey_Key = '%s'

How can I edit this to define the survey in the code? I tried replacing %s with the SURVEY_KEY but I am not familiar with this level of coding syntax, and it did not work.

Any advice welcome.

Murdo

Exporting data on locations (sites) and people

null@example.com (Eleanor Knott) — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:57:39 +0000

Does anyone know how to export all data on locations (sites) and people from Recorder 6? At the moment, I can only work out how to export data on sites if they records attached, but that is limited. I would like to be able to export all data from every tab in the Locations table and the Names and Addresses table.

Cheers
Ellie

Latest Dictionary update

null@example.com (atheta01) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:33:55 +0000

Having trouble with Dictionary Update

1) Bought the latest R6 licence key for 2025/2026
2) Clicked on latest SQL file to download
3) Got message "00000057.sql cannot be downloaded securely - same when I click on the zipped file
4) What do I do next????

Does Recorder 6 run on SQL Server 2022

null@example.com (Wolfgang) — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:29:09 +0000

Hi,
our IT want to update to SQL Sever 2022. Will Recorder 6 then still work?
They have the following questions:
• Does the product support SQL 2022?
• What is the high level description of the configuration change required to remap database connection?
o In-App - In App setting by Administrator that affects the entire application
o App-Reg-Key - Registry Key on Application Server
o ODBC - ODBC on web or application server
o Config-File - Install or bootstrap Configuration file
• Description of Configuration Details required to change Database location - Repoint to new instance / cluster as required
(This should include application configuration, stop/start/re-install procedures as required to facilitate the change)
• Are there any other details that are pertinent to the update of the application?

Is there somebody who can answer these questions?

Thanks,
Wolfgang

A reporting problem

null@example.com (HBRG Data Manager) — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 17:02:24 +0000

I thought I had transferred successfully to a new W11 machine – until I tried to run a report I have been using without trouble for years. The script was copied over from the old W10 machine. It works fine on the old, but an omission was immediately obvious when I tried on the new one. It was the field Sample Altitude (None).

I have spent hours trying to find why, without success. Creating reports sequentially in the wizard has established that all the 12 required fields can be added, displayed correctly in the wizard, and exported to Excel, and saved as .wzd. However, when I run the saved report the Sample Altitude (None) field is not included. The problem seems specific to that field, as a report including the other two altitude fields (Min and Max) only loses that one. I have failed to find any relevant advice in Settings or the Help pages.

My R6 is 6.30.1.291. The code that works correctly on the old machine follows. The altitude field is included as

SELECT Distinct Taxon_Occurrence.Taxon_Occurrence_Key AS Occurrence_Key, 'T' AS Type
FROM ((Taxon_Occurrence LEFT JOIN Sample ON Taxon_Occurrence.sample_Key = Sample.Sample_Key )
LEFT JOIN Survey_Event ON Survey_Event.Survey_Event_Key = Sample.Survey_Event_Key )
LEFT JOIN Survey ON Survey.Survey_Key = Survey_Event.Survey_Key
WHERE Survey.Survey_Key NOT IN (SELECT Survey_Key FROM User_Survey_Restriction USR WHERE USR.Name_Key = 'CI0001660000016Y') AND ((Survey.Survey_Key IN ('CI0001660000003Z')))

Any advice on solving this will be gratefully received.

Murdo

Backup problem

null@example.com (HBRG Data Manager) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:55:27 +0000

I have just installed R6 on a new Windows 11 laptop. When I tried to test importing the current R6 backup file I got the message 'The backup operation cannot complete because the backup device location can't be opened'. The same happens when trying to backup the database.

After trying various things and getting nowhere I uninstalled and reinstalled R6. The same thing happens.

I have checked that the backup location shown in the Tools menu item does indeed exist, and with the right text case (caps or not) in the name.

Any advice welcome.

Murdo