Once we have used this on a few more databases, we will supply the dictionary synchroniser tool to Dorset Software and the other resellers.

When upgrading and updating the dictionary, please use the guidance provided on the uploads page of the forum, see 'Guidelines for upgrading V6.6.8 to V6.9.3 by Sarah Shaw, JNCC' at http://forums.nbn.org.uk/uploads.php for reference.

If you do experience problems with updating the dictionary similar to those above, please contact your reseller, post something on the forum or contact JNCC via the Recorder email address: Recorder@JNCC.gov.uk.

I'll will post more information on the synchroniser tool shortly and will let you know when this tool has been provided to the resellers.

Many thanks,

Sarah

Sarah Shaw
Biodiversity Information Assistant
JNCC

Yes we have a backup, and await the release of the tool.

Thanks

Sydney Gauld
Orkney Biodiversity Records Centre

These problems appeared to have occurred as some user's dictionaries are out of sync - i.e. not everyone's copy of the dictionary appears to be the same.

If the user's copy of the dictionary is not in line with the one we based this latest upgrade on, this causes problems and error messages similar to the one you have posted.

We are currently working on a solution to this - where ourselves, Dorset Software and the resellers can run a program which can resolve this and bring everyone's dictionaries to a single point.

We are hoping that this tool will be ready to use by the end of the week. However, you may need to send us your database on CD so that we can 'fix' it.

Is this a live copy? Did you back up the database before proceeding with the update?

Best wishes,

Sarah

Sarah Shaw
Biodiversity Information Assistant
JNCC

Sarah or Steve should be able to fill in more.

Brian

We ran the dictionary upgrade for V6.9.3 on Friday and got the error message:

Error occurred running script 00000003.sql. The error is described as:
DELETE statement conflicted with COLUMN REFERENCE constraint 'FK_TAXON_FACT_TAXON_VERSION'. The conflict occurred in database 'NBNData' table 'TAXON_FACT' column 'TAXON_VERSION_KEY'

I see from the forum that this problem has been encountered before. What do we have to do to sort it?.

Sydney Gauld
Orkney Biodiversity Records Centre

I have looked into the issues raised with the 'upgrade from any version' to version 6.9.3, and it looks like there are some problems with upgrading Recorder 6 pre 6.7.2 straight to 6.9.3. There have been so many changes, both with the software and with the dictionary, that this upgrade isn't working as it should, and I think, on reflection, it is probably better to do the upgrade in two steps anyway (i.e. from 6.6.8 to 6.7.2, and then from 6.7.2 - 6.9.3) to avoid complications. We do however plan to review this situation in the new year.

I have uploaded a document (see uploads page http://forums.nbn.org.uk/uploads.php) 'Guidelines for upgrading to V6.9.3 from V6.6.8' giving detailed instructions of how to upgrade a standalone copy of Recorder 6 from V6.6.8 to V6.9.3 and I hope to provide similar guidelines for upgrading from versions pre 6.6.8 to 6.9.3 (if required) in January.

As always, particularly with live systems, I would strongly advise creating a back-up copy of the NBN database before proceeding with an upgrade.

I sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this.

Many thanks,

Sarah

Sarah Shaw
Biodiversity Information Assistant
JNCC

Many thanks for the information you give. When you speak with the BOU, I know from my perspective there is a need to differentiate between White and Pied Wagtails for reporting purposes as one only appears here as a migrant the latter as a breeder. I guess this will be an issue for different species in other places, but for my example, it is the only case I can think of where the species name is a change from the one we normally and commonly record in north east Wales (and Britain?). Observers generally record 'Pied Wagtails' and we need to be able to differentiate them in Recorder - as a subspecies would be better than just as a comment.

I look forward to seeing what the upgrade in January does.

All the best and best wishes for Christmas to those kind people who have provided help via these very useful pages!

Ian

I've a couple of quick points relating to the taxonomic aspects of the update. Sadly, neither is ideal, but now that the Dictionary updates have been decoupled from broader updates, we are able to provide a much more responsive service.

Firstly, an apology - the BOU birds list has now been updated in the master copy of the Species Dictionary (held at the NHM) to comply with the latest BOU publication. Unfortunately, the flag that lets Recorder know that this had happened wasn't completed, so the current Recorder version will not contain all of the changes. This includes the sort order, which will be a little idiosyncratic in places.

We are aiming for an update in the first week of January and this will solve all problems raised by Ian, with the exception of including subspecies (we had been asked by BOU to omit these, but I shall check that this is still the case).

The second point relates to the Coleoptera list. This is still only partially complete, but I am pursuing access to the remaining data.

The intention is to provide regular taxonomic updates, starting in January.

Regards,
John

Dr John Tweddle

Data Manager,
NBN Species Dictionary Project

There is a problem with the instructions that go along with the upgrade from any version.

My sincerest apologies - we've taken this upgrade off the website temporarily and we are looking into it today.

I'll email you both as soon as it is resolved.

I'm really sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Best wishes,

Sarah

Sarah Shaw
Biodiversity Information Assistant
JNCC

I have found another taxonomic issue with the implementation of the BOU Checklist 2006. In the taxonomic list is:

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba).  This is incorrect. The species is White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

What would be better is if the entry could be amended to:

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba) with a subspecies Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)

How soon is it realistically likely to be possible to make these changes to the order? Does it have to be done centrally, or can we make such changes locally?

Cheers, Ian

I have found another taxonomic issue with the implementation of the BOU Checklist 2006. In the taxonomic list is:

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba).  This is incorrect. The species is White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

What would be better is if the entry could be amended to:

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba alba) with a subspecies Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)

How soon is it realistically likely to be possible to make these changes to the order? Does it have to be done centrally, or can we make such changes locally?

Cheers, Ian

My thanks to Steve Wilkinson for his assistance by phone on Friday. I look forward to completing the checks next week.

Although the dictionary upgrade did not complete, here, the BOU checklist is available - for which I am very grateful and I have imported about 1100 records as a test. Much more such work to do. However, there are some errors in the contents of the list that I would be grateful to have corrected at some time. The most striking error is the order is wrong at the start of the taxonomic list. Mute Swan is now the first bird in the list and the order should be:

Anseriformes
Galliformes
Gaviiformes
Podicipediformes
Procellariiformes
Pelecaniformes
Ciconiiiformes
Acciptriformes, etc etc

There may be some other 'order' issues to check.

Also, 'Canada Goose' should now be named 'Greater Canada Goose'.

However, many thanks for getting this list available!

All the best, Ian

Exception occurred in application Recorder 6 at 15/12/2006 15-04-25.
Version : 6.9.3.102

Exception path:
EOleException : ClassFactory cannot supply requested class

Last event\actions:
  actLocations invoked
  TfrmLocations created
  TfrmLocations activated
  TfrmLocationDetails created
  actImport invoked
  TfrmImportWizard created
  TfrmLocations deactivated
  TfrmImportWizard activated

Operating System : Windows XP  5.01.2600  Service Pack 2
Physical Memory available : 1,047,548 KB

Janet

Failed to insert NBNSYS0000001349 into NAMESERVER
Database Error Message:
UPDATE permission denied on object 'NAMESERVER', database 'NBNDATA', owner 'dbo'.

Alison