1 Reply by johnvanbreda

  • johnvanbreda
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  • Registered: 27-04-2006
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Re: Measurement Field Lengths

Seeing that SQL Server will only store the data that is present in a VARCHAR field and will not waste space, is there any reason why the field length of the data field in Taxon_Occurrence_Data is only 20 characters (similar for the other measurement types though some are 40)? I guess I can answer my own question - the reason is legacy from Access when we were trying not to waste space. But I want to be able to attach descriptive data to my occurrences, and to keep these descriptions in separate fields rather than mix it all up in the comments field. The measurements would seem an ideal place to keep these (unless we go the whole hog and add a new tab for descriptors) but for the data length issue. I appreciate that the measurements grid may not cope well with longer pieces of text, but my primary concern at this stage is getting data in so that it is most useful in future.

John van Breda
Biodiverse IT

johnvanbreda's Website

2 Reply by RobLarge

  • RobLarge
  • RobLarge
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Re: Measurement Field Lengths

I agree John, I have been using the measurements tab in this way also and find the truncation annoying at times.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

3 Reply by Janet Simkin

  • Janet Simkin
  • Janet Simkin
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  • Registered: 10-05-2006
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Re: Measurement Field Lengths

I raised this a couple of years ago as we really need a 32 character field to handle our measurement data. At that time I seem to remember being told that it could be changed but wouldn't be as I was the only person asking for it. Now it is a more general requirement, so let's hope for a more positive response!

Janet

Janet Simkin
British Lichen Society

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4 Reply by Lynn Heeley

  • Lynn Heeley
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Re: Measurement Field Lengths

Thanks I have noted this. The import wizard truncates the measurement qualifier to 20 characters despite there being enough room for 40 in the database itself - this is being resolved in the next build.

Lynn

5 Reply by johnvanbreda

  • johnvanbreda
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Re: Measurement Field Lengths

Hi Mary
Please could you give us some feedback as to where in the priorities list increasing the measurement data field lengths from 20 or 40 characters to at least, say, 100 characters? Is it likely to happen in a future build?

Best Wishes

John van Breda
Biodiverse IT

johnvanbreda's Website

6 Reply by Mary Campling

  • Mary Campling
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Re: Measurement Field Lengths

Hi John,

The feature request has been logged on the 'wish list' but no priority level has been set as of yet.
However the amendment to the import wizard of increasing the allowable field size for 'measurement qualifier' from 20 to 40 characters will be included in the next release (June).