1 Reply by GaryP

  • GaryP
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

Hello,

I have been doing a number of repeat surveys this year. Rather than having to completely enter all the information again. It would be useful to be able to copy the details from last year and then edit as necessary. I have seen that you can copy an event. But, if you try and paste that to another area it moves it rather than copies it. Is there another option? Could I possibly extract the information to a spreadsheet then import back into recorder?

Cheers for now

Gary Pocklington

2 Reply by MikeWeideli

  • MikeWeideli
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

Gary

One of the  ways of doing this is to export the data as a spreadsheet, make the changes you want then use the import wizard to re-import it.   This way the new keys etc, would be allocated.  You may be able to get all the fields from the Report Wizard or if not an XML report could definitely do it. As the field names and content will be in recorder format and all the reference data will already exist in the database this should  be a fairly simple import. However, this will only work if the fields you use are all ones which the Import Wizard can process.  Field not importable would need to be completed manually after the import.

Mike Weideli

MikeWeideli's Website

3 Reply by GaryP

  • GaryP
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

Thanks Mike. I will try the report/xml route into an Excel file and then import. I don't mind doing some manual 'tweaking' afterwards. But for accuracy and continuity it would be nice to import the grid refs etc. So, as not to introduce errors.

Cheers for  now

Gary Pocklington

4 Reply by GaryP

  • GaryP
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

Another question. I have setup a 'test' survey where I can try out the import. Is there a way to delete the records in this area without having to individually delete taxons, samples etc. Is that something that I can do in batch update?

Thanks

Gary Pocklington

5 Reply by GaryP

  • GaryP
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

Just a quuck update to say that the data import worked fine. I started by using an existing xml report to extract data from last year. I ended up modifying this so that I have in effect a template in excel that I can use. I can copy this and with a reasonably straightforward anount of editing I can then import the data in.
Some issues with the import but I suspect that is probably because of my needs.
The import creates an event for every sample which in my case I don't need. As most of the data I input is from transect surveys I only one event with the associated samples. I use sample reference as a key field for identifying the samples and this field is not available on the import. However, I got round this by creating the data in excel and then assigning it to the sample comment field. When the data had been imported I cut and pasted this into the reference field. The other field that I have had to manually tweak was the measurements accuracy field. This cannot be imported and it seems as though the default is 'exact'. I prefer to use 'Estimate', again that needs some manual intervention.
But overall, it seems a very efficient way of getting data in.

I also found in 'batch updates' an option to delete survey records. This can be useful as I first import the data into a 'test' survey area. This allows me to do any amendments before I move the data into the 'live' survey area. When I have finished doing that and have moved the data I can clear up this area by using the option in batch updates.

All this is probably not the most efficient way of doing things but it seems to work with a relatively small amount of effort.

Cheers for now

Gary Pocklington

6 Reply by sallyrankin

  • sallyrankin
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

In v6.15.4 the import wizard does import Accuracy but that won’t be mentioned in the Help unless you have done the Help upgrade – see http://forums.nbn.org.uk/viewtopic.php?pid=8812#p8812 . If an Accuracy column is in the import file, there must also be a value in Abundance Data, and it goes into the 'Accuracy' column of the Measurements for the Taxon Occurrence. If there is more than one set of Abundance data for an observation the value in this column will be applied to all of them.

Sally Rankin, JNCC Recorder Approved Expert
E-mail: s.rankin@btinternet.com
Telephone: 01491 578633
Mobile: 07941 207687

7 Reply by GaryP

  • GaryP
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

Hello Sally,

Thanks for youyr reply. I am running version 6.16.24.1. Although I can see the reference to 'Abundance of accuracy' in the help documentation I cannot see that in the list of available fields in the import wizard?

Gary Pocklington

8 Reply by GaryP

  • GaryP
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Re: Copy previously entered events/samples

An addition to my last comment. The help screen has the 'Abundance accuracy' as the first option where you can look for additional fields. In my Recorder software in the import wizard this option is 'Abundance Data'. So there are two Abundance Data options. One in the main section and the other in the options section.

Cheers for now

Gary Pocklington