1 Topic by ser

  • ser
  • ser
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  • From: Staffordshire Ecological Recor
  • Registered: 24-09-2008
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Topic: Deleted MapMate Records in Recorder

Not really sure where to post this request, as it is a protocol request

One of my recorders has deleted many records (dups, etc.) in his copy of MapMate - these have been entered into my copy of Recorder using the MapMate CUK to create the Recorder GUI

As best practice I don't normally delete records, I set them to "invalid", but with these records I'm wondering what best practice should be - because since the records are deleted in MapMate, I'm guessing there is a potential for MapMate to re-use the CUK for a brand new observation, so:

1) should I delete the records totally from our copy of Recorder (after taking a back-up spreadsheet)
2) should I follow my standard procedure of setting the records to invalid so they no longer appear in reports, but do still exist in the database

Ideas/thought please

Craig

Craig Slawson
Staffordshire Ecological Record

ser's Website

2 Reply by nmrs

  • nmrs
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  • From: London
  • Registered: 22-11-2006
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Re: Deleted MapMate Records in Recorder

Craig,

When you 'delete' a record in MapMate, all that happens is the record's fields are cleared apart from the GUK which remains in RECORDS.MDB, so in effect you have a blank record in the table (to delete the same record in another copy of MapMate after a sync).

This may help with your decision.

Les Evans-Hill
Senior Data Officer
Butterfly Conservation, Butterflies for the New Millennium and National Moth Recording Scheme

nmrs's Website

3 Reply by RobLarge

  • RobLarge
  • RobLarge
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  • From: Wiltshire
  • Registered: 15-07-2008
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Re: Deleted MapMate Records in Recorder

I was thinking that may be the case. GUK stands for globally unique key, does it not? Which logically should preclude the re-use of keys.

Rob Large
Wildlife Sites Officer
Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre

RobLarge's Website

4 Reply by sallyrankin

  • sallyrankin
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  • Registered: 07-04-2006
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Re: Deleted MapMate Records in Recorder

I saw Martin Harvey at the NFBR conference last week so I asked him if MapMate reuses keys. He says it used to but it hasn’t done this for a long time (several years). That means you should be able to add determinations if that is your preferred option. See http://forums.nbn.org.uk/viewtopic.php?pid=17277#p17277 for more information.

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