1 Reply by charlesroper

  • charlesroper
  • charlesroper
  • Digital Development Manager
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  • From: Field Studies Council
  • Registered: 26-03-2006
  • Posts: 906

Re: Nameserver not working?

Recorder 6.7.2.77, with dictionary patch installed. I'm doing a search for Bittern records using the report wizard. I'm getting inconsistent results depending on what list I choose and what synonym I choose. For example:

BIRDS Natural History Museum/British Ornithologists' Union checklist of British birds (Class Aves)
Search on: Botaurus Stellaris
Returned occurrences: 687

Search on: Great Bittern
Returned occurrences: 687

Recorder 3.3 list
Search on: Botaurus Stellaris
Returned occurences: 687

Search on: Bittern
Returned occurrences: 0

RSPB list
Search on: Botaurus Stellaris
Returned occurrences: 687

Search on: Bittern
Returned occurrences: 0


So, it looks like the common name "Bittern" is not linking up through the nameserver, but the "Great Bittern" is. Are others noticing names that aren't linked up like this?

Charles

Charles Roper
Digital Development Manager | Field Studies Council
http://www.field-studies-council.org | https://twitter.com/charlesroper | https://twitter.com/fsc_digital

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2 Reply by johnt

  • johnt
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  • Registered: 07-06-2006
  • Posts: 32

Re: Nameserver not working?

Charles,

I've had a look at this and it may be something that we need to look into more closely. The problem seems to arise when the same name can apply to more than one taxon. In such instances, the nameserver maps the name to all relevant preferred names (i.e. there is more than one nameserver entry for the name).

e.g. 'Common Blue' can apply to both the full species Polyommatus icarus, or its component subspecies Polyommatus icarus subsp. icarus and Polyommatus icarus subsp. mariscolore. There are thus three nameserver entries for 'Common Blue', one pointing to each of the above names.

This may be causing problems with the reporting and I think that this is something for Steve and I to look at in more detail, so thank you for spotting the problem.

Cheers,
John

P.S. In this instance, the linking of 'Bittern' to two scientific names it is actually down to an error in a checklist which I've now corrected, but the broader issue may still exist.

3 Reply by wilkin_s

  • wilkin_s
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  • Registered: 31-03-2006
  • Posts: 87

Re: Nameserver not working?

Charles/John
I have had a bit of a look at this and think I have spotted at least part of the problem. The entry for Bittern in the Recorder Nameserver actually points at Bittern ratehr than the scientific name. This goes back some time to when there were entries like this in the NHM Nameserver which have now been removed but we still have them floating in the Recorder version (deletes are hard to spot as when we implemented in Recorder there was no PK for Nameserver). Having spotted it I am not completely sure how todeal with it. I might send you a complete replacement for Nameserver later today but I want to have a chat with Mike W who has also been looking at the dictionary problems lately.
Steve

4 Reply by wilkin_s

  • wilkin_s
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  • Registered: 31-03-2006
  • Posts: 87

Re: Nameserver not working?

Charles/John
I have done a bit more on this and have spotted some errors on my part not understanding Hannahs code, some other errors in her code, and a few minor tweaks to what the NHM produce. All of these I think will make things better. I would like to do a bit more testing before releasing a dictionary update.
Steve