1 Topic by Syrphus

  • Syrphus
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Topic: Botria mystery

Hello Chris.  This will be closer to your heart than obscure feather lice!

I discovered by accident the Tachinid checklist in R6 the other day, and that it contained Botria subalpina.  I uploaded all my records of this in the summer, but as I could not enter the species from R6, I had to edit the export file to replace the TVK for Tachinidae (which I had used) with that of B. subalpina taken from the Gateway. 

I have just tried to edit the det. of these records in R6, and though I can see the checklist, and Botria in it, R6 will not recognise the name in the 'Add a record' or 'Edit determination' dialogues even when searching unrestricted.  It is recognised in the Report wizard.

This may perhaps be an R6 problem rather than a UKSI one, and if so maybe you could alert whoever is responsible and provide any technical info that is relevant.

Murdo

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2 Reply by Syrphus

  • Syrphus
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Re: Botria mystery

And it thickens! I discover that our wonderful new Gateway does not recognise Botria (genus) or B. subalpina at all.  The old Gateway (I apologise for all those times I cursed it) on the other hand knows all about it and faithfully shows the maps and displays in full all seven records.

M.

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3 Reply by sallyrankin

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Re: Botria mystery

Botria subalpina is on ‘Checklist from Tachinid Recording Scheme’ in the taxon dictionary in Recorder 6 but it isn’t on any other lists. The trouble with this list is that it is flagged as a ‘Defunct checklist’ (Description in TAXON_LIST_TYPE: A checklist that exists in the dictionary historically but has no current genuine use) and lists of this type are not allowed for data entry. When doing an ‘unrestricted’ search in Recorder 6 the search is not fully unrestricted. It is unrestricted across lists that are allowed for data entry. This explains why you can’t select this species when using facilities from the Data Entry menu. To correct this situation Botria subalpina needs to be added to a list which is allowed for data entry, e.g. the DIPTERA list or the List of additional names. Alternatively the type of the ‘Checklist from Tachinid Recording Scheme’ could be changed to one that is allowed for data entry. I assume this is an issue for UKSI.

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

4 Reply by Syrphus

  • Syrphus
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Re: Botria mystery

Thanks, Sally.  Your explanation suggests the flagging is incorrect.  B. subalpina was only discovered in UK in 2012 (I know, because I found it) and it only appeared in the system last year.  As Chris knows the whole history of this fly - including the Tachinid list - he is the best person to advise, but my guess is that the flag is wrong.

M.

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5 Reply by ChrisR

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Re: Botria mystery

Hi Sally

That's the very first checklist that I created when I started in June 2012 ... I wonder why I chose tachinids? (cough, cough) ;)  Anyway, I am very happy to believe that I set something incorrectly but I can't seem to find the offending key here in the database - could you point me to it or is it one that is created when Mike processes the database for R6? :)

Many thanks
Chris R.

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

6 Reply by sallyrankin

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Re: Botria mystery

In the Recorder 6 database there is a flag called Allow_Data_Entry in the TAXON_LIST_TYPE table.

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

7 Reply by Syrphus

  • Syrphus
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Re: Botria mystery

Thanks, Sally.  Is this a flag I can change in my copy of R6 to allow the det to be made without a kludge?

Murdo

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8 Reply by Syrphus

  • Syrphus
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Re: Botria mystery

Answering my own question, apparently not!

I changed the type for the Tachinid list from ...6 to ...5, but it still is not recognised in the 'Enter a species' dialogue, even as unrestricted, and although I could then see it in the import wizard, the name 'Botria' was not recognised.

I have reset the field to ...6.

Is there something else that needs to be changed?

M.

Syrphus's Website

9 Reply by sallyrankin

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Re: Botria mystery

Allow_Data_Entry is also in INDEX_TAXON_NAME so that will have to be rebuilt before the change in the TAXON_LIST_TYPE table takes effect.

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

10 Reply by Syrphus

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Re: Botria mystery

OK, Sally.  I will try that when I get a minute.

M.

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11 Reply by ChrisR

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Re: Botria mystery

Mike Weideli and I are working on a resolution to this problem. Apparently the list-type meanings changed over the years but we will bring them back into line with the UKSI and this should, in turn, bring my tachinid list back from the dead! ;)

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

12 Reply by Syrphus

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Re: Botria mystery

That has worked, Sally.  Thanks.  I assume I can now just wait for the next database upgrade when the fields will have been fixed?

M.

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13 Reply by ChrisR

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Re: Botria mystery

I think the table Sally talks about is one that Mike Weideli creates from our data. Mike has discussed with me a longterm solution to the problem though and I think all concerned agreed that it should be put into action :)

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

14 Reply by Syrphus

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Re: Botria mystery

Changing the table entry and rebuilding the index as Sally suggested seems to have cured the Tachinid list problem in my own copy of R6, Chris.

M.

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