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Topic: NBN Uploads - Attributes

With the Gateway, we had the ability to add "Attributes" to the basic record details.  With the Tachinid fly dataset I used to these Attribute fields to add details of the common name and scientific name of the records host if we had these.  Does the Atlas allow the upload of "Attributes" like this, and if so how do we format them for the Darwin Core file?

Thanks.

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Re: NBN Uploads - Attributes

Hi Matt,
Yes, that is possible in the Atlas as well, any non-Darwin Core attributes are stored as additional properties. The problem at the moment is downloading the additional properties. They are not included in the full download yet.

Ideally, we should find a suitable Darwin Core field(s) for these additional properties. We've recently started using lifeStage, for example, which will be added to the simple format download.

I had a very quick look for a term that would work for you, I think associatedTaxa is the best choice. I will have more of a look, and ask at the workshop this week as well. The full list of Darwin Core terms is here: http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/

Thanks, Sophie

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Re: NBN Uploads - Attributes

Thanks

4 (edited by Tom Humphrey 08-03-2018 11:56:11)

Re: NBN Uploads - Attributes

It sounds from this thread as though non-Darwin core attributes can be included as separate fields. In other discussions the emphasis has instead been to use the Darwin Core dynamicProperties ( http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/#dynamicProperties )  for other attributes.

Are these two approaches treated the same by the NBN or is there an advantage to using one or the other.  I appreciate that use of dynamicProperties is technically more correct, but given that the content is suggested to be serialised as a JSON object, it's quite unfriendly for less technologically inclined data users.

If a series of JSON key-values pairs are sent, how would the NBN present the field (and would querying within it be possible), e.g. given:

{"vicecounty" : "VC83", "compiledBy" : "Fred Bloggs", "validatorsComment" : "some random chunk of text", "verbatimHabitat" : "some 'habitat' description that doesn't fit EUNIS"}

How will the end-user see this?

Would these attributes be present more clearly if sent as separate columns - even if that technically deviates from the Darwin Core standard?

The more I look at the Darwin Core specification the more I become disillusioned with it. Many useful concepts are missing and too many of those that are present are really poorly defined. I realise that's not the NBN's fault... :)

Tom Humphrey
Database Officer,
Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI)

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Re: NBN Uploads - Attributes

You can supply the attributes as separate columns but they won't be included in the searches, nor will they be in any downloads. I think that this is the benefit of using the dynamic properties.

I uploaded our first dataset with dynamic properties recently and it should be processed over the weekend. I am not sure how it is going to look. Let's wait until next week and see how it looks.

Sorry, it's a learning curve for me as well. With a good argument I think that we can ask for new terms to be added to Darwin Core. May be this is something that we can start putting together and I will investigate how to ask for changes?