Hi Ian,

You might want to investigate the option to add the activities in under Measurement Type in the Terms list (using 'Sex/Stage' in the Import Wizard). However, I'm not sure whether you will be able to import data in these fields without also having something in the Abundance field and I'm also not sure how easy it would be to report on these using Recorder. If I needed to import these sort of activities this is the option I would look at first!

Hope this helps,

Ian

I would create a new measurement type called "Activity" with a qualifier of "Bird" (or "Occurrence" or "Taxon" if you want to be more generic) and a unit of "Activity". See screenshot 1.

This will appear as a seperate measurement alongside others you may have. See screenshot 2.

You can report on this measurement via the Report Wizard. See screenshot 3.

You can even import this datum via the import wizard. See screenshot 4 and screenshot 5.

It will then appear in the Report Wizard results in a nice, clean way. See screenshot 6.

Let me know if you need any help configuring the details.

The problem with this approach is that you could enter anything into the measurement field and Recorder would accept it. It's not possible to constrain Recorder to a list of user defined choices. However, you will be able to supply a list of allowed choices in the new version apparently, but I've not tested this.

An alternative to the above method is to use the Record Type field.

Charles

Hi Charles

Many thanks for the trouble you have taken, but I am sorry if I am not up at the same speed as you. I got as far as your Screenshot 1 and wanted to add to the Activities, but when I highlight, Activity under Measurement Unit the only option available is 'sibling' and not 'child'. I don't want my activity codes to be stored beside Activity (as siblings) but as children of the title Activity. I couldn't work out how you entered your activity called 'Hunting'. I think this is relates to a sentence you wrote near the end: "Let me know if you need any help configuring the details". Sorry to trouble you, but how did you enter 'Hunting'. I would like to be able to enter the Short Name, eg, FF and have as long name 'Faecal sac or Food for Young'.

Your screenshot 7 is from a new version of R6. Have I missed an announcement about its availability or have you got a beta version?

Your suggestion looks ideal as the activity can then be stored beside the sex/stage and abundance and also be reported via the Wizard. I look forward to having a go at implementing it.

Thanks again and I look forward to hearing from you,

Cheers, Ian

Hi

I have been experimenting further with Charles' method of importing activity and have hit a problem I can't find a way round. The data I wish to import are:

Species                   Date               Location        Grid-Ref    Observer    Activity       Abundance    VC No.    Comment
Common Redstart    12/06/2008    Glasfryn, E    SH9250    Ian M Spence    FL             3+ Juvenile         50   

In this example there are two aspects of 'Abundance' - a sex/stage and count entry and an activity. When trying to set up the new import template:

Import Wizard, Import

On Template page click Next

On Data page check 'First row contains column names'

then it is only possible to have 'Abundance' as a column heading on one column. This means that it is not possible to tell R6 where to store the activity and the import cannot proceed as there is no match for FL within the measurement units. I do not see the small screen in Charles' screenshot 5 headed 'Column Type Selection' with the range of different Abundance types - is this a feature of the forthcoming version? At least, I don't see it if I click on the downarrow in the Data Type row to try to fill in 'more options'. There I can see only one copy of 'Abundance Data' and it moves to whichever column has the option selected and deselects from any other column.

Am I missing something?

Cheers, Ian

Hi Ian,

Sorry for not replying sooner, I've been away at the NFBR conference in Harrogate. It looks like you're all sorted out now - are there any remaining issues I can help you with?

Charles

Hi

Having implemented the changes according to Charles' instructions, above, I have now imported nearly 3000 records with those having an activity code having it stored in the correct place and those without having nothing in the activity field. This will be very useful for any person wishing to store records with birds' breeding activity codes gathered during Atlas fieldwork.

Many thanks Charles!

Cheers, Ian