[Archon-L] importing item level descriptions with vers. 1.0

[Chris Prom]

Leah,

In order to import item level information into Archon, it is NOT 
necessary to add xml tags.  In version 2, we have a script 
included which will import files from an excel file.  We have not 
prepared the documentation as to how to use it as of yet, but 
that will be included when we release version 2.1 in the near 
future.

In the meantime, it should also be possible for you to import the 
file straight from EXCEL.  There are two options: if you are able 
to upgrade to version 2.02 or archon, you could use the supplied 
script.  If you don't someone would need to write a custom script 
(we may have a script around which could be customized).  In 
either case, I think it would be easier to do this than adding 
XML code.

In any case, we'd recommend that you upgrade to version 2.  It 
will involve some updates to your template and theme files, but 
should not be overly painful, assuming your systems people do a 
test run on non-live data first.

If you'd or one of your tech folks would like to call to discuss 
any of this, please let me know.  I think it would make more 
sense if we could discuss it in person.

Thanks,

Chris

--

Christopher J. Prom
Assistant University Archivist
University of Illinois Archives
19 Library
1408 W. Gregory Dr.
Urbana, IL 61801

phone:	217.333.0798
fax:	217.333.2868
e-mail:	prom at uiuc.edu
web:	http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008, Leah Broaddus wrote:

> I am manually preparing an Excel file container list of several thousand
> items for import by adding columns of xml tags and then pasting the
> whole from Excel to an xml text file.
>
>
>
> I need to know what tag the upload function will accept that will steer
> an item description into the item field in the Archon administration
> module.  When I view the XML for items currently in our database that
> have descriptions at the item level, the descriptions are removed in the
> display, leaving only the <unitdate> and <unittitle> tags, as you see
> below in this Archon 1.0 output.
>
>
>
> <c01 level="item">
>
> <did>
>
>  <container type="Item">3</container>
>
>  <unittitle>third item title</unittitle>
>
>  <unitdate era="ce" calendar="gregorian">1901-1902</unitdate>
>
>  </did>
>
>  </c01>
>
>
>
> What tag does Archon version 1.0 accept to designate an
> item-description?  Can I use <note>?  Will it steer <note> into the
> item-level description field in the administrative view?
>
>
> Otherwise just give it to me straight: did version 1.0 not allow item
> level descriptions to import at all?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Leah
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>