Record Types

If the database accommodates different types of record, ABCD has to reflect this in its structure.

ABCD defines two different formats to manage record types:

1. MARC format
2. Non-MARC format

Record Types (MARC format)

This option helps to define the record types which will be managed by the database when the system uses the MARC format. ABCD identifies that a database is structured according to the MARC format by including in the field definition table the field type LEADER (LDR). The structure of the field Leader is described in the file leader.fdt, located in the folder def within the database. It identifies the following fields:

3005 Record Status
3006 Record Type
3007 Bibliographic Level
3017 Level of Coding
3018 Form of Cataloguing

The record type is found in field 3006 of the Leader and assists in identifying the format of the fixed field (008) to be used in the bibliographic description of the document.

The format of the fixed field associated with each record type is stored in a structure similar to the FDT and accordingly the data entry procedure depends on the record type selected in the Leader.

To define record types in the MARC format, proceed as follows:

1. Select the option MARC Record Type in the module database definition.
2. Enter into the box label 1 the tag of the Leader field where the Record Type is entered (3006). Leave the corresponding box  label 2 blank.
3. Below the column Data Entry sheet enter the name of the structure which contains the description of the fixed field containing the type of record being described. Use the link Edit to edit or create the corresponding structure. This will open the FDT editor so that the fixed field retains a structure similar to the Field Definition Table in the database.
4. Enter into the column corresponding to Label 1 Value the value which will associate the field 3006 with the record type. Leave column Label 2 Value blank.
5. Enter into the column below Type of Record, Description the description of the record type; this will be displayed at record creation for the selection of the corresponding type. 
6. Repeat steps 2-6 until all the types of record have been defined.

To finish click the Update button.

The defined record types will be saved in the file def of the database, below the language active during record creation, with the name typeofrecord.tab

Types of record (non-MARC formats)

This option helps to define the types of record which are going to be managed by the database when the database itself does not use the MARC format.

To implement these it is necessary to define the type of record and assign which fields of the database (maximum two) hold the values to be used  to identify the type which correponds to the record being created or edited.

To define the types of record two components are needed:

1. Identify the field (tag) of the database from which the type of record corresponding to the document is going to be obtained (or to be entered in the case of a new record). The current version of ABCD allows the definition of up to two fields whose contents will determine the type of record and, in consequence, the entry worksheet which will be used when the record is entered or edited.
2. Describe the types of record with the following parameters:
   • Name of the field definition table (FDT) which holds the elements used to construct the data entry worksheet to capture the data
   • Value of the fields identified in (1) which are regarded as belonging to that type of record
   • Description of the type of record which will be displayed to the user at the time of data entry which precedes the selection of the corresponding type

To maintain consistency in the definitions of ABCD, the formats defined are stored with the same structure as the Field Definition Table (FDT). This permits changes in the presentation of data entry forms. The background changes - adding fields or adding subfields - should have been made already in FDT of the database which is used in the different processes of ABCD that generate display formats, conversion tables and other necessary components for the management of the information.

After a format has been created, select the option Edit to make changes to the labels, entry forms, help, etc.

If you are going to define types of record for a database which does not conform to the MARC standard, do the following:

1. Enter in the boxes identified as label 1 and label 2 the tags of the fields which are going to be used to identify the type of record. The second tag is optional
2. Select from the column Data entry worksheet the worksheet which will be used for entering the type of record. This data entry worksheet must be defined previously with the option Create/Modify Worksheets
3. Enter the value which will be held by the field identified in label 1 value for identifying the type of record
4. Enter the value which the field identified in label 2 value will hold for identifying the type of record (optional)
5. Enter below the column Type of Record, Description the description of the record type; this will be displayed at record creation for the selection of the corresponding type.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 as many times as there are different types of record in the database
7. To finish, click on Update

The types of record defined are stored in the file def of the database, below the language active in record creation with the name typeofrecord.tab