Some Options for Linking Specimens with Different Determinations

(Source: LAPI databasing [2] manual.doc)

Option 1:

To link specimens that have a differing number of determinations start data basing the specimen with the least amount of determinations first, then enter the rest of the information as normal and save. You can then attach the second specimen as normal by clicking “add new part”. This should have copied everything over from the first record. It is now possible to enter more determinations for the second record without affecting first record on saving.

Be warned that if you modify information in the whole Collection tab, the whole Locality tab, Plant description, Habitat and Uses fields in the second record before saving, you will lose that information on saving. To avoid this save the record after entering the extra determinations, then enter your extra information. Remember that like the spirit collection for those tabs and fields what you enter on one record will appear for the other.

Option 2:

If you have two sheets that are to be linked (same collector and collector number etc.) but there are different determinations on each then you can link them without adding superfluous determinations to either specimen. This can be done as follows:

1. Enter all information as normal for the ‘first’ specimen, including all dets etc., then save the record and close it.

2. Make a new record for the ‘second’ specimen as normal and as before fill in all relevant info, then save record and close it. [Bear in mind that the information from the whole Collection tab, the whole Locality tab, Plant description, Habitat and Uses fields will be pulled through from the first specimen when you link the two together so don’t bother to type these out in the second specimen before attaching – saves you from having to type twice].

3. Now for the linking – open the ‘second’ specimen record again. At this point you should see a box on the right hand side of the screen (bottom one of the three) saying ‘attach as part’ [note that if you have not reopened the specimen this box may not appear until you have shut down and then reopened the record]. Select this box – it will bring up the screen ‘HerbCat Look Up Collection Event’.

4. In this screen enter the barcode of the first specimen (the one you want to link it to) to the box marked ‘Barcode or other ID’ then press ‘query’. This will bring up a line summarising the details of the relevant specimen.

5. At this point you should highlight the first specimen record details from the list with one click of the mouse [more than one click actually opens the record which we don’t want] and then select the ‘Attach Collection Event’ button.

6. Close the ‘HerbCat Look Up Collection Event’ box and click on the ‘related material’ tab on the specimen entry.

7. Press ‘save’ and you should see the barcode of the first specimen be added to the open record (do this each time to make sure that they do actually link).

Note that you have to close the records & then open one up before trying to link them – The ‘attach as part’ option box is usually only present when you reopen the specimen.

Note that the locality info etc. will be standardised on both records as for the usual method –this is true for the whole Collection tab, the whole Locality tab, Plant description, Habitat and Uses fields. The specimen you are attaching takes on the information for these fields of the one you are attaching it to [so the second specimen would take on the info from the first specimen in the example above]. If you later modify any of these fields in either one of the attached records, the information will be changed in all attached specimens, regardless of the order of attachment. This is just a method for having two linked specimens with different determination details. Different general comments can be added to each record, and determinations can be added separately to each.

An indefinite number of specimens can be attached in this way and the order in which you attach the specimens doesn’t matter so long as you remember the above overwriting rule in locality info etc. (e.g. You can attach the 2nd specimen to the 1st specimen and then later attach the 3rd specimen to the 1st or the 2nd , either way specimens 1, 2 and 3 will be linked together).