Define New Record Types

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Note. Before defining a new record type definition, check whether a similar record type already exists in the database structure, which can be reused or tailored. Also consider whether a record structure can be imported from the Heurist Index, or from an Annotated Template (see Acquire Record Types). The reuse of database types can save time and add to the overall constancy of databases.

To define a new record type

  1. From the Manage Structure screen, click the New Record Type / Fields button. The Create New Record Type dialog displays:

  1. Complete the standard fields, as follows:

Id

A unique record ID is automatically assigned when you save the record type.

Thumbnail and Icon

Associates an image with the record type. All record types must have an:

  • Thumbnail: This appears on the Search Result pages. It will be reduced to the dimension 75px by 75 px. (This is based on the icon chosen.)
  • Icon: This appears in the icon column for the record in the Record Types screen. It will be reduced to the dimension 16 px by 16px.

You can choose from the set of default images or choose one of your own. You must choose an icon; selection of the icon also selects the corresponding thumbnail. You can edit the images or select your own images later if required. (See Thumbnails below.)

Record Type Name

Enter a name for the record type. The Plural is automatically created; change this if required (e.g. 'Mices' to 'Mice'.)

Note: For record type and field type names, the following symbols are allowed: a-zA-Z0-9$_<> /,–—  The last two symbols are n-dash (150) and m-dash (151). Minus/hyphen symbols are not allowed.

Description

Enter a short, suitable description, for both your own use and to assist other users of the database (this displays when the user rolls the cursor over the record).

Title Mask

(See also Title Masks below.)

Title masks allow you to define composite titles that can be constructed dynamically from field values. The fields are populated on-the-fly when the record is generated. For example:

[Title], pp. [Start_Page]-[End_Page]

renders the Title field and Start Page and End Page fields as (for example):

Alice in Wonderland, pp. 37-39.

Note. This field only becomes available once a record type is saved. You must enter a valid title mask.

All new record types require a valid title mask.

Semantic/Reference URL

Enter an (optional) URL to a full description or ontological reference definition of the record type.

Show Record URL on edit form

Select this checkbox to display a URL to any record of this record type at the top of the Edit screen (in Advanced mode). For example:
  1. Optionally complete the Additional Information fields, as follows:

Display Group

Select the group the record type is to belong to. (To add new groups, see Design Database Structure | Manage Groups.) You can change this group at any time.

Status

This can be:

  • Reserved-Locked. The record type is required by the system and cannot be deleted. (Not a user-selectable option.)
  • Open. This record type can be modified or deleted.
  • Pending. Work in progress. Not visible to the user. Note that you can set any record type to automatically revert to Pending if it has been edited, via the Database Administration | Database | Properties page.
  • Approved. Approved for publication (i.e. visible to the public when published.)

Show in Lists

Select this checkbox to make the record type available to the user (e.g. in dropdown menus) or to temporally hide the record type.

Show Description on edit form

Select this checkbox to display a record type description to any record of this record type at the top of the Edit screen (in Advanced mode). For example:
  1. When complete, click Next. This saves your edits, closes the screen and opens the Record Structure page, where you can select or define the fields for the record type. (See Edit Record Structure).

Thumbnails

To add/edit a thumbnail/icon

  1. From the Manage Record Structure page, click Please Select, to display the set of standard images.
  2. To select a standard image, click it:

  1. Click Close Window. The picture is inserted into the Icon and Thumbnail fields.
  2. Once you have saved the record type, you can edit the Icon or choose a non-standard icon. To do so, open the Manage Record Type page, and click the icon or thumbnail:

Select a new icon if required.

Alternatively, to select a picture from your computer or network, click Choose File for both Thumbnail and icon and choose suitable images.

Tip. Choose a suitable picture, one that is viewable at the displayed sizes: thumbnails are scaled to 75x75px, icons to 16x16px.

Title Masks

Note. To verify title masks, see Verify Title Masks.

Masks provide the ability to build a composite title based on information taken from other fields in the record, on the fly. The title mask is a string into which field values are inserted to create an extended title for the record. The constructed value is used as the extended title displayed in search results and other lists.

Fields in the record are indicated by square brackets. The element names in square brackets should match field names for this record type.

For example, a Person record might have the fields: Given Name(s), Family Name, Title. In this case you could create the following title mask:

[Family Name], [Given Name(s)] ([Title]

A person whose Family Name = 'Smith', Given Name(s) = 'John', Title = 'Dr' will be rendered in the Title field as:

Smith, John (Dr)

Other people will be rendered appropriately.

Fields in records that are referenced by the record through pointers can also be used. For example:

[personpointer].[Last name]

This pulls out a person's name from a person record pointed to by the current record.

Additional text or punctuation can also be included. For example:

[Title], pp. [Start_Page]-[End_Page]

This renders the Title field and Start and End Page fields as, for example:

Alice in Wonderland, pp. 37-39

To insert a literal square-bracket, use two consecutive square-brackets ([[ or ]]).

Fields in records referenced by the record through pointers can also be used:

[personpointer].[Last name]

This gets a person's name from a Person record pointed to by the current record.

To create a title mask

  1. Once you have saved your record type, select the Edit Title Mask option (on the Record Structure screen).

Note. To later edit the Record Type page, navigate to the Record Type page (go to Database | Manage Structure, select the relevant group and click the Edit icon for the record type.)

The Record Type Title Mask Edit dialog displays:

Note. You can enter a mask directly into the field if you wish, or build the mask as follows.

  1. Position the cursor in the Build Mask field.
  2. Select the field(s) you wish to insert from the left hand column (this shows all available field markers in the current record, plus fields in records pointed to by this record) and click Insert Fields. You can repeat this step for each field or set of fields.
  3. To add additional text around the field markers, enter the text without square brackets in the appropriate location.
  4. When ready, you can test the mask using actual data. From the Test Mask dropdown, select any record, then click Test to view the result:

  1. When the mask is correct, click Save Mask to save it. The mask will now appear in the Mask field.

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