Dear Ashley,

This is a major drawback in TMS--the global search and replace is
pitiful; limited to only a few fields.

And even those fields have to have some data in them.  Once a record is
created, and there's no Credit Line, for example, you cannot make an
Object Package and then globally add the Credit Line to those records
that have nothing.

Adding Constituents to the Related Constituents fields in the Object
record can only be done on a record-by-record basis:  nothing global
there, either.

As for the ditto component, you can create a template Object record and
then use it for records that have minimal differences among the whole
lot.  Just make sure you populate the fields you want, otherwise you'll
have the distinct unpleasantness of having an empty field that won't
work on a search-and-replace basis.

I come from an Argus legacy, which had wonderful front-end data-entry
features.  TMS's response has been to write a (back-end) SQL statement
that can be run through the server's Query Analyzer, and that may be the
way to go for your task with the 2300 records.

Good luck!

Christine Droll
Collections Database Administrator
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
4525 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO  64111-1873
Office: 816.751.1333
Fax: 816.751.0499


-----Original Message-----
From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Ashley Burke
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 10:02 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Data Clean-up Questions

Hello All-
I am a fairly new user of TMS and have a few questions about
capabilities.  Previous to work on TMS, I worked with the database KE
EMu and I am trying to locate some of the same tools that I found with
that database.  Namely, I am looking for a ditto function and a global
search and replace function.  

By ditto function, I am referring to the idea that you can set a record
as a template and simply ditto the information from the template into
the current record I am working on.  For example, I have a set of 2300
records that need the culture changed and need the provenance added (in
the ex-collection related field).  

By global search and replace (I found the information about search and
replace in the database maintenance, but this is very limited) I refer
to pulling up a set of records (maybe in an object package) and select a
field in all of those records that I want to change and read something
else.  For example, I have a set of records that I want to change their
credit line.

If either of these capabilities are available, your guidance is greatly
appreciated.  I should also note that I am working in TMS version
9.20.2028, which I believe is an older version.

Thanks,
Ashley


Ashley Burke
Assistant Registrar
Ringling Museum of Art
5401 Bay Shore Road
Sarasota, FL 34243
[log in to unmask]
941-359-5700 ext. 1504