Hi, Everyone- I have some information to add to this thread. First, some technical information relating to searching on diacritics: in SQL Server databases, there is a sort order setting that determines how diacritics are handled in searching and sorting. For most U.S. software applications, the required sort order is Sort 52, which is sensitive to diacritics. In earlier versions of SQL Server (several years back), there were limitations and potential conflicts between software applications that made it impossible for us to make alternate sorting available in TMS. Current versions of SQL Server (SQL 7 and SQL 2000) allow more flexibility. As a result, most of you will now be able to run TMS in Sort 54, which is diacritic insensitive (allowing for entering searches without the accent marks). For information about whether Sort 54 may be appropriate for your environment and the costs of transferring your database if you are in Sort 52, you can contact [log in to unmask] Please DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO THE TRANSFER YOURSELF WITHOUT CONTACTING SUPPORT. Second, some information about searching on key fields concurrently in the Constituent module: In TMS 9.16 (an interim release between major versions), we made the Find Constituent function available in more places (a search screen similar to the Find Object search in earlier versions). This search allows you to type characters into a list of fields, then provides possible matches. One of the available search fields added in 9.16 is a Keyword field, which covers fields like Alphasort, Display Name, Culture, Institution, and the Alternate Name fields. If you are still in an earlier version of TMS, you will get this feature when you upgrade. Hope this information will help you plan for future cataloguing rules. Best to all, Karen ______________________________ Karen Waldemar Director, Product Management Gallery Systems 261 West 35th Street, 12th Floor New York, NY 10001-1902 t 646 733 2239 ext. 229 f 646 733 2259 w http://gallerysystems.com ___________________________________ -----Original Message----- From: Ella Rothgangel [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 12:22 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Constituent Module: von, van, de, and other particles I agree with Mary Ellen. We especially have run into issues searching with diacritics in TMS. We want to use diacritics in primary names, however it means that you need to know that an artist's name has a diacritic in order to search for it. If TMS had an option like Mary Ellen suggested, and we include name versions without diacritics as alternates, that would seem to solve the issue and would be very helpful to TMS users. Ella Rothgangel Collections Database Administrator Saint Louis Art Museum [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mary Ellen Guerra Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:15 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Constituent Module: von, van, de, and other particles Hi All, Another point about variant names for constituents that Suzanne Quigley's reply brings to mind. It would be really, really useful if TMS had an option to search on either the preferred form of the constituent name or on all the variants as well. Perhaps it could work the way objects allows you to search on all objects or all accessioned objects. Mary Ellen Guerra Smithsonian American Art Museum Washington, DC 20560-0970 Tel: 202-275-1553 Fax: 202-275-1707 [log in to unmask] >>> [log in to unmask] 01/16/04 05:10PM >>> We have just been through conversion and we're beginning to use TMS, so I have been using the TMS Support Site for reference. In the Shared Resources, the Getty has provided documentation for how they enter data. They have an excellent quick guide to alphabetizing the artist names with prefixes. It is in the Getty's manual under "Adding Constituent Records"--page 8. It is useful to see how they have organized it. Suzanne Stephens Database Administrator Birmingham Museum of Art -----Original Message----- From: Suzanne Quigley ( [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 4:01 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Constituent Module: von, van, de, and other particles Hi Linda, Use ULAN if possible to determine the preferred spelling of the last name. Of course there will always be the oddballs - I will never forget that at a museum where I worked once upon a time, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was in the database as "van der Rohe", when, in fact, the whole last name is "Mies van der Rohe". It doesn't follow logic, thus look to an authority or establish it for yourselves for names not found in an authority listing. Cheers on a cold New York afternoon! Suzanne -----Original Message----- From: Linda Pulliam [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 4:50 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Constituent Module: von, van, de, and other particles If you have a moment, would you please let me know where your organization enters this information? Do you use the last name field or the middle name field? Staff here are of two minds about where it belongs depending on the life dates of the artists and their nationalities. Inconsistencies are leading to searching problems and the creation of duplicate constituent records. Linda Pulliam Manager of Collections Information Museum of Fine Arts, Boston