Hi - ah, confused? Hardly surprising I'm sorry, I'll try to explain, and others from HLT and Katipo please chime in when I get into a tangle myself.....
Can anyone please clarify the difference(s) between Koha/Opac "Format", "Item Type", "Class" and "Group"?
GROUP: Is an entirely "Koha" concept, brought about by the need to describe the record/info that is the specific to a "group" of items, but not "all" items under a biblio. So it is the word like "biblio" that describes the middle "tier" of information within Koha. If you're a code reader, it is synonomous with the "biblio-item" table. CLASS: Is a more general classification than itemtype, used for searching. It's "plain english" to help people find things they way they might expect, for example: CD, Video, Picture Book, Fiction, Non Fiction are all good "classes". The only "class" change you'd expect an item to make would be to move to the "stack". ITEMTYPE: This is the "nity gritty" classification used to distinguish items for issuing purposes, it is not usually seen by the public, but used by Koha to work out how long someone can borrow an item for, and what charges may apply etc. Examples of itemtypes include: Free CD, Pay CD, Bestseller CD, Non Lending CD and these would all be in the CLASS "CD". I think that ITEMTYPE = FORMAT (which is weird but true). If you're a small/focused library the distinction between class and itemtype may not be particularly useful but hopefully this helps to explain how it's used in a public library. Cheers Rachel
Where the confusion started: When using "Advanced" search options menu (/catalogue/index.html), I note the option to search by "Class" but I cannot find a way to add an Item/Title to a "Class" entry in the Catalogue.
Where I have looked for more clarification: When viewing the biblio using the moredetail.pl option, I see a "Group" option that includes "Class" and "Item Type" options inside the "Group" sub-menu.
Comparing entries for "Format", "Group" and "Item Type": When using "normal" Acquisitions method to add a new biblio to basket, I see an option list for "Format". The "Format" option list includes select items that appear to include both "Group" and "Item Type" names.
So,
1. Is "Format" the sum of "Group" + "Item" type?
2. Should the search option box be rename to search by "Format" instead of by "Class"... or none of the above %-|
Any help in clarifying my befuddled brain would be appreciated.
Yours faithfully, "confused" of Sydney.
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_____________________________________________________________ Rachel Hamilton-Williams Katipo Communications WEBMISTRESS ph 021 389 128 or +64 04 934 1285 mailto:rachel@katipo.co.nz PO Box 12487, Wellington http://www.katipo.co.nz New Zealand Koha Open Source Library System http://www.koha.org