Importing (incomplete) data from Micro Librarian Systems
Hi all, I am a (British) school librarian based in an International School in Prague, the Czech Republic, and I am looking into a move to Koha over the next year or so. Currently I use an ILS from Micro Librarian Systems <http://www.microlib.co.uk/> . It appears to be the standard in British schools. I can export data to: Comma separated values Tab separated values and XML data An example of the first of the above is the following: Barcode,Class,Author,Title,Media,URL"04431","599.4","Cullis, Megan","Bats","Hardback","" Which, you can see, lacks some basic information including ISBN, tags/keywords etc. etc. My present system also uses five digit bar codes. I don't know how this would play on the Koha system. I have looked a little into Koha and can understand that .mrk is the format used natively by Koha. I will be looking into the possibility of persuading my provider to export more data and assume that until this is the case, I would struggle to import meaningfully into Koha. If anybody knows any different or has experienced any such problem before, I would be grateful for any help. I have some experience with Python and would possibly be able to write some basic code to handle reformatting if I were able to get a fuller export, but any tips from those who have been in similar positions would be very handy. Meanwhile, I hope I may one day become a regular to these pages and would like to thank the community in advance for any replies and any help in transferring to Koha and open source solutions. Cheers, Rob -- View this message in context: http://koha.1045719.n5.nabble.com/Importing-incomplete-data-from-Micro-Libra... Sent from the Koha-general mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
Hi, just a quick few points. MisterRobe schreef op wo 21-01-2015 om 07:00 [-0700]:
I can export data to:
Comma separated values Tab separated values and XML data
In general, tab is easiest to work with. Most library systems can't export well formed CSV or XML (surprisingly) to save themselves, so tab is the safest.
An example of the first of the above is the following: Barcode,Class,Author,Title,Media,URL"04431","599.4","Cullis, Megan","Bats","Hardback","" Which, you can see, lacks some basic information including ISBN, tags/keywords etc. etc.
If they're not in the system to start with, then you obviously won't be able to get them out. If they are there, then you'll either have to experiment, find someone who has done it, or talk to the vendor to figure out how to export them. It's usually possible, one way or another.
My present system also uses five digit bar codes. I don't know how this would play on the Koha system.
I don't think there'd be any worries there.
I have looked a little into Koha and can understand that .mrk is the format used natively by Koha. I will be looking into the possibility of persuading my provider to export more data and assume that until this is the case, I would struggle to import meaningfully into Koha. If anybody knows any different or has experienced any such problem before, I would be grateful for any help.
There's a pile of utilities here: https://gitorious.org/koha-migration-toolbox/koha-migration-toolbox/source/d...: that convert things from one form to another. I typically use the csvtomarc.pl script that's in there to produce MARC files from CSV (or tab separated, or anything along those lines.) Note that you will spend an unhealthy amount of time studying MARC references. Don't say I didn't warn you :) -- Robin Sheat Catalyst IT Ltd. ✆ +64 4 803 2204 GPG: 5FA7 4B49 1E4D CAA4 4C38 8505 77F5 B724 F871 3BDF
Hi Robin, Thanks, that's helpful. (I'm currently away skiing with a year five class so I wasn't able to reply for a few days.) Robin Sheat-2 wrote
tab is easiest to work with
Good to know. I'll experiment with this. Robin Sheat-2 wrote
If they're not in the system to start with, then you obviously won't beable to get them out. If they are there, then you'll either have toexperiment, find someone who has done it, or talk to the vendor tofigure out how to export them. It's usually possible, one way oranother.
They're there. It's not necessarily in the company's interest, of course, for it to be too straightforward for clients to export data. I will look at the tools you recommend and see what I can do first myself before addressing any questions to them. Robin Sheat-2 wrote
Note that you will spendan unhealthy amount of time studying MARC references. Don't say I didn'twarn you :)
I'm aspergic, and spend an unhealthy amount of time studying all kinds of esoterica that would bore most folk to tears :D Thanks again! -- View this message in context: http://koha.1045719.n5.nabble.com/Importing-incomplete-data-from-Micro-Libra... Sent from the Koha-general mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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MisterRobe -
Robin Sheat