installing Koha 3, bulk marc import v. staged
Hello, I have installed Koha 3.0 and am close to importing my MARC records into the database. My question is this: somewhere I have read that it is recommended that for the initial big import, one should use the Bulk Marc Import tool (which I believe is a command line thing) rather than the staging MARC records. During my trial run, I had used the staging & importing tools rather than the bulk marc import. Is there a very compelling reason to use the bulk? During my trial run it turns out that I did not populate the database, but that was because I messed up some of the system parameters - not because of any issue with the staging & importing tools. I would rather not use the bulk marc import, if avoidable, because it is more techy than the staging & importing. I have less than 10,000 records to import. Let me know if you need more information. And PLEASE, if you are affiliated with a company trawling this list for potential clients, do not contact me! I will not return your phone calls or e-mails. If I need paid support, I will hire LibLime, whose employees have the decency not to harass me whenever I post a question to this list (thanks, LibLime). Amy Amy C. Schuler Manager of Information Services Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies PO Box AB Millbrook, NY 12545 (845) 677-7600 x164 schulera@caryinstitute.org<mailto:schulera@ecostudies.org>
As far as I am aware, the MARC staging stores the MARC data in koha for future use in cataloging items, it does not create items itself. Bulk marc import in meant for importing marc records with items already attached. I believe you may have to use the bulk marc import, but it is not that bad to work with. The important part is to set up your mappings beforehand and make sure that you have the right data in the right places. The importer needs certain information to be in certain fields for work correctly. I'm sure those fields are documented somewhere. Hope this helps, Kyle http://www.kylehall.info Information Technology Crawford County Federated Library System ( http://www.ccfls.org ) 2009/9/9 Amy Schuler <schulera@caryinstitute.org>:
Hello,
I have installed Koha 3.0 and am close to importing my MARC records into the database. My question is this: somewhere I have read that it is recommended that for the initial big import, one should use the Bulk Marc Import tool (which I believe is a command line thing) rather than the staging MARC records. During my trial run, I had used the staging & importing tools rather than the bulk marc import. Is there a very compelling reason to use the bulk? During my trial run it turns out that I did not populate the database, but that was because I messed up some of the system parameters – not because of any issue with the staging & importing tools.
I would rather not use the bulk marc import, if avoidable, because it is more techy than the staging & importing. I have less than 10,000 records to import. Let me know if you need more information.
And PLEASE, if you are affiliated with a company trawling this list for potential clients, do not contact me! I will not return your phone calls or e-mails. If I need paid support, I will hire LibLime, whose employees have the decency not to harass me whenever I post a question to this list (thanks, LibLime).
Amy
Amy C. Schuler
Manager of Information Services
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
PO Box AB
Millbrook, NY 12545
(845) 677-7600 x164
schulera@caryinstitute.org
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2009/9/9 Amy Schuler <schulera@caryinstitute.org>
Hello,
I have installed Koha 3.0 and am close to importing my MARC records into the database. My question is this: somewhere I have read that it is recommended that for the initial big import, one should use the Bulk Marc Import tool (which I believe is a command line thing) rather than the staging MARC records. During my trial run, I had used the staging & importing tools rather than the bulk marc import. Is there a very compelling reason to use the bulk? During my trial run it turns out that I did not populate the database, but that was because I messed up some of the system parameters – not because of any issue with the staging & importing tools.
I would rather not use the bulk marc import, if avoidable, because it is more techy than the staging & importing. I have less than 10,000 records to import. Let me know if you need more information.
And PLEASE, if you are affiliated with a company trawling this list for potential clients, do not contact me! I will not return your phone calls or e-mails. If I need paid support, I will hire LibLime, whose employees have the decency not to harass me whenever I post a question to this list (thanks, LibLime).
Amy
Amy C. Schuler
Manager of Information Services
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
PO Box AB
Millbrook, NY 12545
(845) 677-7600 x164
schulera@caryinstitute.org <schulera@ecostudies.org>
Right now, the bulkmarcimport.pl command-line script is slightly better at pointing out errors, and a bit faster, as it directly imports the bib records into the database rather than staging them first. The Stage MARC Records for Import tool has a bad tendency to fail silently when it encounters corrupted records or other errors. -- Jesse Weaver
participants (3)
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Amy Schuler -
Jesse -
Kyle Hall