[Koha] Bulk patron anonymize/delete tool

[Joy Nelson]

Tom-
I can tell you from the database level, that patrons are linked to Circulation (issues, old_issues), Holds (reserves, old_reserves), Fines (accountlines) at a minimum.  Borrowers are also in the borrower_attributes, and borrower messaging preferences tables.  Those last two will cascade nicely when a borrower is deleted.  

I don't believe that the existence in old_reserves or old_issues will cause you trouble.  And it is an easy enough task to check if the borrower is in issues or reserves before deleting.  Fines are another issue altogether.  (queries with sums and all)

This doesn't really address the notion of 'should you delete patrons'.  I'll leave that to others.

Additionally, I'm curious as to what you are seeing when the anonymize patrons is used?  What are your expecting and what are you seeing?

-Joy Nelson
ByWater Solutions


________________________________
 From: Tom Hanstra <tom at nd.edu>
To: "Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz" <Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz> 
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 12:48 PM
Subject: [Koha] Bulk patron anonymize/delete tool
 
I asked this once before and got no response.  But hope springs eternal...

Has anyone successfully used the "Patrons (anonymize, bulk-delete)" tool available in Koha?  We have found neither to work as expected.  It acts as if it *thinks* it is anonymizing and/or deleting but does not actually do it.

Alternately, if that is known not to work, what might it take to bulk delete patrons at the database level?  What kind of a mess will I leave behind if I simply delete patrons from the borrowers table?  I assume a normal delete would check to make sure the patron does not have outstanding fines, checked out books, etc.  Just whacking the borrowers table won't check those things.  So what all else do I need to check before deletion?

Thanks,
Tom

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Tom Hanstra                              Systems Administrator
     Hesburgh Libraries of Notre Dame         Phone: (574)631-4686
     213 Hesburgh Library                     Email: tom at nd.edu
     Notre Dame, IN  46556

  "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in
   the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at
   least twice as fast as that!"
                          Lewis Carroll - Through the Looking Glass
------------------------------------------------------------------------

_______________________________________________
Koha mailing list  http://koha-community.org
Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz
http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha