[Babase] Conversion from Babase 1.0 to 2.0 Update

Karl O. Pinc kop at meme.com
Thu May 3 15:07:54 EDT 2007


On 05/03/2007 01:27:42 PM, kfenn wrote:
> Lacey Maryott wrote:

>> 4. I will then take up the task of converting the DBF files to XLS  
>> files, and when that process is complete, we can us the new census  
>> upload program for Babase 2.0 to in a sense "update" the census  
>> information to include these data.

> Just a clarification on #4.....
> As Karl indicated via email yesterday, we are unlikely to be able to  
> simply upload these files (which ultimately are uploaded from text  
> docs) using the new upcen program because of the tighter data  
> integration and error checking in the online system.  Right now there  
> is no work around for uploading the older census data in question.  I  
> showed Lacey how current census data will be input, but its not yet  
> clear that this would be the recommended mechanism for the Duke  
> files.  Reformatting the .dbf files may (or may not) end up being  
> only a piece of the process.

It would not hurt to work in the babase_test database (or somewhere)
and try using a "redone" dbf file and the new upcen to get the data
into the new system.  The steps would be:

1)  SELECT the existing census rows for the group/time period
of interest.  (Or maybe just select the distinct snames.)
Check to see that the individuals correspond to those
on the real census sheet so as not to delete any existing
census rows that shouldn't be deleted.  (This is really
just preparation for the next step.)

2) Inside of a BEGIN; END; transaction block do a DELETE
to delete all the existing census rows using the same
WHERE clause used in the above SELECT.

3) If it does not work, deal with any errors and repeat
step 2.

4) Use the new upcen program to get the data into the new
system.  (Repeat step 4 until the data actually goes in
without error.)

This is the kind of thing we're going to have to do
in the future anyway, because we've only got census
data for some of the "old" Altos group info at this time.

When we know what's involved we can better decide which
way to go/how to proceed now/in the future.  Some, almost
surely more elaborate, procedure like the above will
need to be developed.  (Wiki again. :)

Karl <kop at meme.com>
Free Software:  "You don't pay back, you pay forward."
                  -- Robert A. Heinlein



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