This is very timely as the issue has raised itself a couple of times here recently and I am hoping that it will be discussed at the ALGAO HER committee next week. Our two issues relate to receipt of National Mapping Programme data from EH - currently we have to cut and paste from a PDF and problems of XML standards to transfer information to the Heritage Gateway. Midas XML appears unfit for purpose (certainly those purposes) and with the demise of Oxford Archdigital who developed it (and hosted the DTDs), now would seem a good time for a rethink - perhaps starting with what the "purpose" should be. There were also concerns over the GIS data portion of the Midas XML schema that could be reconsidered.
On the other hand, unless the data is known to be entirely new (which may be the case in your surveys) or clearly separated into new and modified, there will always need to be human intervention to a greater or lesser degree. We have done this with NMP work that we are paying for - the data is entered onto a copy of our database which records which is new and which altered. The data is then transferred (via XML) and the new stuff just added to the main database. Altered parts of records are considered as they are being added and can be accepted or rejected for some hand editing.
Chris Webster
Somerset Historic Environment Record
Taunton Castle
Taunton
TA1 4AA
01823 424044
Online HER: www.somerset.gov.uk/heritage
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Briscoe, Rebecca
Sent: 23 January 2008 08:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE digital data formats for the SMR
Hello all,
Although an exception to most SMRs (in that we have greater control over
the incoming material as mostly we commission it), here at the National
Trust we've also been trying to resolve the issue of digital transfer of
data in order to speed up the process of importing new work onto the
SMR. Our approach has been to revise our project briefs which specify
how the information collated by our landscape surveys is transferred
back to us. Although we are just developing this and it is not intended
to be a completely 'hands-off' approach to integrating data to the SMR,
we feel that some ideas, such as a prescriptive spreadsheet / database
giving fields to be completed and selected drop-down menus to aid MIDAS
compliancy and general consistency, may be of benefit to both our
contractors and SMR staff. I'd also like to see greater prescription in
terms of GIS file formats, although our biological survey team who
include such things in their project briefs already suggest that as many
as 70% of their contracted surveys still come back in other forms.
We'd be keen to hear from anyone who has taken or is taking a similar
approach, and how helpful you feel it has been.
Kind regards,
Rebecca Briscoe
BSc, MSc
Sites and Monuments Record Assistant
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The National Trust
Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon, Wilts SN2 2NA
01793 817610
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-----Original Message-----
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tom Evans
Sent: 22 January 2008 19:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: HER for researchers
Hi Nick,
I can only imagine the difficulties that everyone is facing in this
process, and I am sure it only begins with the points you outlined. I
did this myself for only 80 sites in France some years back, and the
memory of it still haunts my darkest dreams. Doing it for a whole
county.... yikes!
So, I guess my question is, since more and more sites are being recorded
directly to a digital format from the excavation stage forward, what can
be done by people in the field to help insure that they are saved in a
format that will allow HERs to import them directly? If done properly
(ha ha ha), this could cut out the need for person hours to be spent at
the HER level.
Or am I just being idealistic again?
~~~~~~~~
Dr. Thomas L. Evans
MA, MPhil, MIFA
Research Fellow, Oxford Archaeology
------------------------------
The views and opinions contained within this email are not necessarily
those of Oxford Archaeology.
------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nick Boldrini" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 21 January 2008 01:04:45 o'clock (GMT-0800) America/Los_Angeles
Subject: Re: HER for researchers
Hi Tom
in theory this could make life easier, but in practice what it means is
that we now have a digital backlog as well as a hard copy backlog, as
rarely do projects talk to us about how to make the records more
compatible with HER requirements.
Also, bearing in mind the resource pressures and the original aim of
HER's (ie to inform DC work) then intra site records are less of a
priority for inputting than making sure we hae all sites in the system.
At NYCC at last, we are still trying to make the HER comprehensive in
coverage at a basic index level ie (What, where, when, and what
sources), and only after we have made significant progress on that will
be looking at enhancing records to give more specific detail on eg types
and dates of finds to the sort of level you have mentioned in previous
posts (eg detailing all the different types of find and dates for them
from a site)
best wishes
Nick Boldrini
Historic Environment Record Officer
Heritage and Environment Section
Development and Countryside Service
Business and Environmental Services Directorate
North Yorkshire County Council
County Hall
Northallerton
DL7 8AH
Direct Dial (01609) 532331
Conserving North Yorkshire's heritage - encouraging sustainable access
www.northyorks.gov.uk/archaeology
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