Hey, I have been thinking about the branch settup in koha, and although it seems like a rash thing to do, I think a total redesign of the database branch settings is in order. At present: Each item has a "holdingbranch" field and a "currentbranch" field. Both of these store a branchcode that is the primary key into the branches table. However it turns out that this branches table stores data on two completely different conceptual things: 1) holdingbranch really refers to a collection of items. This is sometimes an actual physical location, and sometimes not. The holdingbranch setting does not (usually) change. 2) currentbranch refers to the actual current location of an item. This setting changes frequently. In the course of doing some branch transfers work I ended up setting up a complicated system of labeling the various entries in the branches table according to what really do: issuing or not, permanant collection, holding branch or currentbranch, etc. This has gotten to be a little bit complicated. And in particular now the HLT have identified a bug http://bugzilla.katipo.co.nz/show_bug.cgi?id=1390 the solution of which is really not nice in the current setting, even though it is a perfectly reasonable idea. I propose: To replace the existing branch tables (branches, branchcategories, branchrelations) with two tables: branches and collections. This does entail the rewriting existing code. However because I wrote most of that code I dont think it will be too difficult :-) Although this seems like a drastic measure given the simplicity of the bug in question, I think that it will be better for koha. Finlay
I'm a little confused, Finlay. The actual fields in the items table are: homebranch and holdingbranch My understanding was the homebranch was the place where the book "belonged" and that holdingbranch was the current physical location of the book. I gather the problems you are encountering have something to do with branch transfers? I think I need a little more detail about what information is required before I can comment on this proposal... Steve.
finlay@katipo.co.nz a écrit:
I propose:
To replace the existing branch tables (branches, branchcategories, branchrelations) with two tables: branches and collections.
This does entail the rewriting existing code. However because I wrote most of that code I dont think it will be too difficult :-)
Although this seems like a drastic measure given the simplicity of the bug in question, I think that it will be better for koha.
If I understand and re-say what you propose : * creating a BRANCH table that lists the possibles locations for an item. The branch field should change often. * creating a COLLECTION table that lists the possibles collections for an item. The collection should not change (or very rarely). If i'm right, i think it's a very good idea. anyway, g'morning everybody, i'm back from holidays, I've almost finished reading my 300 mails (just 50koha-related to go...). this week i might have only a few days (thursday and friday) on koha, but then it will be 4-5 days a week for at least 2 months i think. and as i've seen my librarians during august, i've a lot of ideas for MARC stuff ;-) -- Paul
Hi Paul, Steve, Yeah you have understood correctly, and sorry Steve I did get the names of those fields on the items table wrong. To explain again: I suggest we replace the BRANCHES, BRANCHCATEGORIES and BRANCHRELATIONS tables with just two tables:
* creating a BRANCH table that lists the possibles locations for an item. The branch field should change often. * creating a COLLECTION table that lists the possibles collections for an item. The collection should not change (or very rarely).
Each will have a primary key that is stored on the items table in place of the HOMEBRANCH and HOLDINGBRANCH fields. The existing structure is a little cluncky and was about to get more complicated when I was attempting to resolve a problem for the Horowhenua Library. They have books that are in a Circulating collection that go around the various (physical) branches. They also have Permanant collections which are supposed always to be held at a particular branch. When one of these Permanent collection items is physically returned to a different branch they want a flag to appear on the computer telling them that it should be returned to its Home branch. However they dont want the flag to appear when the item is already at the correct branch (obviously). Thinking about how to solve this problem made me realise that Item Collections and Physical Branches are really very different concepts and that much of the complication I was having was due to the fact that we are using one table: BRANCHES, for both. Steve, does that help clarify? Let me know what you think. Finlay
finlay@katipo.co.nz a écrit:
I propose:
To replace the existing branch tables (branches, branchcategories, branchrelations) with two tables: branches and collections.
This does entail the rewriting existing code. However because I wrote most of that code I dont think it will be too difficult :-)
Although this seems like a drastic measure given the simplicity of the bug in question, I think that it will be better for koha.
If I understand and re-say what you propose : * creating a BRANCH table that lists the possibles locations for an item. The branch field should change often. * creating a COLLECTION table that lists the possibles collections for an item. The collection should not change (or very rarely).
If i'm right, i think it's a very good idea.
participants (3)
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finlay＠katipo.co.nz -
paul POULAIN -
Tonnesen Steve