Adding Items (Manuscripts)

The following assumes that you are already familiar with the Admin interface. If not then please read The Admin Interface first.

The DigiPal database contains a large number of fields, many of which are very specific and most of which are not necessary for basic use of the framework. The documentation here describes only the essential fields, so any boxes on forms which are not described can be safely ignored.

Once you are logged into the Admin Interface, this is the procedure to add new items (manuscripts, charters etc.) to your system. There are several possible ways of doing this, and the procedure here is simply one of them. This assumes the simplest case, with one Current Item, one Item Part and one Historical Item.

Create a new Item Record

1. In the left-hand menu of the Admin interface, select 'Document' and then 'Currrent Items' (or, alternatively, select 'Current Items' from the Dashboard). You should now see the Change List for Current Items.
2. Click on 'Add Current Item' (in the top right of your screen). You should now see the Current Item Edit Form.
3. Select the repository (library, archive etc.) from the form. If the repository is not already in the list then add it.
4. Enter the shelfmark (or equivalent).
5. If you wish, you may enter a short description of the item.
6. In the Item Parts, type an 'x' into the Display Label field. (This is required to save the form but in fact is no longer used, so you may type anything here.)
7. Ignore all other fields, and click 'Save'.
8. Now go to the Historical Items change list (from the Mezzanine side menu), and click on Add Historical Item.
9. If you wish then add a 'Name' and 'Date'. The Date is free text so can be in any format. The 'Name' is a common name for your manuscript, e.g. 'The Book of Kells' or 'The Golden Haggadah'.
10. Select the 'Historical Item Type' from the dropdown list, or enter a new type if appropriate (by clicking on the blue '+' sign next to the drop-down and entering the type into the pop-up box that will appear). This field is open but can be used (e.g.) to distinguish between books and documents, or inscriptions and coins, and so on.
11. In 'Item Parts', select the Item Part that you created above.
12. If you wish then add information in the other fields.
13. Click 'Save'.

Your manuscript should now be in the system. Note, however, that it will not appear in any search results until you rebuild the index, for which see Rebuilding the Indices. You will probably now wish to add a new Hand or add a new image.

Add a New Repository

If you wish to add a new Repository which is not already in the system, then this is the procedure:

1. Click on the blue '+' link next to the Repository drop-down list to bring up the Repository Edit Form.
2. Enter the name of the Repository in Name (e.g. 'Bodleian Library', 'Corpus Christi College', etc.).
3. Enter an abbreviated form of the repository name in 'Short Name' (e.g. 'Bodl.' or 'CCCC'). This will be used on most of the search results pages.
4. Place: Select the place (the physical location, normally the town or city) from the drop-down list, adding a new one if necessary. To add a new place name, click on the blue '+' beside 'Place', and enter the name of the place in the 'Name' field of the form that will pop up.
5. Click 'Save'. This will bring you back to your Current Item Edit Form.