librarycarpentry/lc-marcedit

Library Carpentry: MarcEdit

Maintainers for Library Carpentry: MarcEdit

• Owen Stephens
• Jennifer Eustis
• Abigail Sparling
• Interested in being a maintainer on this lesson, let us know!

Lesson Maintainers communication is via Slack.

Library Carpentry

Library Carpentry is a software and data skills training programme for people working in library- and information-related roles. It builds on the work of Software Carpentry and Data Carpentry. Library Carpentry is an official Lesson Program of The Carpentries.

License

All Software, Data, and Library Carpentry instructional material is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution license.

Contributing

There are many ways to discuss and contribute to Library Carpentry lessons. Visit the lesson discussion page to learn more. Also see Contributing.

Code of Conduct

All participants should agree to abide by The Carpentries Code of Conduct.

Authors

Library Carpentry is authored and maintained through issues, commits, and pull requests from the community.

Citation

Library Carpentry: MarcEdit (2019, September). https://github.com/LibraryCarpentry/lc-marcedit.

Acknowledgement

Some of the content in this MarcEdit lesson was initially based on CC-BY materials developed by Owen Stephens in November 2015.

Checking and Previewing the Lesson

To check and preview a lesson locally, see http://carpentries.github.io/lesson-example/07-checking/index.html.

lc-marcedit's Issues

Links need to be fixed in CONTRIBUTING.md

The Contributing Guide, CONTRIBUTING.md, contains two links with URLs that should be updated:

1. the How to Contribute to an Open Source Project on GitHub link leads to a 404 and should be updated to link to https://egghead.io/courses/how-to-contribute-to-an-open-source-project-on-github
2. the [repo] link reference currently points to a placeholder URL (https://example.com/FIXME) and should be updated to point to the source repository for the lesson (i.e. this GitHub repository).

The Contributing Guide is one of the files that is unique to each repository - to allow for individual lesson projects to define their own guidance for contributors - so unfortunately this is not an issue that can be fixed centrally e.g. by updating the template files in the lesson infrastructure. Instead the file must be updated in the individual lesson repositories themselves.

Update lesson 7 advanced

What is the problem?

use new example for select records for edit, also add note about saving before using this tool. Remove lesson 6 content. Update key points/objectives etc.

Location of problem (optional)

No response

Need jump lists (anchors) for headings

@zkamvar
We need to update style for this lesson so that jump lists (anchors for different sections) becomes automatically available for different levels of headings.

Difference between special undo and undo

How could the content be improved?

undo is for a manual edit vs special undo for bulk edit.

Resize images used

Use instead img src="path/imagefile.pgn" width="150" height="150" within brackets instead of the current way of doing this with !...etc.

Add Find and Replace to start of Manipulating MARC data

How could the content be improved?

Add Find and Replace to start of Manipulating MARC data, outline the power of this tool and importance of syntax

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/instructor/06-manipulating-MARC-data.html

Link to Notes to Pilot Lessons

How could the content be improved?

See notes for details:
June 2024
July 16 2024

Small edits to Introduction

Here are two small edits to consider in the Introduction

1. Downloading MarcEdit: remove the word "Windows" which is listed twice.
   Original text: MarcEdit was originally written for Windows but there are now versions available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
   Suggested text: MarcEdit was originally written for Windows but there are now versions available for Mac and Linux.

2. Exercise 1: Opening MARC records in the MarcEditor: condense wording.
   Original text: To edit a record, you need to open a file which contains one or more MARC records. This can be done (as you might expect) using the usual File menu, Open option, or by clicking the appropriate icon in the MarcEditor toolbar (second from the left).
   Suggested text: To edit a record, you need to open a file which contains one or more MARC records. This can be done by clicking File->Open, or by clicking the yellow file icon in the MarcEditor toolbar (second from the left).

Thank you for considering!

Do not delete gh-pages branch

For the @LibraryCarpentry/lc-marcedit-maintainers-workbench and @LibraryCarpentry/lc-marcedit-maintainers,

I have restored the gh-pages branch and rebuild the site.

The gh-pages and md-outputs branches are automatically created by The Workbench to build and deploy the lesson website (see The Automated Workflow for details).

Please do not delete these branches as that will mean that the website cannot be rendered (moreover, in all official repos, the gh-pages branch contains a workflow that protects the branch from old forks merging to it.

You are free to remove any branches that start with legacy/ if you want to clean out content from the former infrastructure. Please let me know if you have any questions and feel free to close this issue any time.

Situation

Six days ago, the gh-pages branch was deleted and 15 hours ago, the scheduled automated build failed because it could not find the gh-pages branch:

Fetch origin/gh-pages
  Running git remote set-branches origin gh-pages
  Running git fetch origin gh-pages
  fatal: couldn't find remote ref gh-pages
  Error in `callr::run("git", c(...), echo_cmd = echo_cmd, echo = echo, error_on_status = error_on_status)`:
  ! System command 'git' failed

I looked back to the activity log and found that it was deleted along with a lot of other branches and was able to restore it.

Review 02-top-level-menu-features.md

How could the content be improved?

You can now(?) add more than four shortcuts to the main window. Review wording or exercise in lesson 2 related to these preferences.

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/02-top-level-menu-features.html#how-many-shortcuts-can-be-added-to-the-main-window

.dat binary files

How could the content be improved?

In the MARC File Types section, it might be helpful to highlight .dat files a bit more. Perhaps in the instructor's Notes you might point out that .dat binary files are exported from OCLC Connexion, this tends to be a popular vendor that most novice catalogers would be familiar with.

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/03-working-with-MARC-files.html#working-with-marc-files

Episode 6 - only 1 space with 856

How could the content be improved?

Need 2 spaces after marc field 856

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

No response

Reorder Going Further section in Episode 1

I'd like to suggest shifting the subsection "Going Further" in _episodes/01-introduction.md go at the end of the MarcEdit Interface section (which is currently just below Going Further). I think the information about customizing your interface makes more sense to read after you're read the explanation of how the interface works.

Setup Instructions suggestion

How could the content be improved?

Some learners at our workshop didn't have their systems configured to display file extensions, perhaps this is a default. You could add a callout when relevant about how to configure Mac/Windows to make file extensions visible when they’re not.

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/instructor/index.html#setup

Lesson 07: Image for Select records for edit

The 2nd example image doesn't match the exercise. Do we need a new image that does?

Inability to download sample data file

What is the problem?

Downloading it can result in an error seen by the -11 or something like that in the Results. We need to find a way for people to be able to download the mrc and perhaps also the mrk (just in case).

Location of problem (optional)

setup.md

Lesson 5: Profiling Data convert to follow along sections

we have several follow along sections that aren't really follow along (blue box). Convert these sections to do that.

Add information on MARC syntax used in various tools

How could the content be improved?

Make clear the difference in MARC syntax (where to use =, where to record field number, spaces, indicators, subfields, etc.) between find and replace, edit tools, and find and replace.

Add intro to syntax and importance for tools in lesson 3, cover specific syntax for tools in lesson 5/6

Different examples from exercises

How could the content be improved?

Make sure the walk through demos are different from the exercises

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

Lesson 6 and 7

Episode 7: build proxy with 856

How could the content be improved?

Specify what this does and doesn't do in terms of what happens to the other subfields

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

No response

Plugin Manager

How could the content be improved?

The Plugins section should note that you won’t see suggested plugins unless you select them in the Plugin Manager. This should be noted in the Instructor's Notes: you need to install plugins in the Plugin Manager if you want access to them in the Plugin dropdown menus. Also, there are some plugins that are not available in the Mac version.

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/02-top-level-menu-features.html#plug-ins

Scheduling early transition to Workbench

Short version: are you are willing to volunteer your lesson for early transition to The Carpentries Workbench
infrastructure?

---

Longer version below:

As I hope you are already aware, @zkamvar and the rest of the Curriculum Team are preparing to roll out the new lesson infrastructure, The Carpentries Workbench, across all of The Carpentries official lessons in early May 2023. This means that all Data Carpentry, Library Carpentry, and Software Carpentry lesson repositories will be modified to adopt the new infrastructure at the end of this month.

As you might imagine, coordinating a rollout like this involves a large amount of time and effort, and one thing that will really help us to keep to the schedule and avoid disruption for the community is to be able to prepare some lessons for
transition before the 1st May deadline.

With this in mind, I invite you to volunteer to schedule an early transition for theis lesson repository. If you expect to have time to adopt the Workbench version of the lesson repository in the next couple of weeks, please reply to let me know. As lesson Maintainers, these are the things you will need to be prepared to do for the transition:

1. Be prepared to quickly merge pull requests from Zhian. These pull requests will help update the lesson and aid the transition process.
2. Close any outstanding pull requests. Your repository currently has very few or zero open PRs, but we cannot rule out the possibility that someone will open more in the time between now and when the transition takes place. Open PRs will be invalidated when the transition takes place.
3. Preview the lesson (in the https://github.com/fishtree-attempt organisation) when it is available. Zhian will open an issue in your repository, tagging you when the preview is available. You should reply on that issue if you notice any problems with the Workbench version of the lesson site and repository in the preview.
4. Just before the transition happens, the repository will be temporarily set as read-only and an issue will be opened (see an example from the Maintainer Onboarding curriculum: carpentries/maintainer-onboarding#69)
5. After the transition, delete and recreate any forks and local clones you have of the repository and then confirm that you have done so (you will be given specific instructions in an issue).

If you are willing and able to help us ensure a smooth rollout of the Workbench, please reply to let me know that you are happy to volunteer your lesson for early transition. If there is a specific date you would like the transition to take place (or that we should avoid), please also mention that.

Demo MarcEditor specific preference updates in lesson 03

How could the content be improved?

I think it may be useful to spend less time on preferences in lesson 2 (limit to main window config and ease of access for Main Window/App font/size?) and more time on preferences in lesson 3 once learners have seen the MarcEditor and have more knowledge about things they might want to change (associating .mrc/.mrk with different tools, character encoding, MarcEdit font and size, number of records per page).

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

No response

Check default settings for MarcEdit on a clean install on Windows

So we know what the defaults are with the latest version of MarcEdit

Particularly

• application font
• encoding options

More Information on Windows that Open for Find All and even Edit Shortcuts or MarcValidator

How could the content be improved?

Explain that windows don't necessarily close. The user has to close them themselves. This is for find/replace, edit shortcuts or marcvalidator

Add an exercise for Select records for edit

Do we need to have 2 or just 1 exercise? Then we can have a demo earlier in the lesson.

Initial setup of episodes

Agree structure for episodes and split material currently in Introduction into episodes

Review and update times

How could the content be improved?

Consider timing from pilot as well as additional content and redo times for each lesson accordingly

Convert tables to markdown

There are two tables in Episode 3. These should be ideally done using markdown instead of HTML

From Zhian:

Note for the maintainers: a lot of the tables are encoded in HTML. I would recommend, pasting the HTML source from these tables into https://pandoc.org/try/ and converting them from HTML to markdown_github. This will give you a table that will be easier to edit. You can find a reference on what The Workbench expects from tables in https://carpentries.github.io/sandpaper-docs/episodes.html#tables

Espisode Times

How could the content be improved?

Use July 16th and Perhaps June's notes to put in more appropriate times for each episode.

Summary and Setup: Change Under Design to Alpha

Update the section on Under Design. This is a lesson that is in the alpha stage. Update language to reflect that or just omit statement.

Cuttering tool functionality

How could the content be improved?

Explanation, https://blog.reeset.net/archives/1834.

Setup file

Please remember to include language that we are designing this with version 7 in mind and primarily windows and will test with mac. We want to include language on fonts and how they are configurable for the application. We also need to verify if the default character encoding is marc 8.

Review lesson content with Mac

Check to what extent Mac version of MarcEdit works with the lesson content written to date

Add instructor notes

How could the content be improved?

Provide instructor notes based on feedback from instructors who have taught the lesson.

Lesson facilitation tips:

• This lesson does not account for introduction time. If teaching this lesson as a standalone, allot additional time for Library Carpentry and other introductions
• If teaching with two instructors, split lessons at 1-6, 7-10, if teaching in multiple segments, split ...
• Provide hour ahead of lesson to support MarcEdit installation/troubleshooting
• If teaching online, emphasize that a second screen is ideal for this workshop
• Opening a zoom breakout room at the start is helpful for troubleshooting as required

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/instructor/instructor-notes.html

Lesson 09: Backslashes

Replace code with the backslashes

Lesson 04 - rename to layout of ME Editor

This lesson is providing an overview of the layout. Take out top level and add layout.

Note on paging and preview

Remove note on paging and preview in lesson 4. This is confusing.

Update Lesson 6

How could the content be improved?

Split lesson 6 into basic and advanced. Move RDA helper and select records for edit to advanced. In Select records for edit section, add instruction to save before doing this work. Break out different edits as level two headings.

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/06-manipulating-MARC-data.html

Add more information on version control/saving files/file types

How could the content be improved?

Add content about how you don't edit your .mrc file directly. When applying edits you are editing the .mrk file. When you compile the record you can save it as the original file and overwrite the original, or you can save it as a new file name to keep your original file untouched.

Applies to lesson 3 and 6

Which part of the content does your suggestion apply to?

https://librarycarpentry.org/lc-marcedit/instructor/03-working-with-MARC-files.html

Lesson build is failing

What is the problem?

The lesson build is currently failing with this error:

episodes:
- '01-introduction.md'
- '02-top-level-menu-features.md'
- '03-working-with-MARC-files.md'
- '04-layout-of-the-MarcEditor.md'
- '05-profiling-your-MARC-data.md'
- ✖ 06-manipulating-MARC-data.md
- ✖ 07-tasks-and-automation.md
- ✖ 08-integrations.md
- ✖ 09-regular-expressions.md
Error in `error_missing_config()`:
! All files in 'config.yaml' must exist
• Files marked with ✖ are not present

You can see the same error in one of the previously closed pull requests here: https://github.com/LibraryCarpentry/lc-marcedit/pull/117/checks

I will create a pull request that updates the config.yaml that will fix this issue.

Why is this happening?

The root cause of this is the series of pull requests renaming episode files without updating the config.yaml file (see https://carpentries.github.io/sandpaper-docs/editing.html#organization and https://carpentries.github.io/lesson-development-training/infrastructure.html#adding-a-new-episode-to-the-lesson-navigation).

The reason why only one check failed and not the other four is because the other pull requests never had a chance to validate the change as they were merged within seconds of being open, so they never had the chance to validate the incoming PR.

Future Considerations

I think one thing that would help prevent a situation like this in the future would be to submit file name changes in a single pull request by doing the following steps:

1. create a new branch (as shown in the github documentation)
2. rename the files in that branch (you can make multiple commits to your new branch here)
3. update the config.yaml (again, in the new branch)
4. submit the pull request

Location of problem (optional)

config.yaml

Font and size for Application

The screenshots included already were done with the application set to the font Times New Roman and size 12. We will continue this practice.

MarcEditor Top Level features to move from lesson 2 to 4

This section in lesson 2 needs to be moved to lesson 4. The summaries of high level functionality needs to be more concise at the end.