• Article Type: General
• Product: Aleph
• Product Version: 20

Description:
I need guidance on how to specify field values for the input flat file for PLIF. Due to our multi-ADM environment and shared patrons, we would like to be able to leave an existing value in certain fields *if already populated* (in this case HOME-LIBRARY and ILL-LIBRARY) but if those fields are not populated we would like to have them updated with the value supplied in the input file. We are using a flat input file generated from a PeopleSoft system.

The NULL value we are using is a '+' and we have many fields that we currently code with + in the input field.

The HOME-LIBRARY and ILL-LIBRARY instance is different in that we want whichever PLIF initially adds the patron to populate it with a correct value (such as ABCMA) but subsequent runs that match on the same record from another ADM's (such as QRSMA) to NOT overlay those two fields. Is that possible?

Resolution:
There is no provision for this in regard to the z303_home_library and z303_ill_library. (The z303_plif_modication values can prevent p_file_20 from overlaying certain fields, but these are borrower and address record fields.)

The inclusion of this function in Aleph would be an enhancement request.

As an alternative, you could save the z303_home_library and z303_ill_library to some unused z303 field and then, after p_file_20 has run, if the field is not null, copy the values to z303_home_library / z303_ill_library.

(It should be noted that Ex Libris does not recommend the use of SQL for such updates.)

• Article last edited: 10/8/2013