Getting UTF-8 records from Alma into OCLC Connexion via z39.50

If you pull a record from Alma into Connexion with the z39.50 search in Connexion the record will be encoded in MARC-8. To correct this, log onto OCLC, download a record, delete the record from your view, and log off Connexion (without closing it). This forces Connexion to use UTF-8 instead of MARC-8. From now on (until you close and reopen Connexion) you will be able to pull records from Alma in UTF-8.

For example, if I open Connexion and use z39.50 to call up a particular Korean record from my Alma catalog the title looks like this: ₊︡ơđ︠ı₊︡ı₊︡₈ ²︡Ơ₍̕⁺

But if I then call up a random OCLC record, in this case #1234567, then log off and call up my record from Alma again, the title becomes clearly Korean: 일본인의 사회

You can automate this fix by having a Connexion start-up macro that logs on, downloads a record, deletes it, and logs off again. To install it, select Tools- Macros - Manage. Click the New Macro button, then type a description and name for the macro, select it and hit Edit.

You can then copy the following script into the macro window. You'll need to fill in your authorization number and password into the script on the CS.Logon line. Remember to keep the quotes, but not the angle brackets.

------------

-------------

Optional: if you will want to use only that one logon, you can delete the line “CS.Logoff” and the macro will not log you off.

To make the macro run automatically when you open Connexion Client, choose Tools - Options - General - Startup Options and select it in the "Run a macro" drop-down. You'll have to restart Connexion client for it to work.