Resource Types: How to change the display or add a new resource type?

• Article Type: General
• Product: MetaLib
• Product Version: 4

Description:
How can I modify the types in the User Interface of MetaLib Version 4? Can I add new resource types?

Resolution:
Within the www_const.eng, it's possible to edit the local display text of the resource types provided with the default MetaLib installation.

Here are three examples (from existing MetaLib sites) of modifying three of the resource type names:

Electronic Book -- E-Book
Encyclopedia -- Encyl/Dictionary
Library -- Library Catalog

In the example above, the default resource type name is present in the first column and the customized display (that the local library staff has selected) is present in the second column (after the double dash).

Please check if the updated resource type translation is displaying correctly in the following three user interface locations:

1) The drop-down menu for Type on the Find Database/Locate screen
2) The Table View of database listings
3) The drop-down menu list of resource types in the Management interface, Primary tab.

NOTE: If the goal is to add a new resource type, please note that it is possible to use a forward slash in the translation of the resource type code (in the 2nd column of the dat01/tab/www_const.eng table), but special characters (like forward slash and ampersand characters) should be avoided in the resource type code itself.

Below are the 3 files to review and update when adding new resource types:

There are 3 places where new resource types need to be added:

1. ./insNN/tab/www_const.eng,
2. ./insNN/www_v_eng/type-include-[institution]
3. ./dat01/www_m_eng/type-include-[institution]

Changes to www_const.eng updates the "Type" on the A-Z list in Find Database and controls the display of resource type names in the user interface.

Changes to www_v_eng/type-include updates the drop down menus in the user interface.

Changes to www_m_eng/type-include updates the drop down menus in the management interface.

In exlibris/metalib/m4_1/ins00/tab/www_const.eng - Change the second column with the new resource types and keep the first column the old resource type. The main list is alphabetical.

In exlibris/metalib/m4_1/insNN/www_v_eng/type-include and in exlibris/metalib/m4_1/dat01/www_m_eng/type-include.

The values of the resource type code must be equal within the three files listed (above).

To add a type, you’ll need to insert a line (in its proper alphabetical location) in each of these three files, following the same rules as for an existing type.