Reference Manual

Return to Primary
Next Primary Record
Upon subsequent entries in Primary of specimens with a Field Number already entered in the
Locality data file, a Locality form will no longer pop up and you will be moved to the next field
on the Primary form. In this case, however, some of the Locality information (from the Locality
record of that Field Number) will appear at the bottom of the screen so you can confirm that you
are in fact entering data from the same locality. Be aware that on those occasions when there
two are identical field numbers, but representing different localities (due to identical initials,
mistakes, etc.), one number must be modified to make it unique.
After being returned to where you left off on the Primary form, enter the appropriate data in the
remaining fields. When you type in the genus and press , MUSE checks the spelling
against the list of genera in the Taxonomic Dictionary file. If the spelling is incorrect or the
genus is not found, you will hear a beep and be notified of that fact. By convention, we enter
family name in the genus field for those specimens for which that is the finest level of
identification. Also, the group number may be automatically entered if this option is available
and turned on (see APPENDIX E: Configuration Items). When the form is filled in, you must,
as usual, save the record by pressing from the last field or . At this point a new
Primary form will appear.
On the new Primary form, a few of the fields will already contain data. These are auto-ditto
fields that, by default on startup, automatically repeat data from the previously-entered record.
You may edit these fields or accept the data as shown on the screen. As when editing records,
you may retrieve the value of a field from the last-viewed record (ditto a field) by pressing
, or you may ditto values from all fields (ditto the entire record) by pressing .
can only be entered when you are on the first field on a form. After using this
function, cannot be used to save, as the program must check the contents of several
fields. Use < > or to move through all the data until the normal exit prompt appears.
While adding records in any file, auto-ditto may be toggled on or off for any field by pressing
while the cursor is in the desired field. By turning auto-ditto on or off, the previouslyentered
data in that field will show (or not show) automatically in subsequent records.
You may continue entering data and adding new records, as here described, remembering
always to save your data to disk after completing each form.
Adding Locality Records
At times)such as after returning from a collecting trip)you may find it more convenient to
promptly enter field notes (Locality data) and postpone Primary record entries until the
1
specimens are fully identified and prepared. Choose "Add..." from the "Locality" menu, and
you will see an empty Locality form. Enter data as described above except that, in this case,
Field Number must be entered as well)it does not appear automatically. You may add as many
1 Note that this practice will work only if you are using field numbers designated by the original collector or formed from the collectors
initials and date. If you are utilizing a field number formed from catalog numbers, e.g. Z12389, you will have to enter locality data while
entering the actual catalog records.