Automatically build Opaque Container objects from template

 

Overview

This is a description of the procedure to automatically create a batch of opaque container objects from template in Batch Builder 2 (BB).This method should be used if you have 5 or more opaque container objects per batch.

Procedure summary:

  1. Create a new project
  2. Enter DRS deposit settings
  3. Create object template
  4. Add directories to template
  5. Add metadata
  6. Save your work
  7. Move/copy zip files into corresponding directories on disk
  8. Create new batch with objects
  9. Process the batch
  10. Upload batch to dropbox
  11. Check load report in email

What you need before you start:

  • Prepare your opaque container objects and put them in a directory of your choice somewhere on local hard disk or network drive. Consult DRS2 Content Models Reference for guidelines on creating opaque container objects. Note that each opaque container object can have only one "container" directory in which the zip files are contained.

  • Decide what you will use for Owner Supplied Names (OSNs) for opaque container objects. For instance, you could use local classification or local accession numbers. Consult Naming rules for files, objects and directories of this Guide for more information.

  • Make sure that the object OSNs are supplied for each file by one of the following methods:

    • Append the object prefix to each file name (the syntax is [objprefix]--[filename].[ext]). Set the desired file name pattern objects in the BB Options dialog (see the File name pattern options section of Installation and Setup for more information).
      OR

    • Supply an external mapping file that maps each file to object (see Using mapping.txt File for more information).

Procedure:

Start at Step 5 if you are reusing a project to generate a new batch.

  1. Create new project in Batch Builder
    1. From main menu select Project > New.
    2. Enter project data: 
    3. Project Name: enter a name for your project (used for internal tracking only). 
      Project Directory: select the directory where project will be saved (click ellipsis button to browse for or create a directory). 
      Content Model: select the appropriate value ("opaque container") from the dropdown.
    4. Click OK to continue.

  2. Enter DRS deposit settings:
    1. Click on "Deposit Settings" in Project Panel tree.
    2. Enter deposit data in the form:
    3. Batch Name Pattern: default - {owner}{batchDir}{yyyy}{mo}{dd}_{hh24}{mm}{ss}
      (This is the name for a batch that appears on DRS deposit reports. Batch name must be at least 3 characters long.)
      Success Email: type email and press enter.
      Failure Email: type email and press enter. 
      Success Method: choose how you will receive load report. 
      Deposit Agent: type your HUID.
      Deposit Agent Email: type your official Harvard email address.

  3. Create object template:
    Metadata added at this level will be applied to every object in a batch, unless overridden by specific batch-, object-, or directory-level metadata that you define in later steps.
    1. Click on "Object Template" in Project Panel tree:
    2. Enter required object metadata in the form: DRS Owner Code: your owner code (use all caps). DRS Billing Code: your billing code (use all caps). Object Access: the DRS access flag. Set value to "N" (no access).
    3. Enter optional admin and descriptive metadata to the object template. Click the "optional" tab. Notable metadata at this level:
      Admin category: assign a category to every object. A curator-assigned label, such as an exhibit name, project name, etc., that can be used to group together a set of objects or files.

  4. Add directories to template: 
    About files in opaque container objects: The zip file that makes up an opaque container object must be stored in one "container" directory.
    1. Add container directory: right click on "Object Template" in Project Panel tree. Container directories are prefixed with "container", but you can append a custom suffix to the directory name.
    2. Add documentation directory (optional): Right click on "Object Template" in the Project Panel on the left and add a directory (The directory name starts with "documentation" but

  5. Add metadata: For each added directory, click to select the new directory, then add metadata to the form:
    1. Required: 
      First Generation in DRS: select "yes". 
      Usage Class: select "LOWUSE".

  6. Save your work (Project > Save on main menu).

  7. Copy files into Batch Builder template directory on disk.
    The directories you created in BB have been created on disk, in the project's template path: {project_name}\template\container{optional addition suffix}
    In the automatic workflow, files are copied into a directory in the template path. In a later step, Batch Builder will use the object name prefix for each file to create object directories and move files for each object into these directories.

    Note: if you need to check where the directories are on disk, click on "Deposit Settings" in the Project Panel tree and look at the Project Path field at bottom.
    ** Quick way to copy content files: you can drag files from your file system onto the file template directories in the Batch Builder project panel.
    ** If using mapping.txt, this is when you should copy it to the auxiliary template path in the project.
    ** If including external MODS descriptive metadata, this is when you should copy it to the auxiliary template path in the project.

  8. Create new batch with objects:

    1. Create new batch: From the menu select "Object > Create a new batch with objects from template". Enter the name of the batch directory to be created on disk and click OK.

      In response to this action you will see: "FINISHED - Moved objects to [batch name]" in the message panel.
      A new batch directory with red letter B added to the Project Panel.
      New object directories (marked by blue letter O), and file directories nested below the batch directory.
      Behind the scenes, BB created the batch and object directories on disk and moved the content files from the {project_name}\template directory into the object directories.

    2. Add optional metadata for each object and/or each file. Note that required metadata was supplied by the object template.

      Select an object directory (or file directory) in the Project Panel and then select the "optional" tab on the right.

      Object metadata:
      select the object directory, open the "optional" tab. Notable metadata types include:
      Aleph/Alma ID for MODS import: import descriptive metadata from HOLLIS. You can also right-click over the object directory in project panel to assign an Aleph or Alma ID.
      Admin category: a curator-assigned label, such as an exhibit name, project name, etc., that can be used to group together a set of objects or files.
      Descriptive metadata fields (MODS): use only if not importing by Aleph or Alma ID or including external MODS file.

      File metadata: select a file directory, open the "optional" tab:
      Admin category: a curator-assigned label, such as an exhibit name, project name, etc., that can be used to group together a set of objects or files.

      To import an object description from HOLLIS, right click on the object directory and select "Set Aleph/Alma ID".

    3. Save your project (Project > Save on main menu).

  9. Process the batch:
    1. In the Project Panel tree, right click on the batch you want to process (batch with red letter B) and select "Create descriptors & batch.xml." Or from the main menu, select Batch > Create descriptors & batch.xml.
    2. Processing messages will appear in the messages pane.
    3. When the batch is successfully processed you will see the following message: FINISHED - Creation of batch.xml and descriptors complete for batch:

  10. Upload batch to dropbox:
    1. Open your SFTP client and log into your DRS2 dropbox account.
    2. Change to the "incoming" directory.
    3. Upload the batch: copy the entire batch directory to the "incoming" directory.
    4. Close the SFTP client. Batch processing will start.

  11. Check load report in email:
    1. Open your email inbox.
    2. Look for message from "drs2-support" with subject "DRS LOAD REPORT …"
    3. For a more readable report, open the attached text file in Excel, or just copy the file listing and paste into Excel.

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