Add media and associate it with records throughout Collections

For each media file added to Collections a record is created in a dedicated data source called Media in the Standard Model and Multimedia documentation in older Model Applications. From there these media records can be linked to other records throughout Collections.

Note: For simplicity we refer to the Media data source below; unless indicated Media should also be read as Multimedia documentation.

The key field when creating a media record in the Media data source, and when linking to a media record from any other data source, is the media reference FN field. It is found in two place in Collections:

• In the Media data source, where it is called Media reference (reference_number (FN))1 Called Reproduction reference in Multimedia documentation.:

  

  Media reference is used to upload new media (such as image, video, audio or PDF2 In Collections version 1.16 onwards. files), creating a record for the media that can be linked to other records throughout Collections (details here).

  reference_number (FN) in Media vs Multimedia documentation

  In the Media data source, reference_number (FN) is found on the Media data panel, its label is Media reference and its field type is Application:

  

  In Multimedia documentation, reference_number (FN) is found on the Reproduction data panel, its label is Reproduction reference and its field type is Image.

  The field type was changed in the Standard Model because Application fields can hold a greater range of file types than Image fields, making them more versatile. It is worth stressing however that this does not change the way we work with media files: in both the Multimedia documentation and Media data sources we upload files (including images, PDFs, video, and audio) to a record using the reference_number (FN) field.

  For those interested, more details about the change of field type in the Standard Model can be found here.

• On the Media3 Called Reproductions in older versions of Collections. panel in many data sources, where it is called Reference (media.reference (FN)). Here we see the Media panel in the Object catalogue:

  

  Reference is used to link the current record The record currently displayed in Record details View or highlighted (with a solid background) in Result set View or Gallery View for instance. to an existing Media record OR to upload a new media file, create a Media record on the fly and link the current record to it (details here).

  Reference is typically repeatable and more than one occurrence If a field in the current record can have more than one value, we add an occurrence of the field for each value (e.g. a book can have multiple authors so we add an occurrence of the author.name (au) field for each author). An occurrence can be a member of a group of fields, and adding an occurrence of the field adds all members of the group at once. can be added, which allows multiple media files to be associated with a record.

How to create a Media record

New Media records can be created in the Media data source, and also in other data sources that link to the Media data source:

What happens when you save the record

When a media file is uploaded to the media reference FN field in Media or another data source and the record is saved:

• A copy of the file is saved to your Collections system (to a directory in your Collections installation, or to a DAMS if your institution is using a DAMS), leaving the original file where it was.
  Media file storage location

  Prior to the Standard Model, media files were all stored together in a \media folder (or \images folder in older versions of Collections); now there is a sub folder under \media for every Collections database table: for example, the database table for all of the Catalogue data sources The management of a collection can involve a vast amount of information about objects / items / books, people and organizations, events, administration and more. This information is stored as records in data sources. Each data source stores a specific type of information: details about collection items, people, events, loans, and so on. is called collect, and there is a \media\collect sub folder.

  When an image file is uploaded to reference_number (FN) in a record in the Media data source, the image file is saved to \media\media; when an image file is uploaded to media.reference (FN) in an Object catalogue record, a record is created for the image in the Media data source and this is linked to the Object catalogue record; the image file itself is saved to \media\collect in this instance.

  Thumbnail images are stored in \media\imageCache by default.

  The location where a file is stored is shown in the Storage location (storage_location (ml)) in the Media record for the file:

  

  In other data sources it is shown in Storage location (media.storage_location (ml)). In this example the media file was added to Collections from a record in People and institutions and the file is stored in \media\people:

  

  Linking to an alternate version of a media file

  As explained below, it is possible to point to an alternate version of a media file (perhaps downscaled, watermarked, and so on) to display in a report or Media viewer for example. It is important that the master and alternate versions of the file are in same storage location. The simplest way to ensure that the two versions of a media file are in the same storage location is to add them to Collections from the same data source The management of a collection can involve a vast amount of information about objects / items / books, people and organizations, events, administration and more. This information is stored as records in data sources. Each data source stores a specific type of information: details about collection items, people, events, loans, and so on..

• Depending on your version of Collections (and the configuration of your system), a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) is generated for the media file and saved to the FN field, or the original file name is used.
  Collections 1.7

  A Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) is generated for the media file:

  • If you are not using a DAMS, the GUID file name will display in the FN field.
  • If you are using a DAMS, the DAMS may generate its own GUID and return it to Collections, and this DAMS GUID will display in the FN field.
  Collections 1.7.1 onwards

  Rather than converting file names to a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), it is possible to register the original file name in the media record (it may contain useful details about the media and/or you might want to be able to search on the file name). If this option has been set for your system, Collections will store the file under its original name, either in the file system or in a DAMS (if the DAMS is configured to return a GUID file name however, that file name will display in the FN field).

  Note: If you are not using a DAMS and the file name already exists in the storage location, a warning will display indicating that A media item with the id ... already exists; the record will not be saved but will remain in Edit mode. In this case you will have to rename the file in Windows Explorer before trying to upload it again (it may be necessary to empty the field first if it still contains <<New>>).

Linking to media records

Download media

Whichever method you use to upload media to Collections, when you save your record, the Upload button changes to Download , allowing you to download the media file to your device: