File names are assigned during selection. These unique identifiers serve as a link between images, transcriptions, encoding files, and metadata. Each institution may have their own file name system, but it should be as simple as possible. Long or complicated file names are sometimes a problem in the database. USM has adopted the practice of basing file names on the collection being digitized. There are two ways to do this: by collection number or by collection name.
- By collection name: The collection name is shortened to serve as a basis for the file name.
- For example, items from the Will D. Campbell collection are numbered wdc001, wdc002, wdc003, etc.
- Advantage: It is often easier to remember which files belong to which collection without having to look it up.
- Disadvantage: Care must be taken not to replicate the same prefix in different collections.
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By collection number: The file name is based on the collection number.
- At USM, processed collections have the prefix M and are followed by a series of numbers. For example, the Campbell collection is M341. The first item scanned from this collection is therefore named M341001.tif (The last 001 indicates that this is the first item scanned. The second item from this collection would be named M341002.tif.)
- Advantage: It is less likely that filename prefixes will be inadvertantly replicated.
- Disadvantage: If it is an unprocessed collection, this system may run into difficulties unless a permanent collection number is assigned before digitization.
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URL:http://www.msdiglib.net
Last modified:
May 29, 2006
