Place Editor

Places and their associated rules define how publication information is translated into a map marker.

Place List

No places are listed initially, because there are too many. Enter a pattern to match against place names and / or a containing area. Click List to display those places.

The displayed list shows the place, the area that contains it and the coordinates of the map marker. Click on the place name to edit it or New Place to define a new place.

Edit Place

Names

• Name
  The name of this place. This is not the name used for lookup, only for labelling the marker on the map.
• in [Area]
  The larger area of which this place is a part.
• Local Name
  The name of this place in the local language (and script). Again, this is only for display, not matching.
• Matches
  Names under which this place is known.
• Global
  Whether this name match only applies when the containing area is known or also when no authoritative area information is available.
• Additional rules
  Edit one of the more complex rules matching this place using the Rule Editor. Click Add a rule to define a new rule. A simple name match can also be turned into a more complex rule by clicking Edit next to it.

Location

Shows the latitude and longitude for the place being edited on a map. To parse degrees and minutes NSEW form, paste it into the bottom box and click that button. To find a location using one of the external geocoders, enter a search string and click its button. The location will move to a matching place. If more than one match is found (GeoParser only), clicking on one of them will move to it.

Test Place Lookup

Test how publication information will be mapped to a place.

• Geocoder
  Choose the geocoder to test.
• Authoritative place
  Specify a region (such as would appear in a control field) that restricts the match.

This lookup exactly matches how a lookup occurs when the publication info comes in unstructured form, such as from sutrs records, LibraryThing export, or OPAC screen scraping. It only partially simulates what happens when the record itself separates out the place and publisher.

Clear Caches

External geocoders that are accessed over the network maintain a cache of matches (or lack thereof). These caches avoid asking the server the same question again and again. But they do make the database larger. Also, if the geocoder changes, it may be worth clearing it's caches.

The rule editor changes a single rule that matches publication info to a place.

• Description
  A description of what this rule does or why it is needed.
• Place
  The place name to match.
• Publisher
  The publisher name to match.
• Pattern types
  Name matching of place and pattern can be of the following types.
  • Matches string
    The given name must match the name entered.
  • Contains string
    The given name must contain the name entered as a substring.
  • Begins with
    The given name must begin with the name entered.
  • Matches regex
    The given name must match the name as a Perl-like regular expression.
  • Is missing
    No name is given. The name entered does not matter.
  • Unused
    No restriction is put on the place / publisher.
• Authoritative place
  The MARC code for the larger area of publication.
• Applicability
  Determines when the rule applies.
  • When place known
    The rule applies only when the given authoritative place is present.
  • When place matches or is known
    The rule applies when the given authoritative place is present or no authoritative place is known.
  • Regardless of place
    This rule applies no matter what the authoritative place is.
  • When expanding abbreviation
    This is a special rule mapping a semi-standard area abbreviation into the full name of the area.
  • geocoder cache
    This is an automatically generated rule that caches the results of a call to an external geocoder. The rule can be "promoted" to an ordinary rule and then the geocoder will not need to be called at all in the future.
• Priority
  Rules that might apply are tested in priority order. Smaller numbers get an earlier try.