publishing from emu to the web

Publishing from EMu to the webPublishing from EMu to the web

Ely Wallis, Museum VictoriaEly Wallis, Museum Victoria

October 2004October 2004

A case study: Victorian Railways A case study: Victorian Railways websitewebsite

Case study backgroundCase study background

Railways website is based around images Railways website is based around images relating to railways held in MV’s and the relating to railways held in MV’s and the Public Records Office of Victoria’s Public Records Office of Victoria’s collections. collections.

Navigation around the website is based on Navigation around the website is based on 6 themes, numerous subthemes, and 6 themes, numerous subthemes, and image galleries. image galleries.

Primary repository for the data is EMu. Primary repository for the data is EMu.

Site navigation and data sourcesSite navigation and data sources

Themes, subthemes – NarrativesThemes, subthemes – Narratives

Image galleries – Catalogue and Image galleries – Catalogue and Multimedia repositoryMultimedia repository

Data structureData structure

Narratives module:Narratives module:

holds text for themes and subthemesholds text for themes and subthemes

holds links to all images – digital version in holds links to all images – digital version in Multimedia Repository and Catalogue Multimedia Repository and Catalogue record.record.

Problem 1. Text requires formatting. How Problem 1. Text requires formatting. How can this be achieved in EMu?can this be achieved in EMu?

Data structureData structure

Catalogue and Multimedia repository:Catalogue and Multimedia repository:

hold data for each imagehold data for each image

linked togetherlinked together

Problem 2. Needed to store multiple Problem 2. Needed to store multiple captions for the one image.captions for the one image.

Problem 3. Neither the Catalogue nor the Problem 3. Neither the Catalogue nor the Multimedia Repository held all the fields Multimedia Repository held all the fields required.required.

Data structureData structure

Getting the data out:Getting the data out:

MV uses SQLserver as its web serverMV uses SQLserver as its web server

data had to be transferred from EMu to data had to be transferred from EMu to SQL databaseSQL database

the export was messy, manual and time the export was messy, manual and time consumingconsuming

Problem 4. Getting the data out was difficult.Problem 4. Getting the data out was difficult.

Summary of issuesSummary of issues

Embedding html into EMu text boxes.Embedding html into EMu text boxes.

Require the capability to store multiple Require the capability to store multiple captions for a single object/image.captions for a single object/image.

Neither the Catalogue nor the Multimedia Neither the Catalogue nor the Multimedia Repository held all the fields we needed – Repository held all the fields we needed – creates synchronisation issues.creates synchronisation issues.

Exporting the data was messy and time Exporting the data was messy and time consuming.consuming.

Other issuesOther issues

Date format in EMu client makes reporting Date format in EMu client makes reporting on parts of dates impossible (eg just year) on parts of dates impossible (eg just year)

Latitude and longitude must be in decimal Latitude and longitude must be in decimal degrees to allow range searching.degrees to allow range searching.

Exporting single lines from multi-line fields Exporting single lines from multi-line fields is impossible from the client.is impossible from the client.

Websites based on imagesWebsites based on images

What is the primary record for a digital What is the primary record for a digital image?image?

alt-tag?alt-tag?