-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        034 macro to enter degrees in OCLC Connexion client -- Update
Date:   Thu, 8 Feb 2007 08:34:17 -0500
From:   Caplan,Ellen <[log in to unmask]>
To:     Maps-l <[log in to unmask]>



I just want to provide those who catalog on OCLC and use Connexion
client an update on the status of the 034 macro.  In January there were
some messages about the 034 macro not working correctly with the degree
sign and about records "freezing up" when this macro was run.  It turned
out that there were a couple of problems with the macro and Robert
Bremer, the macro's creator, is addressing them.

For the first problem, the macro still expects a superscript for the
degree sign in field 255 (note: use of the degree sign was implemented
in May/June 2006). Sometimes it works with the degree sign present, but
other times it does not.  It may create an 034, but the data might not
be correct.  Once Robert's fix is made to account for the degree sign
the 034 will generate correctly, assuming everything else in the
coordinate statement in field 255 is correctly entered.

The second problem concerned records "freezing" or locking up so the
client would not work.  Robert was finally able to duplicate the problem
with the help of an OCLC user who provided an example.  He does not
think the "freezing" problem had anything to do with superscript/degree
sign.  Instead, there was an error in how the macro counted as it took
data to create the 034 subfields when minutes or seconds were less than
10.  It caused the record to "freeze up". There are instructions in
client Help that can help a user unlock the record if it is a local save
file record (check in Help under Local File Manager window).

Robert is revising the macro along with several other macros in the OCLC
macro book.  As soon as it is available for download from the web site I
will announce on Maps-L.  He hopes to have the macro book available by
the end of February.

Perhaps I should have added this last bit of information at the
beginning of this message.  But for those of you who use the client and
are not familiar with macros, check client Help under Introduction to
OCLC Macro Language for Connexion client. There is an explanation about
macros there.  One more thing. The macro uses data from field 255 to
create the 034. The 034 macro still works correctly if one only needs to
create the 034 subfields a and/or b. .  If you have not used it, take a
look.  It may save you keystrokes.

Ellen Caplan
OCLC, Inc.
[log in to unmask]
800-848-5878