-------- 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