Sample descriptions (metadata)

Each sample category has one sample description/metadata or 'header' file. The header file stores descriptions of the actual plots (not the plot data), one record for each sample plot. Thus, if you have a data category 'Botanical inventory' with 300 plots, the header file will have 300 records.

When you create a new category, the header file is automatically created with the file name category code + "HEADER_" as in "INV_HEADER" and "RBS_HEADER". The header file is stored in the folder designated for the data category. Header file structure can be edited. Required sample header file fields in file are explained below:

• Tag: Standard field used for tagging records
• Del: Standard field used for record deletion
• Scode: Each plot registered in the header file is given an ID using the SCODE field. The SCODE is unique within each header file. As discussed later, it also occurs in the plot data files linking the data to the header entry. The
• Sampname: Sample plots may be given names using the SAMPNAME field.
• Datafile: The file name where the actual data for the plot is stored.
• Gazcode: Numeric field that relates to your main gazetteer file.

New fields can be added as you wish. For example, you may want to add fields that describe the treatment of a plot, its management history or other site-related fields.

Some further notes on header files

1. If any of the fields COUNTRY, MAJOR, MINOR, GAZETTEER, LAT, NS, LONG, EW are present, these fields are auto-filled when editing the GAZCODE.

2. The RECTOTAL field is a calculated field updated using Calculate > Update calculated fields. It displays the number of records in the datafile with the relevant SCODE.

3. To add data for the plot record, goto the correct plot record and use the toolbar. If the file, as registered in the DATAFILE field does not exist, it will be created by copying the data file template for the relevant data category.

4. The data file, as registered in the DATAFILE field, does not necessarily need to change for each plot (SCODE). Where you have a large number of smal plots, you can store the data from many plots in the same file. The SCODE will vary within the data file indicating the link to the correct header record.

5. Header files can be tagged. You can extract (query) data from all tagged plots.

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