Tutorial

Tutorial - first steps

This tutorial will guide you through the first basic steps in DiversitySamplingPlots. After the installation, make sure, you have access to the database. To start the programm, double click on the DiversitySamplingPlots.exe in the directory where you copied the files of DiversitySamplingPlots. The main window will open.

Start page 

If you open this window for the first time, you have to connect to the database. Click on the button or choose Connection → Database… from the menu to open a window where you can enter your account information and choose the database (see image below, for further informations see databaseaccess).

Connect page 

After connecting to the server and choosing a database click on the OK button to return to the main form. As indicated by the  symbol in the right upper corner, you are now connected to the database. The tooltip of the button will show your current login informations.

Apr 15, 2025

Subsections of Tutorial

Tutorial Backlinks

Video starten

DiversityCollection

Message box To display dataset in the module DiversityCollection that are linked to the current plot, you can activate the query for these data in the menu Data - Scan modules - DiversityCollection (for the specimen) and Data - Scan modules - Images for the images. Please keep in mind that these backward query will increase the response time of the application.

 Specimen

Message box All specimen within the DiversityCollection databases as listed in the connections and linked to the current plot will be listed as shown below.

Message box

Images

To show the images within a certain DiversityCollection database, linked to a plot, in the Message box images tab use the Message box button to connect to the DiversityCollection database. Then all images will be listed as shown below.  

Message box

Use the link beneath the image to show the image in a separate window. The EXIF tab contains the corresponding information of the image.

May 3, 2024

Tutorial Edit Plots

Tutorial - create or change plots

To create a new sampling plot click at the New icon of the tool bar. A Window will pop up and ask you to enter the identifier of the new plot.

New plot dialog

The new plot will be created and shown on the screen.

New plot window

Now you may edit the parameters and either add a geography of any kind using the GIS-Editor window or a certain point with WGS84 coordinates using the Localisation control.

For the usage of the GIS-Editor please see the Description in the second part of the help file. You may select an appropriate map style, navigate to your region of interrest by shiftig and zooming the map and create it as a background map by clicking the Add button. Then select Point, Line or Area mode and draw your geography on the background map. Add one or more geographies using the Add button. The geographies may be changed later on using the Editmode of the GIS-Editor. Finally save the geography to the database by clicking on the Save button of the GIS-Edit window ( not that of the Query toolbar!). A WGS84 localisation will be created automatically.

Plot geography

Alternatively you may create a WGS84 localisation using the New button in the Localisation tab below the GIS-Edit window. A dialog will pop up.

Plot geography

Select “Coord. WGS84” from the drop down list and then press the OK butten. The new localisation will be shown in the list of the Localisation tab.

Plot geography

Select the localisation in the list and click at the MaltaCross button. The coordinates window as known from other DiversityWorkbench modules will be shown.

Plot geography

Shift the map using the mouse to localise a certain coordinate point with the static cross in the center. Then press the OK button and the coordinate point will be shown in the WGS84 localisation tab.

Plot geography

Additionally an Altitude and a Named area localisation will be created automatically by calling the Geonames web service. Press the Save button of the Query toolbar to save the new localisation.

Apr 3, 2025

Tutorial Hierarchy

Tutorial - plot hierarchy

The plots may be hierarchical organised as a tree view. The location of the current plot within the hierarchy is displayed in the hierarchy window:

Message box

To add a new plot within the selected plot click on the Messagebox button.

To change to another plot within the hierarchy tree just select the plot in the tree view and click on the Message box button. The new plot will be displayed.

To set the superior plot for the current sampling plot click on the Message box button.

To remove the superior plot for the current sampling plot click on the Message box button.

Apr 3, 2025

Wizard Tutorial

Import wizard - tutorial

This tutorial demostrates the import of a small file into the database. The following data should be imported (the example file is included in the software):   At the end of this tutorial you will have imported several datasets and practiced most of the possibilities provided by the import wizard. The import is done in 2 steps to demonstrate the attachment functionallity of the wizard.

 Step1 - Import of the collection events

Choose Data → Import → Wizard Sampling plot … from the menu. A window as shown below will open. that will lead you through the import of the data. The window is separated in 3 areas. On the left side, you see a list of possible data related import steps according to the type of data you choosed for the import. On the right side you see the list of currently selected import steps. In the middle part the details of the selected import steps are shown.

 

Choosing the File

As a first step, choose the File from where the data should be imported. The currently supported format is tab-separated text. Than choose the Encoding of the file, e.g. Unicode. The Start line and End line will automatically be set according to your data. You may change these to restrict the data lines that should be imported. The not imported parts in the file are indicated as shown below with a gray background. If the First line contains the column definition this line will not be imported as well. If your data contains e.g. date information where notations differ between countries (e.g. 31.4.2013 - 4.31.2013), choose the Language / Country to ensure a correct interpretation of your data. Finally you can select a prepared Schema (see chapter Schema below) for the import.

 

Choosing the data ranges

In the selection list on the left side of the window (see below) all possible import steps for the data are listed according to the type of data you want to import.

Certain tables can be imported in parallel. To add parallels click on the button (see below). To remove parallels, use the button. Only selected ranges will appear in the list of the steps on the right (see below).

To import informations of logging columns like who created and changed the data, click on button in the header line. This will include a additional substeps for every step containing the logging columns (see below). If you do not import these data, they will be automatically filled by default values like the current time and user.

 

Attaching data

You can either import your data as new data or Attach them to data in the database. Select the import step Attachment from the list. All tables that are selected and contain columns at which you can attach data are listed (see below). Either choose the first option Import as new data or one of the columns the attachment columns offered like SeriesCode in the table Series in the example below.

If you select a column for attachment, this column will be marked with a blue backgroud (see below and chapter Table data).

 

Merging data

You can either import your data as new data or Merge them wih data in the database. Select the import step Merge from the list. For every table you can choose between Insert, Merge, Update and Attach (see below).

The Insert option will import the data from the file independent of existing data in the database.

The Merge option will compare the data from the file with those in the database according to the Key columns (see below). If no matching data are found in the database, the data from the file will be imported, otherwise the data will be updated..

The Update option will compare the data from the file with those in the database according to the Key columns. Only matching data found in the database will be updated.

The Attach option will compare the data from the file with those in the database according to the Key columns. The found data will not be changed, but used as a reference data in depending tables. 

 

Table data

To set the source for the columns in the file, select the step of a table listed underneath the Merge step. All columns available for importing data will be listed in the central part of the window. In the example shown below, the first column is used to attach the new data to data in the database.

A reminder in the header line will show you what actions are still needed to import the data into the table:

  • Please select at least one column   = No column has been selected so far.
  • Please select at least one decisive column   = If data will be imported depends on the content of decisive colums, so at least one must be selected.
  • Please select the position in the file   = The position in the file must be given if the data for a column should be taken from the file.
  • Please select at least one column for comparision   = For all merge types other than insert columns for comparision with data in the database are needed.
  • From file or For all   = For every you have to decide whether the data are taken from the file or a value is entered for all
  • Please select a value from the list   = You have to select a value from the provided list
  • Please enter a value   = You have to enter a value used for all datasets

The handling of the columns in described in the chapter columns.

 

Testing

To test if all requirements for the import are met use the Testing step. You can use a certain line in the file for you test and than click on the Test data in line: button. If there are still unmet requirements, these will be listed in a window as shown below.

If finally all requirements are met, the testing function will try to write the data into the database and display you any errors that occurred as shown below. All datasets marked with a red backgroud, produced some error.  

To see the list of all errors, double click in the error list window in the header line (see below).

If finally no errors are left, your data are ready for import. The colors in the table nodes in the tree indicate the handling of the datasets: INSERT, MERGE, UPDATE, No difference. Attach, No data. The colors of the table colums indicate whether a colums is decisive , a key column or an attachment column.  

 

Import

With the last step you can finally start to import the data into the database. If you want to repeat the import with the same settings and data of the same structure, you can save a schema of the current settings (see below).

Schedule for import of tab-separated text files into DiversityCollection
Target within DiversityCollection: Specimen
Schedule version: 1 Database version: 02.05.41
Lines: 2 - 3215 First line contains column definition: ?
Encoding: Unicode Language: de

Tables

CollectionSpecimen (CollectionSpecimen)
Parent: CollectionEvent
Merge handling: Insert

Column in table ? Key Copy Pre Post File pos. Transformations Value Source Table
CollectionSpecimenID Database
AccessionNumber ? ? 0 File

IdentificationUnit_1 (IdentificationUnit)
Parent: CollectionSpecimen
Merge handling: Merge

Column in table ? Key Copy Pre Post File pos. Transformations Value Source Table
CollectionSpecimenID Database
IdentificationUnitID Database
LastIdentificationCache ? 2 File
+ 3 File
+ 4 File
+ 5 File
TaxonomicGroup ? fish Interface

IdentificationUnitAnalysis_1_1 (IdentificationUnitAnalysis)
Parent: IdentificationUnit_1
Merge handling: Update

Column in table ? Key Copy Pre Post File pos. Transformations Value Source Table
CollectionSpecimenID Database
IdentificationUnitID Database
AnalysisID 94 Interface
AnalysisNumber 1 Interface
AnalysisResult ? ? 39 File

 Lines that could not be imported will be marked with a red background while imported lines are marked green (see below).

If you want to save lines that produce errors during the import in a separate file, use the Save failed lines option. The protocol of the import will contain all settings acording to the used schema and an overview containing the number of inserted, updated, unchanged and failed lines (see below).

 

 

Apr 4, 2025

Tutorial Localisation

Tutorial - localisation

Different kinds of localisation may be assigned to the sampling plots:

Message box

To add a new localisation for the selected plot click at the Messagebox button. Select the desired kind of localisation from the drop down list and press the OK button.

Message box

Fill up the data fields in the right part of the window. Each kind of localisation can only be assigned once. The list will contain the remaining choices.

Some buttons are provided depending on the selected localisation:
Message box: Open a GoogleMaps window to select the coordinates.
Message box: Convert coordinates to another coordinate system.
Message box: Open an appropriate Diversity Workbench remote module.

To remove a localisation, select it and click at the Messagebox button. The localisation will disappear from the list.

Finally press the Message box item in the Query toolbar to store the localisation for the plot in the database.

Apr 3, 2025

Tutorial Maps

Tutorial - show plots on the maps

The results list box displays the current set of plots found by the database query. To show a certain plot on the map, just click at the entry. Due to the coordinates of the place the map will be adjusted to this area and build up. There are 3 choices how to display the plot: Message box Browser, Message box GIS - View and Message box GIS - Edit:

Message box

Message box Browser uses a GoogleMaps window and pins to show the geography of the plot, if any. This is rather fast and interactive, but there is currently no support of areas or line strings and no possibility to display more than one plot.

Message box GIS - View uses the powerful GIS Editor tool of the Diversity Workbench, which can handle all kinds of geographies and display distribution maps of multiple plots. Depending on the internet connection and the map server it can take some seconds until the map tiles have been build. A message box will pop up to advice the user to wait, until the map is complete:

Message box

When all tiles of the background map are drawn, press OK to continue. Then the online map will be scanned and frozen and the plots should appear on the map:

Message box

Be aware that this mode is just a viewer of the GIS Editor’s geography objects. If multiple plots have been selected in the query list box, press the Message box reload button to display them. If you want a certain zoom level for the map, select the Use zoom level check box and adjust the desired level.

Message box GIS - Edit provides all controls and capabilities of the GIS Editor including editing the sample plot. Select a plot in the query list, then the map will be adjusted and a message box will pop up according to the GIS - View mode. Press OK to add the map and the plot to the sample list and display the geography:

Map with all places

Apr 3, 2025

Tutorial Properties

Tutorial - properties

Some kinds of properties may be assigned to the selected sampling plot.

Message box

To add a new property for the selected plot click at the Messagebox button. Select the desired kind of property from the drop down list and press OK.

Message box

Press the Message box button to open an appropriate Diversity Workbench remote module for the property data.

To remove a property, select it and click at the Messagebox button. The property will disappear from the list.

Finally press the Message box item in the Query toolbar to store the properties for the plot in the database.

Apr 3, 2025

Tutorial Query

Tutorial - query

To search for data in the database, use the query section in the left part of the window. To select the query conditions, click on the button in the top panel. A window as shown below will open.

 

With the Maximal number of results, you can limit the paket size that should be retrieved from the server. For a slow connection to the database server choose a low value (e.g. 100 as set by default).

Select the desired entries, e.g.:

 

Click OK to close the window. Your query conditions will look like the image below.

Within the query options you have several possibilities to specify your search restriction. Use the drop down button to change between the operators.

If the hierarchy operator Δ is selected, you may choose a desired hierarchy node by clicking at the drop down box on the right. Then a tree view of the current hierachy pops up, where you can select a given node with the mouse:

After all query conditions are set, click on the button to start the query. In the resultlist all plots will be displayed which matches your query and the selected maximal number of results.

Apr 3, 2025

Tutorial Query Results

Tutorial - query results

Pressing the Filter button will display all plots in the list box which matches the query conditions and the selected maximal number of results:

Query results

The kind of entries to be shown can be selected in the “order by” list box. They may be the plot identifiers, the plot descriptions or the plot hierarchy strings.

The data of the selected plot (identifier, description, ID, type, notes etc.) is displayed right of the query area. If a geography has been assigned, the place is shown on the map in the middle. The plot identifier is marked with yellow background, embedded in the hierarchy tree in the box below the map.

Query results

Apr 3, 2025

Tutorial Resources

Tutorial - resources

Resources (e.g. pictures) may be assigned to the selected sampling plot.

Message box

To add a new resource click at the Message box button. A browser will open where you can select and add the desired file.

Press the Message box button to open the DiversityAgents remote module, where you may select the responsible for the resource data. Annotations may be entered in the Notes field.

To remove a resource, select it and click at the Messagebox button. The resource will disappear from the list.

Finally press the Message box item in the Query toolbar to store the resource settings for the plot in the database.