The Dynamic Pick-list
By Miller Prosser, September 2015
(a.k.a. "The Double Chevron")
The dynamic pick list provides a powerful and streamlined method for linking items quickly. In many cases, it removes the need to open the Link Manager.
The dynamic pick list is available anywhere you see a double chevron icon.
Browsing
Activate the dynamic pick list by clicking the double chevron icon. When inactive the double chevron points down. When active the arrows point upward. Once the list is active, the relevant field populates with the items available to link. Open the pick list by clicking the arrow in the pick list field, choose the item(s) to link, and click OK. Close the dynamic pick list by clicking the double chevron button.
Use the check boxes in the list to select items.
Searching
Once the field active you can browse or search for the item to link in the list. If the list populates with items to link, you can begin typing to navigate directly to the desired item. For example, if the list represents a list of authors, you can begin typing S-t-o-l-p-e-r. As you type, the list will narrow in on the matching item. As you type, you will see the Search for: indicator.
If the total list of items is too large, then the pick list does not populate. In that case, use the field as a search box. Click the double chevron as usual. But do not open the blank pick list. Instead, click into the field, type search criteria, and hit enter/return on your keyboard. This will launch a search. Any matching items will now populate the pick list. Make your selection, click OK, and close the double chevron.
Bibliography
When creating bibliographic items in OCHRE, authors, editors, and publishing houses are all entered as discrete database items in the Persons & Organizations hierarchy. This atomization allows bibliographic references to be formatted according to various citation styles.
Browse and search for new items or create unattested items on the fly using the paperclip^ button. The advantage to this approach is that once you create a person or organization, they are there in the list of items to pick in the future.
The dynamic pick list is available for adding bibliographic reference to database items. It works in the same way as described above. Bibliographic items will appear in the pick list. Choose items to link and click OK.
Observers, Relational variables, and Elsewhere
This method for linking is available anywhere you find the double chevron button. It is a quick method for adding observers on spatial units, events, notes, and elsewhere. Relational variables are very easy to use with this method. Project administrators should keep in mind that certain relational variables can be scoped to specific hierarchies. This will affect which values appear in the dynamic pick list. Further, when a relational variable points to the Persons & organizations hierarchy, you may specify which type of person or organization should appear in the list: current person, person, or organization. For example, if the variable is dealing with ancient scribes, you would want to exclude names of project members from appearing in the list. In this specific case, configure the relational variable to specify which types of persons are to appear in the pick list.
Special Cases
A special case involves Publishers of Bibliography items. In order to minimize redundancy and to encourage the sharing of common publishers through the OCHRE master project, the dynamic pick list for Publishers will include all organization-Type items from both the current project and from the master OCHRE project.
Similarly the list of Affiliations on Person items automatically includes the Universities and other organization-Type items from master OCHRE projects.