EDIT WP6

Preliminary ideas for the editor requirements

WP6 exemplar groups editor functional requirements - functionality to update and add content to the exemplar group portals. (ver. 0, Jun 2007)

The EDITOR is the component that will allow authorized users to increase and improve the content displayed in the exemplar group portals. This editor should be accessed through the portal although both components may have different interfaces. The editor's interface may be common to all exemplar groups while the portals should be customized for each group.

We should think about standards on craftmanship of submissions, so that editors and reviewers don't get loaded with lots of rubbish to review. Maybe these standards could take the form of examples for each form of submission which are displayed when somebody enters data. Or data can only be submitted if certain fields have been filled out (Irina)

This document describes the main uses of the editor and the functionality required for taxonomists to access the taxonomic data of their group and input the results of their research. It also summarizes the contribution process.

Main uses of the editor

• Update or add information for an existing taxon
• Add new taxon
• Update or add news and other general content (i.e. work in progress)

About the contribution process
Registration in the expert network is the only requirement to become an author and contribute content about a taxonomic group.

All the content associated to a taxon may be increased or updated with contributions that may include images, references, data sets and text. Some contributions are incorporated immediately in the portal, while others first undergo a review process (described in another document).

To access the editor the author may login in any page, but if the login is from the taxon page, the system will assume the author will work on the information for that taxon.

Contribution of content such as images, datasets, files for download (e.g. static keys), links, etc may be uploaded directly to the database. To contribute long text contributions there should be an option to enter the text directly in a text field or to upload a file in a standard format that may be processed by the editor software to extract the information.

If the editor delegates tasks to several different tools, then these tools need to be linked in a way that for example a reference or a specimen is only entered once.

Functional requirements for the editor
The functional requirements are described as use cases.

1. Update or add data for an existing taxon.
The user logs in. The system opens a form to chose the taxon if it is not already selected and to select the items to update. The options would include update or add:

• Taxonomic and nomenclatural data (taxon names, parental relationships, synonymies, name relationships, authorities, bibliographic data, type data)
• Description
• Distribution
• Additional information (e.g. ecology, phylogeny, anatomy, common names, etc.)
• Images
• References
• Specimens
• Keys
• Data sets

Update or add taxonomic and nomenclatural data
The system opens a form with options to add, edit or delete taxonomic and nomenclatural data. The forms will have the fields appropriate for these data. All changes except for very minor corrections (e.g. single letter) will enter the review process. (Or same as for "add new taxon": system will linke to the corresponding tool to edit data for a taxon...)

Update or add description
The system opens a form with options to add, edit or delete a description. The forms will have the fields appropriate for
these data. All changes except for very minor corrections (e.g. single
letter) will enter the review process.

Update or add distribution
The system opens a form with options to add, edit or delete distribution data. All changes except for very minor corrections (e.g. single
letter) will enter the review process.

Update or add additional information
The system opens a form with options to select the relevant type of information (e.g. ecology, phylogeny, anatomy, common names, etc.). The user selects his choice, a page with the available data for this type of information opens and he can add, edit or delete this information. All changes except for very minor corrections (e.g. single
letter) will enter the review process.

Update or add images
The system opens a form or tool in which the user can chose to add new images or edit the metadata of existing images.

Upload one or more new images
The system opens a form to upload one or more images. When the images are loaded the author can enter metadata for each image and embbed it in the image (if it is not already in there). The metadata may include: id, taxon name (should it go in the keywords ?), title, authors, date, locality, keywords, copyright, category or type (e.g. illustration or photo), notes, technical notes.

Edit metadata for an existing image
The system opens a screen with the options to browse or search the image database. The user selects his choice and the system displays the thumbnails accordingly. The user selects one thumb and the system opens the image with its metadata in a form where the later can be changed.
It should be possible to edit the metadata of several images at the same time.

Update or add references
The system opens a screen with the options to enter a new reference, edit or delete existing references or upload references from another bibliographic tool. The fields should be the ones commonly used for references.

Update or add specimens
The system opens a form with options to add, edit or delete specimen data. The forms will have the fields appropriate for a specimens database.

Update or add keys
The user will have the options to upload an interactive key, a dichotomous key as an HTML file or a static key as a PDF (or other file format).
There should be options for the user to create or edit the interactive key in the appropriate tool, to replace a file with an static key and to edit the HTML file. All changes and new keys will enter the review process (?)

Update or add data sets
The system opens a form with options to upload, edit or delete a dataset.

Upload one or more data sets
The system opens a form to upload a file and fields to enter the title, keywords and a brief description of the dataset.

Edit or delete an existing dataset
The system opens a screen with the options to browse or search the datasets. The user selects his choice and the system displays the list of available datasets. The user selects one of them and the system opens a form with the information for that dataset and the options to edit the data or delete the dataset.

2. Add new taxon.
The system will link to the corresponding tool to enter new data for a taxon. The user submits the data. It then enters the review process and an email is sent to the editors. If the author choses to make it open to comments by all members of the taxonomic community, the contribution will appear in the communications tool.

3. Contribute news and other general content

Update work in progress
User selects the link in the update/add menu. The system opens a form to enter the information. This form should include a field to specify the taxon, a field for authors and a field to briefly describe the work. The system will add the username and date for the contribution.

Update news
User selects the link in the update/add menu. The system opens a simple form to enter the information. This form should include a text field. The system will add the username and date for the news.