Downloading a lot of performances.

Q. I have a lot of performances to download how can I do this quickest?
A.Generally when downloading performances, different spellings of places, people or methods, means each peal has to be manually checked to ensure the data is accurate. Whilst I cant work round this entirely, performances are always going to have to be checked manually. There are a number of things in Duco to make it easier.

Download screen

Stops on first error

Use the download peal function to download all peals from a search in bellboard. it'll stop on the first error it can resolve, and displays why it has stopped in the status bar of the download screen, so you know whats caused it to stop and can quickly work out what to do.

Merge databases

If you already have another database with many of the peals you want, just merge these with the current database. This function allows you to chose only the peals containing the current databases default ringer.

It wont duplicate peals with the same bellboard ids, or on the same date and will ignore peals without the default ringer

Dove

Missing towers imported automatically.

Once you have tried to import some data from a dove datafile manually, Duco will remember where the Dove data file was, and on download of a performance will try to find the tower in Dove if it doesn't exist in the current database.

So request the dove data file from their website and store it with your database.

Tower

Everyone seems to enter tower data slightly differently. For a while I tried to just use Dove format, but not everyone likes that. So use the format you like, but if you find Duco often doesnt find the right tower, try the tips below.

Also Known as field

Use the AKA field on the other tab in the Tower screen. Here you can put what ever text other people are using to describe any of tower field.

Tenor weights & Keys

Try to make the tenor weight as accurate as possible, enter a Tenor Key. Then when Duco is trying to find a tower its more likly to know its the right tower if it has more data to match. This is especially helpful if you have some very similar towers, as if Duco can't tell the difference, it wont guess.

Removed towers

Dont forget to mark removed towers as such, and link them to the other tower if a ring replaced them in the same tower (or was moved). This can also help with statistic generation.

Methods

Importing Missing methods

Many people ring a new method in most peals, this is a pain as it means every peal has some new data to be entered manually. Download the all methods collection from the Central council website, and update or import one methd from this file. Duco will then remember where this is and try to use it on subsequent performance downloads.

Duplicate towers / methods / ringers

If there are any duplicates in your database, Duco wont be able to work out which of the duplicates to use. So check your database regularly for new methods or ringers. The validate function on each type can do this for you.

Ringers

Also known as

Ringers are an awkard bunch. If someone likes to send up a peal occasionally without their initials transposed, add this to the Also known as field.

Alternative names

Ringers are a friendly bunch once sufficiently entertained. They might change their name once, twice or a few times. Record each name change and the date of the event.

Validating database at a later date

Finding errors (including warnings)

There is a valiate option on the tools menu, this should help you to find errors in all the object types in the database, or to find duplicates. There are also some tools to automatically resolve things like duplicate rings in a tower.

Bellboard ids

Sometimes peals on bell board are updated and this generates a new Bellboard id, or a peal was manually entered. Keep the bellboard ids up to date for any peals Duco has issues with. There is no automatic way to do this at present.