South Dakota Library
Network
Aleph Tables Training
~
Aleph Administration
South Dakota Library Network
1200 University, Unit 9672
Spearfish, SD 57799
www.sdln.net
© South Dakota Library Network, 2008
©Ex Libris (USA), 2004
Modified for SDLN
Version 16
Last Update: March 2008
Aleph Administration
The ALEPH software can be adapted for
many different needs. Most of these
adaptations are made in ALEPH tables.
2
Aleph Administration
The Aleph Administration module
enables you to access all functions
related to ALEPH tables through a
Windows interface. You can open, view,
edit, save and print ALEPH tables.
3
Handling tables
• Aleph Administration gives you access
to one table per open window.
Several tables can be displayed
simultaneously.
• You can choose between read-only
and write mode and different display
modes.
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Tables Navigator
Open the menu
Tables | Tables Navigator
to choose the library you
want to work in.
The program then offers
you a list of tables to
choose from.
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Tables Navigator
The Tables Navigator has three
sections:
• Libraries available for selection
• Tables available for selection
• Command buttons
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Tables Navigator
Select a library
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Tables Navigator
Select a table
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Tables Navigator
Command buttons
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Tables Navigator
This is what one line in the Table
Selection window of the Tables
Navigator looks like:
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Tables Navigator
One method of loading
a table from the server
is to click on
.
This will always give you
the most up-to-date table
version directly from the
server.
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Tables Navigator
To get the latest version
of the table from the server
and to be able to make
changes to it, click on
instead of using
.
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Tables Navigator
Check Out will “get” the table
and lock it on the server for
Just under 3 hours. Lock info
will show from the time the
table is checked out and therefore
locked.
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Tables Navigator
As long as the table is checked out, it
will be marked with a red checkmark.
Checked out
Not checked out
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Tables Navigator
After getting or checking out the
table from the server, select
to view it. This will open
the table in a separate window.
Edit will only be active if you
have used the Get or Check
Out command before.
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Tables Navigator
If you used the Get command before
selecting
, you will be asked if you
wish to check out the file for Editing. If
you want to edit and save changes, click
the
button. Click the
button if you only wish to view the
table.
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Tables Navigator
If you used the Check Out command
before selecting
, the table will
immediately be displayed in edit-mode
without any further prompts.
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Tables Navigator
A third way of loading a table from the
server is to double-click on a table
name in the Tables selection window
that has not been checked out.
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Tables Navigator
If the table has been previously updated
on the server, you will be asked if you
wish to get the latest copy of the file
(table).
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Tables Navigator
You will then be asked if you wish to
check out the file. If you want to edit
and save changes, click the
button.
Click the
button if you only wish to view
the file. The table will then open in a separate
window.
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Tables Navigator
If the table has been checked out, it will
be opened in editing mode. You can
identify this mode by the green light in
the lower left corner of the window.
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Tables Navigator
If the table has not been checked out,
the table will be opened in read-only
mode. You can identify this mode by the
red light in the lower left corner of the
window.
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Tables Navigator
Three minutes before the lock time runs
out, the green light turns yellow.
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Tables Navigator
You can extend the time
available by clicking on
at any moment
as long as the light is green
or yellow. The time
counter will start a new
countdown.
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Tables Navigator
If you do not “check in” or “refresh” the
table and the check out time runs out,
the table status will revert to read-only
mode. The light in the lower left corner
will turn red. All changes will be lost!!
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Tables Navigator
Once you have finished
your editing, you should
send the table back to the
server by clicking on
.
This will overwrite the old
version of the table on the
server.
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Tables View
There are two view modes to choose
from when working with tables, Table
mode and Form mode. You can toggle
between these modes by clicking on
their respective icons on the menu bar.
Table mode
Form mode
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Tables View
This is how the table appears in Table
mode.
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Tables View
This is how the table appears in Form
mode.
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Tables View
In both modes, you have this toolbar on
the top of the window. The buttons are
only active when you are in the edit
mode. They are inactive when you are
in the view mode.
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Tables View
Adds a new line at the end of the table.
Inserts new line before the highlighted
line.
Deletes the highlighted line.
Moves the highlighted line one up.
Moves the highlighted line one down.
Help for table.
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Tables Help
When working with tables, there are
several different ways to obtain on-line
help.
•
•
•
•
General help
Column heading
Column specific help
Table source information
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Tables Help
To obtain general help when viewing a
specific table, click on
located on
the toolbar at the top of the window. A
window will open containing information
about the table you are working on.
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Tables Help
General help
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Tables Help
By hovering your mouse over a column
heading, you can obtain limited
information about a particular column
within the table.
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Tables Help
Some columns offer expanded help. If
a column has such help available, a
window with additional information will
appear when you right-click on the
column heading.
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Tables Help
The final option for
on-line help is through
viewing the table’s
source information.
After you’ve opened a
table select the
option from the File menu.
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Tables Help
When using the View Source option, the
table will open in a separate window
using Notepad. Additional explanations
will be given for the various fields of the
table. This option is usually the most
comprehensive source of on-line
assistance.
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Tables Help
Table view
Source view
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Aleph Tables
Some of the tables that affect several
modules include:
• Tab100
• Pc_tab_exp_field.eng
• Tab_check_circ
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Aleph Tables
Tab100 defines switch settings for different
aspects of the system.
Tab100 is unique in two significant ways:
•The table is built in a textual manner as opposed to the
column breakdowns used in other tables.
•The table hierarchy is different: the client first reads the
system tab100, then the ADM tab100, looking for lines
that vary from the system table. This allows libraries to
enter values in their table for functionality that is different
than the system table.
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Aleph Tables
Table view of tab100
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Aleph Tables
pc_tab_exp_field.eng
pc_tab_exp_field.eng defines the field
values for the pull down menu options
in the different GUI applications.
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Aleph Tables
pc_tab_exp_field.eng
Table view of pc_tab_exp_field.eng:
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Aleph Tables
pc_tab_exp_field.eng
Client view of the information contained in
pc_tab_field.eng:
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Aleph Tables
Tab_check_circ
Tab_check_circ defines the checks that will be
made when an item is loaned or renewed.
Some of the checks include:
• Patron blocks
• Patron loan/renew permission
• Item loan/renew permission
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Aleph Tables
Tab_check_circ
Table view of tab_check_circ:
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Tables Help
In addition to the online help in the Aleph
Administration module, information regarding
tables can also be found in the Aleph Web
guide. One section is devoted entirely to the
ALEPHADM, while additional information
pertaining to tables can be found in the
System Librarian chapter of each section of
the guide.
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Tables Help
The Aleph Web Guide can be
accessed at the following url:
http://apollo.sdln.net/S
You will be required to sign in using
your Aleph ID and password.
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Tables Help
Sections of the Guide that pertain to specific
Tables are:
• Tab40.eng
Items | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section 8.2
• Tab15.eng
Circulation | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section
17.4
• Tab31
Circulation | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section
17.5
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Tables Help
• Tab25
Circulation | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section
17.2
• Tab17
Circulation | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section
17.6, step 3
• Tab16
Circulation | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section
17.6
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Tables Help
• Tab100
Circulation | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section 17.31
Cataloging | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section 16.44
• Tab_check_circ
Circulation | Systems Librarian Chapter | Section
17.10
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Tables Help
Additional tables help is available on Ex
Libris’ Document Center website located
at:
http://docs.exlibrisgroup.com/docportal
/logon.php
• username = 01sdln
• password = 7356
Under Aleph Documentation, select Tree
Search, then select 16
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