i_mccauley@vaxa.uwa.oz (05/04/89)
Bookends 1.1 Bug Warning The new version of Bookends (a HyperCard stack for bibliography maintenance) has a serious bug with its ability to import files downloaded from the Medline/Medlars databases. This happens when the records are downloaded with the normal "print (prt)" option where the Source field (SO) contains Journal, year & month, volume and pages. If the year does not have a trailing space then all sorts of aberrant imports are made. Most obviously, large chunks of the record are deleted, information from the subsequent record is included in an aberrant fashion with the previous record and some records will be skipped entirely. All this behaviour disappears if a trailing space is placed behind the year in the "offending" records. This bug is being reported to the manufacturers, Sensible Software. As the import of Medline/Medlars files is carried out by an XFCN, no easy fix is available. Until an upgrade is issued, return to only importing Medline/Medlars files that have been created in the "print detailed" format. This bug was discovered while downloading files from the National Library of Australia MEDLINE/MEDLARS service and it is possible that this library uses different software to that in the US. Despite this bug and the hours I have wasted tracking it down, I like Bookends and will continue to recommend it. Ian McCauley Biological Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch WA 6150 Australia ACSNET: i_mccauley@vaxa.uwa.oz