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task #6841

open

[DISCUSS] Correct use of MediaSpecimen and derivates

Added by Andreas Müller over 6 years ago. Updated over 2 years ago.

Status:
New
Priority:
Highest
Category:
taxeditor
Target version:
Start date:
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Estimated time:
Severity:
normal

Description

MediaSpecimen were originally "invented" to allow handling specimesn which are available only as images/drawings/figures etc. and which therefore should explicitly be handled as derived units in the specimen tree.

They were NOT intended to handle "image galleries" for e.g. specimen photos taken in the field, even not necessarily for handling photos taken from the specimen in a collection. For these photos we have the "image gallery" were images/media can simply be attached to a specimen without further defining how the photo "derived" from the original unit.

The typical characteristic of a media specimen is that it has exactly 1 media attached which is THE media representing the specimen. But, as being a derived unit, it usually should also be part of a collection and have an accession number (though maybe not known to the user).

Ordinary photos/media taken from the field unit or a specimen (also sound files for animals) were not intended to be used for MediaSpecimen and not intended to be connected to there originals via derivation events.

But the current implementation of the TaxEditor allows e.g. to add via right click menu media derivates to a field unit. For kind-of-media one can choose from "detail image", "Specimen Scan", "Living plant photo", "Artwork". If one chooses e.g. living plant photo this is not consistent with the intended semantics of MediaSpecimen and of derivates.
Currently we expect pictures taken in the field being attached as media in the media view. But this is not obvious for the user.

There are various solutions that need to be discussed,

  • handle ALL images attached to a specimen as derivates (in theory this might be correct, as there is not a real difference between a specimen scan and an ordinary photo taken in the field, except maybe for the fact that one is stored in some kind of collection and the other is simply online but not related otherwise), this creates more complexity for ordinary images with no further available information, but unifies the handling of media. Problematic is if one wants to attache a media that is not really a derivate but maybe only related to the specimen, in this case the semantics is not correct
  • remove functionality to add media derivates directly to field units
  • keep it as it is and let the user decide (maybe improve documentation) - but requires "bug" fix in dataportal as currently the media specimen are not shown in taxon image gallery (as these derivates are not explicitly attached to the taxon it might even not be expected), only those derivates attached to the taxon should be shown if derived units are attached and not the whole field unit, this is also critical for the first solution
  • keep right click menu functionality but store media instead in media gallery instead creating a new derived unit
  • ...

Related issues

Related to EDIT - bug #6297: [Overview] BGBM User group wishes 2017NewAndreas Müller

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