Specify Update -- "All in Good Time"

The Specify Software Project released Specify 6.1.05, on Friday, 29 January 2010. The update contains numerous enhancements and fixes. Release notes are below, update installation packages are available on the Download page.

Project staff continues to focus on conversions of Specify 5 and other legacy databases to Specify 6. We returned several conversions to museums during the last two weeks and we're working on additional collection conversions now. The Specify 5 to 6 converter is complete and tested; it is now capable of converting Specify 5 databases containing multiple catalog series (now called "Collections" in Specify 6). Theresa Lammer (now Theresa Miller) is working with clients, finalizing Specify 6 data forms and sending out e-mail requests for database copies to institutions on top of the conversion request list. Data conversions from non-Specify legacy systems can be involved and demanding, depending on the complexity of the original data model and the consistency with which it was used. We plan to continue converting Specify 5 and legacy systems to Specify 6 in the coming weeks as our primary activity.

If you have a query about Specify or about project services, e-mail us at: specify@ku.edu, or call: +1 785 864-4400.

Release Notes
Specify 6.1.05
28 January 2010

1. All workstations, including non-registered ones, will now be notified if a software update exists upon Specify startup.
2. Specify updates which modify database structure will not proceed without valid Specify "IT User" credentials. Updates are effected when Specify is run for the first time after the installation of an update package download.
3. Problems with adding a single user to multiple collections have been fixed.
4. Several significant improvements made to attachment file handling, eliminated duplicate attachment creation and problem with storing some attachments in the repository.
5. Statistics page has been localized to enable translations to additional languages.
6. Subforms can now be in a "closed state" when a main form is first opened.
7. Context menu and a hot key ctrl-shift-T added for filling in date fields with the current date.
8. Reports now print blanks instead of "null' by default when a field has no data (value=null).
9. When adding a new attachment from the form view the File Dialog will display automatically upon pressing the '+' (add) button.
10. When adding a new attachment for the first time (when the Title field is empty), the name of the file excluding the extension will be automatically inserted into the title field.
11. When exporting schema mappings (for IPT/TaPIR/DiGIR), the caption above the list of mappings available to export no longer says: "There are no mappings available to export." It now correctly says "Export Mappings".
12. When exporting Schema Mappings or Queries, it is now possible to cancel the process gracefully. The cancel button was ignored previously.
13. When you click on a report or label that requires an recordset and there no applicable recordsets available, a message to that effect is displayed in the status bar. Previously, the click was just ignored.
14. When a data row is rejected in the Uploader, all records created for the row are not deleted  2009-12-04 14:45:59 -0600  (Bugzilla 7768).
15. Stopped opening search results from causing exceptions  2010-01-07 08:20:44 -0600  (7795).
16. Can now save a loan or gift record if a loan/gift agent is created  2010-01-13 08:00:27 -0600  (7778).
17. Can now set partial date fields to default to today's date  2010-01-13 08:05:59 -0600  (7777).
18. Error messages for missing data improved.  2010-01-13 08:06:58 -0600  (7774).
19. The WorkBench Uploader no longer requires unneeded data  2010-01-13 08:09:21 -0600  (7773).
20. Client requested fields added to Specify WorkBench schema  2010-01-13 08:09:46 -0600  (7772).
21. Mobile WorkBench no longer displays itself as an Invert Paleo Discipline  2010-01-13 08:10:22 -0600  (7761).
22. Once a Catalog Number is created, its display will now change when you create another number  2010-01-13 08:10:28 -0600  (7643).
23. Creating a Catalog Number in the Specify Wizard no longer limits choice of Catalog Numbers when creating new Collections within a Discipline  2010-01-13 08:10:32 -0600  (7590).
24. Windows Security Alert no longer opens when opening the Mobile WorkBench  2010-01-14 03:26:42 -0600  (7751).
25. Tree lock status is now updated more often as needed.  2010-01-14 03:52:12 -0600  (7697).
26. One could see other users' reports in iReports, now one cannot  2010-01-14 04:23:40 -0600  (7705).
27. Exceptions appearing during Workbench upload is fixed  2010-01-14 04:38:30 -0600  (7707).
28. If you pause a WorkBench upload, trees are still updated with previously uploaded data as expected.  2010-01-14 04:47:17 -0600  (7715).
29. In the Specify Uploader, after an upload 'undo' the table list and counts of uploaded objects are cleared  2010-01-14 04:52:31 -0600  (7716).
30. If the WorkBench Uploader window is open, one cannot close out of Specify  2010-01-14 05:03:30 -0600  (7780).
31. CollectionObjectAttribute text fields are now correctly mapped for WorkBench uploads  2010-01-14 05:05:21 -0600  (7806).
32. View mode for TextField with PickList ignores null  2010-01-19 08:36:10 -0600  (7809).
33. Captions and behavior now appropriate during export process  2010-01-21 09:01:46 -0600  (7815).
34. Attachments are no longer duplicated when saved to a Collection Object  2010-01-21 10:18:13 -0600  (7811).
35. Exception removed when trying to edit a saved formatted field  2010-01-21 10:21:32 -0600  (7807).
36. When one clicked on a report that required a recordset and there were no recordsets, nothing happened. Now it says no record sets available.  2010-01-27 07:30:27 -0600  (7820).
37. Imported Reports which are not connected to a Specify Query or Dataset can now be deleted  2010-01-27 08:09:56 -0600  (7821).