Angular Holdings Editor: Cannot create empty call numbers

[Britta Dorsey]

v3.9.1

We can no longer create empty call numbers to transfer items from one record to another, or from a pre-cataloged item to a permanent record. In 3.7.1, clicking "Add Call Number" from Holdings View opened the Holdings Editor with just the call number visible (no barcode - see attached image).

In 3.9.1, when you click Add Holdings from the angularized Holdings View, it opens the Holdings Editor with the Call Number Label and Barcode inputs visible (also item attributes if you've unified the tabs). It will not let you save without entering a barcode, which is not what we want to do when transferring items.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Britta,

In 3.8, you can transfer items to a library without creating an empty call number. I haven't tested in 3.10 yet and I don't have access to 3.9.1.

Have you tried:

If there is no call number on the destination library

In the Actions menu in Holdings View on the destination record, mark the destination library as transfer destination.
In the Holdings View of the record with the item(s) to be transferred, check to select that item.
From the Actions menu, select Transfer – Transfer Items to Marked Destination.

You have to transfer the item and not the item and call number. The call number is then auto created in the destination library.

That being said, there still may be instances where we do need to create an empty call number, so I would still consider this a bug.

[Michele Morgan (mmorgan)]

Hi Britta, Bug 1980409 should have fixed the blank call number issue. There is a library setting, 'Require call number labels in Copy Editor', which needs to be set appropriately, so that is something to check.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

I interpret an empty call number as a call number label with no item attached, rather than an item with no call number label.

[Mary Llewellyn (mllewell)]

I'm with Elaine. They are 2 different things.

[Michele Morgan (mmorgan)]

Agree with Elaine and Mary! Apologies for misinterpreting the original report, disregard my comment #3.

[Jessica Woolford (jwoolford)]

This bug was introduced by the last commit in the working branch for bug 1980409. Here is a branch that reverts that commit:

https://git.evergreen-ils.org/?p=working/Evergreen.git;a=shortlog;h=refs/heads/user/jwoolford/lp1998494-allow-empty-call-number

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

That is for an item with no call number label, I think. Not a call number with no item attached

[Jessica Woolford (jwoolford)]

There was a misunderstanding in the new devs working group. My branch does not revert the entire fix for that bug, just the piece prevented the creation of a call number with no items attached.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Sorry for the misunderstanding and thanks for the fix!

[Jessica Woolford (jwoolford)]

Removing the pull request tag as I understand there was discussion yesterday at the Catalogers Interest Group meeting that an empty call number is no longer required for transferring items between records: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZtcmAmk3r-hLVg6TfMD_id3AqYmms7y_f4C8jviemHw/edit?usp=sharing

In this case, is having an empty call number necessary?

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

We may need more discussion to determine if there is another workflow that needs an empty call number. Several of us on the CIG call couldn't think of one but that doesn't mean that other libraries may need it for something else.

[Britta Dorsey (bdorsey-isl)]

Pre-cataloged items have an auto-generated call number that is owned at the consortium level. At this time, we need empty call numbers to be able to transfer those pre-cataloged items to a permanent bib record.

I attempted to just edit the item, but since we can't edit the owning library as of now (possibly 3.9.2? https://bugs.launchpad.net/evergreen/+bug/1975879), it won't let us save any edits since the consortium doesn't allow volumes to be attached.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Britta,

You should be able to transfer precats without adding an empty call number. See https://pines.georgialibraries.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=cat:pre-cats_adding_brief_title_records_to_the_pines_database#transferring_precat_items_to_a_matching_bibliographic_record

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Let me test those instructions. I noticed I say select the volume and not library right after I clicked on post comment....

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Ignore those instructions.... you do need an empty call number to transfer a precat. I left that part off the wiki and didn't verify before I posted here.

Sorry for the confusion..... You are correct that we need to be able to create an empty call number to transfer a precat.

[Jessica Woolford (jwoolford)]

Thanks, Britta and Elaine! I added the pullrequest tag back based on this discussion.

A note for committers - if this is committed with the fix on bug 1814966 they will conflict. I'll add the same note on that bug.

[Britta Dorsey (bdorsey-isl)]

This isn't really a workaround, but we believe that anyone with the "Everything" permission is able to create an empty call number on a record ONLY if that library already has holdings attached.

You have to click Edit Call Numbers and Items from the Actions menu, then press the "+" sign next to the Call Number Label. Don't edit the call number that appears (it won't save if you edit?), and click Apply All, Save & Exit.

Holdings Editor should close and the new empty call number appears in Holdings View.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

I tested adding an empty call number this way in 3.10 and it does not appear to work. The apply all, save & exit button doesn't activate. I can't get it to edit the existing call number since the existing barcode isn't filled in. The only option is to create a new item with a new call number since you cannot edit call numbers either from edit call numbers and items or edit call numbers. You are forced to enter a barcode in both instances.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/evergreen/+bug/1998851

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Tested this today and was unable to save without a barcode. The save buttons are not active for me until I enter a barcode.

This is also a issue in 2.10 when trying to edit a call number, by the aay
https://bugs.launchpad.net/evergreen/+bug/1998851

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

Also ran across this in 3.10 trying to transfer items from an item bucket to a bib record when there is no call number attached to a library. The item doesn't transfer and I can't create an empty call number. If there is an existing call number with an item, then I can transfer the item from an item bucket.

Seeing this in item status as well -- with library marked for transfer destination, cannot transfer items to previously marked call number.

[Mary Llewellyn (mllewell)]

I was a little thrown by seeing the entire holdings record (call number and item attributes fields) because I was used to only seeing the call number piece in 3.6. I am using the unified holdings & item attribute preference, so that's on me. But I was able to save the record with only a call number and no barcode, so it appears to be working as intended.

I have tested this code and consent to signing off on it with my name, Mary Llewellyn and my email address, <email address hidden>.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

I have tested adding empty call numbers on https://tiffany-master.gapines.org/eg2/en-US/staff/ and was able to do so successfully.

I also was able transfer an item to a library with no matching call number without creating an empty call number first.

I did have to create an empty call number to transfer a precat.

Is there anything else we need to test with this? Adding blank call numbers??

[Britta Dorsey (bdorsey-isl)]

I can't think of a reason why blank call numbers would be needed (at least from my POV).

Thanks to everyone who worked on this!

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

I don't either. Just wanted to make sure the fix wasn't for both.

[Elaine Hardy (ehardy)]

I have tested this code and consent to signing off on it with my name, Elaine Hard and my email address, <email address hidden>

[Christine Morgan (cmorgan-z)]

Some of our libraries do create items with only a prefix and no call number label for items in browsing collections. The use of a prefix saves inputting time and provides consistent data. I tested this on https://tiffany-master.gapines.org/eg2/en-US/staff/ to make sure that functionality was intact with this patch, and it is. With the Library Setting "Require call number labels in Copy Editor" set to false, I was able to save an item with only a prefix and no call number label. I was not able to save an item with a prefix and no call number label when the Library Setting was set to true.

[Chris Sharp (chrissharp123)]

Pushed to master, rel_3_9, and rel_3_10. Thank you Jessica and to everyone who commented and signed off!