3.2 Entering New Data
While populating the MagIC SmartBooks there are several possible approaches to put your paleomagnetic and rock magnetic data into these Microsoft Excel© Files. Here we will provide a guided explanation on how to populate the MagIC SmartBooks most effectively, using a top-down approach, where first the high-level data and metadata are entered, followed by more detailed magnetic measurement and derived data later on.
Note that this an example only that allows you to get familiar with the capabilities of and functions available in the MagIC Console Software. There may be better ways to go about this for certain special cases or data sets, as described elsewhere in this help library.
3.2.1 Overview of the Data Population Process
We start out by giving an overview of the MagIC Data Population process, which can be divided into four different parts. We will follow this general overview by a Step-by-Step Guided Explanation of the process.
Starting a New MagIC SmartBook
- Start the MagIC Console Software within Microsoft Excel©
- Generate a New SmartBook
- Run the MagIC Wizard to adapt the SmartBook for your current data project
- Add your current Data Project Citation in the ER_citations table
- Compile a specific list of Methods for your project
- Compile a specific list of Instruments for your project
Entering the High Level Metadata
- Add the Citations of other studies in the ER_citations table for proper attribution to your data
- Add the Mail Addresses of the analysts, rock archivers and scientists to the ER_mailinglist table
- Define the Data and Metadata for expeditions, localities, sites, samples, specimens, minerals, fossils and synthetic materials in the general EarthRef.org [ER] tables
- Add Age Data to the ER_ages table
Entering and Importing PMAG and RMAG Data
- Add Measurement Data in the MAGIC_measurements table
- Add Paleomagnetic and Rock Magnetic Data in the PMAG and RMAG tables
Preparation for Uploading
The above 15 steps will be discussed in detail in the Step-by-Step Guided Explanation in the next help topic. Remember, however, that this is a generalized approach. Some steps may not be required (and thus can be skipped) because they are not relevant to your project. Therefore, it is especially important to always run the MagIC Wizard at the beginning of your data population session.
3.2.2 Step-by-Step Guided Explanation
1. Start the MagIC Console Software
- In Microsoft Excel© open MagIC.vXX.console.xls via the File # Open menu.
- Enable Macros when prompted.
- A new MagIC Toolbar will appear in the Microsoft Excel© window.
Note On Macintosh© computers, in particular, you may have to first adjust the Security settings under the Tools menu. Set the Security Level to Medium so you can choose whether or not to enable macros. If you set the security level to low, you will not be asked to enable macros when opening the software (not recommended).
If you encounter an Object Library Not Registered error message on Mac OS X systems, your Microsoft Office© installation contains a corrupt library/preferences/Microsoft/Office Registration Cache X file. Open this file in a text editor, where you should remove all text and save it. Finish by locking this file and restarting Microsoft Office©. The locking of this text file is most essential, otherwise the problem will re-occur.
Upon opening the MagIC Console Software a check will be performed for Software Updates of the software itself and the Controlled Vocabularies file. This check can only be carry out if you are Online with your computer. If an update is available, a message will appear guiding you to the Software Download web page.
2. Generate a New SmartBook File
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Operations # New SmartBook.
- Browse for your folder to store the SmartBook file, supply a name for your new file, and finish by clicking the Save button.
Note You will note that after creating a new file (or opening an existing file) that three checks will be performed on your MagIC SmartBook file. First the Version of your SmartBook will be checked. If your file has an older version number, the software will automatically update your file to the latest MagIC SmartBook definition. Then the Integrity of your file will be checked to assure that all tables and columns are present and spelled correctly. This check guarantees that unintentional changes to the SmartBook file are detected and repaired. Finally, the Format of your file is checked and adjusted, if necessary.
3. Run the MagIC Wizard
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Wizard.
- Check and Uncheck the checkboxes in each wizard step, and finish by clicking the Finish button.
Note The MagIC Wizard tool will temporarily hide tables and columns from view, depending on the options you selected. As a result, you can customize your MagIC SmartBook for your own needs. For example, if you only have performed Paleomagnetic Analyses, you can uncheck the Rock Magnetics checkbox in the first step of the wizard, which effectively hides all the RMAG tables and data columns specific to rock magnetic experiments in the MAGIC_measurements table. But you can also individually hide or view rock magnetic experiments (susceptibility, remanence, hysteresis, FORC and anisotropy) in the second step of this wizard.
Note that the selections made in the MagIC Wizard are only applied after clicking the Finish button. You can show all tables and data columns again by clicking the Show All button in the wizard, followed by clicking the Finish button. Although we recommend that you run the MagIC Wizard at the beginning of data population, you can always re-run this wizard while further adapting the settings.
4. Add Your Current Project Citation in the ER_citations Table (This Study)
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Tables # ER_citations.
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Edit Data.
- Click the New Record button and fill out the reference to your project. Use the Hot Buttons on the right-hand side of this dialogbox to easily add Author Names and Keywords, and to have access to shortlists with Journal Names and Citation Types.
- When finished, hit the Close button to exit this dialogbox. Your citation will be placed in the first row of the ER_citations table (see below) and is designated as This study.
Note The first entry in the ER_citations table always gets assigned This study as the short citation name. This is done on purpose to make it easier for you to link all your data in the MagIC SmartBooks to your own Reference. Because in more than 75% of the cases you will refer to your own study, it becomes easier to insert This study instead of the standard Crimson et al. 2005 citation. Be aware that if replacing the first entry with another citation, this new citation will be designated This study!
To navigate between tables you can also use the Microsoft Excel© Tabs at the bottom of your screen.
We recommend that you use the SmartBooks menu option to switch between different files, instead of using the Microsoft Excel© Window menu.
5. Compile Methods Definitions for this Project
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Special # Add and Remove Method Definitions.
- Browse through all Method Categories using the buttons in the upper part of this dialogbox and Add the appropriate Method Codes for your project to the In Use ... list.
- When finished compiling the Method Codes for your project, click on the Save button to close this dialogbox and to add these codes to the MAGIC_methods table. Note that references associated with these Method Codes will be automatically stored in the ER_citations table.
Note If you cannot find the appropriate
Method Code by using this dialogbox, you can always request a
New Method Code from the MagIC Database Team. If a new code is warranted, it will be added to the master listing of methods that is part of the
Controlled Vocabularies file.
You can find a complete listing of
Method Codes at the
http://earthref.org/MAGIC/methods.htm web-page. You can also reach this page by selecting
Method Codes in the
MagIC Help menu.
Although we recommend that you run the
Add and Remove Method Definitions at the beginning of data population, you can always call up this dialogbox and further adapt the list of
In Use ... codes. This means that you can also remove
Method Codes that later proof to be not needed in your
MagIC SmartBook.
6. Compile Instrument Definitions for this Project
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Special # Add and Remove Instrument Definitions.
- Browse for the instruments and Add the appropriate Instrument Codes for your project to the In Use ... list. You can also search for specific instruments by typing in their (partial) name in the textbox on top of this dialogbox, followed by clicking the Find ... button.
- When finished compiling the Instrument Codes for your project, click on the Save button to close this dialogbox and to add these codes to the MAGIC_instruments table. Note that references associated with these Instrument Codes will be automatically stored in the ER_citations table.
Note If you cannot find the appropriate
Instrument Code by using this dialogbox, you can always define a
New Instrument Code by activating the MAGIC_instruments table and clicking the
Edit Data button on the
MagIC Toolbar. Continue by clicking the
New Record button in order to generate a new record and fill out all fields. After uploading your
MagIC SmartBook into the
MagIC Database this new code will be reviewed and (if a new code is warranted) it will be added to the master listing of instruments.
You can find a complete listing of
Instruments Codes at
http://earthref.org/MAGIC/instruments.htm. You can also reach this page by selecting
Instrument Codes in the
MagIC Help menu.
Although we recommend that you run
Add and Remove Instrument Definitions at the beginning of data population, you can always call up this dialogbox and further adapt the list of
In Use ... codes. This means that you can also remove
Instrument Codes that later proof to be unnecessary in your
SmartBook.
7. Add other Citations to ER_citations table
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Tables # ER_citations.
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Edit Data.
- Click the New Record button and fill out the reference. Use the Hot Buttons on the right-hand side of this dialogbox to easily add the Author Names and Keywords, and to have access to shortlists with Journal Names and Citation Types. Repeat this step until you've added all references.
- When finished, click the Close button to exit this dialogbox. The references will be added to the bottom of the ER_citations table.
Note Only add references for publications from which you have been compiling additional data, or which you're referring to in order to describe expeditions, locations, sites, samples, specimens, etc. References associated with certain methods or instruments do not have to be filled in by hand, they are automatically retrieved when you've been using the Add and Remove Method Definitions and Add and Remove Instruments Definitions functions (see above).
8. Add all Mail Addresses to ER_mailinglist Table
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Tables # ER_mailinglist.
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Edit Data.
- Click the New Record button and fill out an address. Repeat this step until you've added all addresses.
- When finished hit the Close button to exit this dialogbox. The addresses will be added to the bottom of the ER_mailinglist table.
Note In this table add addresses for Analysts, Rock Archivers and Scientists that have been associated with this project, either as principal investigators or as participants in carrying out the science.
9. Define the Data and Metadata in the General EarthRef [ER] Tables
- From the MagIC Toolbar select the appropriate Tables # ER_expeditions, ER_locations, ER_sites, ER_samples, ER_specimens, ER_fossils, ER_minerals or ER_synthetics. Whenever possible start out in the same order as listed, going from more general to more detailed, because the Location Names will be required in the ER_sites and ER_samples tables, for example (and so forth).
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Edit Data.
- Click the New Record button and fill out the data and metadata. Use the Hot Buttons on the right-hand side of this dialogbox to easily add Keywords, and to have access to shortlists that are linked to other tables, such as for Expedition Names, Location Names or Site Names. Repeat this step until you've added all data and metadata. You can also make use of the many Controlled Vocabularies that will pop up when clicking on the Green Hot Buttons.
- When finished hit the Close button to exit this dialogbox.
Note Of course, you can type the data directly into the Microsoft Excel© tables, and use standard functionality to Copy-and-Paste data within the current MagIC SmartBook or from other Microsoft Excel© workbooks that are open in (a second instance of) Microsoft Excel©. You can also use the Import ... option from the Operations menu to read in data from Standard MagIC Text Files.
When adding a new record, you can check the Prefill Records checkbox at the bottom of the Edit Data dialogbox. This setting will pre-fill your new record with the data from the "selected" data record in the current/active table. Use this functionality when adding data records that have the majority of their data field entries in common. This significantly improves the speed of manual data entry for larger data sets.
10. Add Age Data to the ER_ages Table
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Tables # ER_ages.
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Edit Data.
- Enter the age data. Note that multiple age determinations for one and the same site, sample, mineral or fossil should be entered as separated records/rows in this MagIC SmartBook table.
Note This table has been designed to allow for Radiometric Ages and for age determinations that are related to Stratigraphy. For the latter category it is important to enter the information on the reference horizon (with a stratigraphic height of zero, by definition) as well, so that sample heights can be given relative to these horizons. Preferably, these reference horizons are GSSP's or otherwise internationally recognized strata.
Detailed Radiometric Age information is not required in this table. In the near future, however, such data can be deposited in the online Radio-Isotope Geochronology Databases that will reside under EarthChem.org. As an important result, both the EarthChem.org Geochronology and MagIC databases will be tightly linked with each other to allow for a seamless operation of these databases.
11. Add Measurement Data in the MAGIC_measurements table
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Tables # MAGIC_measurements.
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Edit Data, or use the Import function (see tip below).
- Enter the measurement data. Take special note here of the measurement Units that all are in SI.
Note Due to the normally large volume of measurement data, it is advisable to make use of the Import function in the Special menu. To this effect, you should store your measurement data in the Standard MagIC Text Files. When using the Import function you can add the contents of these files to the MAGIC_measurements table, either as a single file or as multiple files in one batch.
12. Add Paleomagnetic and Rock Magnetic Data
- From the MagIC Toolbar select the appropriate PMAG or RMAG tables.
- On the MagIC Toolbar click Edit Data, or use the Import function (see tip below).
- Enter the paleomagnetic data in the PMAG tables, starting with the Specimens data, followed by the Samples, Sites and Poles data. Finish by entering the rock magnetic data into the RMAG tables. Take special note here of the Units that all are in SI, unless otherwise indicated in the light blue header rows that are located on the top of each table.
Note Due to the normally large volume of derived data, it is advisable to make use of the Import function in the Special menu. To this effect, you should store your data in the Standard MagIC Text Files. When using the Import function you can add the contents of these files to the PMAG and RMAG tables, either as single files or as multiple files in one batch.
13. Perform Data Checks
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Special # Check Data Records.
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Special # Check Specific Data Records.
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Special # Check for Data Integrity.
Note You can perform the checks for the Selected Table Only or for All Tables in the SmartBook.
You will be prompted to Edit Data for entries that generate errors. Click the Yes button, if you want to repair this entry on the fly. After you corrected the erroneous or missing data entries, these functions will continue to check the next records. If you click the No button, the data check will be aborted.
Before starting these data checks, you may want to run the Synchronize Names function under the Special menu. This function will go through a table and find links for which the definitions are missing in their host or parent tables. When missing links are found, they will be added to the parent tables, while appearing in highlighted "light blue" and "pink" cells for easy detection. The originating data records are highlighted in a "purple" color. You can remove the formatting again by pressing Ctrl Shift S or it will automatically be removed when you run the Prepare for Uploading function.
14. Prepare for Uploading
- From the MagIC Toolbar select Operations # Prepare for Uploading.
- Follow the instructions to Edit Data for entries that generate errors.
Note You will be asked for a confirmation. Click Yes to continue preparing the SmartBook for uploading. Click the No button to abort this action. If you proceed, five different Data Checks will first be performed before the data is saved into a single Tab Delimited ASCII File. This may take several minutes, depending on the complexity and the amount of data stored in the MagIC SmartBook file. Please be patient!
Only perform this action when you're confident that the entire SmartBook has been populated with the data and metadata for your project. If you want to perform any of the Data Checks beforehand, please use the Check Commands at the bottom of the Special menu (see previous step).
15. Upload your SmartBook into the MagIC Online Database
- Go to the http://earthref.org/MAGIC/upload.htm webpage. You can do so by selecting the Operations # Upload Into MagIC Database menu item. This will open you browser with the correct web form.
- Register yourself at EarthRef.org unless you already have a Log-in Name and Password.
Note If during the
Uploading process you need some additional help, please click on the
Help Tab on top of the online webform. This will launch the
MagIC Online Help Library and gives you context sensitive help.
To register, click on the
Register link in the
Topmenu of the
EarthRef.org website. If you have forgotten your password and/or username, please go to the
http://earthref.org/databases/ERML/ webpage and click on the
Forgot Password link. After filling in your email address, your registration info will be sent in an email message. Twice a year you will be sent a
Reminder Email with all registration info and a simple link to edit your user profile.
