Assigning the current Categories to Geographical Context Project

Published: 25 February 2011
This article is to document the Bulk Assignation project. NOTE this is talking about something NOT actually formally started - it's still subject to change. The document below is currently for public comment/discussion.

Background Information


The 'Geographical Context' list (or Top Level Categories, TLC as known during development), are a short list of general Categories. The general idea is we want to try to have every image (in the whole archive!) assigned one or more Categories.

We are using the term TLC, just to distinguish them from the current Category system already used. The category list will be removed and inaccessible. But the category itself will live on as a Tag.

Previous Submissions - In Bulk


A major part of introducing 'Geographical Context' is assigning a category to previous submissions - largely in bulk.

The previous category selection will hopefully provide a quick way to assign a sizeable chunk of images to a TLC. This will be facilitated by assigning categories to a particular TLC.

Once a category is assigned a TLC, the TLC can automatically be added to all images using that category. This will be done in bulk and automatically by a Developer.

- Note: clearly not every category will be assignable to a category. But once we have used the above process can see how many are left, and develop a different procedure for doing what is left in Bulk.

We, of course, need then to build a category -> TLC map. See below how you can help do that.
Can follow the progress via the links hereExternal link, eg category tree previewExternal link


Previous Submissions - Editing

The contributor can at any time edit the TLCs (which are in reality just a Tag) assigned to their images.


New images

During submission, can simply select one or more TLCs for the image. Just selecting from the Fixed list.


Choose TLCs for categories


There are two major ways to do this

Online form


Start here:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/stuff/top.phpExternal link

And choose a category selection method.

For each category you are shown, either select a particular TLC - the one that best encompasses the given Category.

- or if you think the category doesn't have a good TLC fit, then choose unallocated. As mentioned above, these will be dealt with separately.

Bulk SpreadSheet


First download the SpreadsheetExternal link, and open in Excel.

(If you have your Excel set to open spreadsheets full-screen - ie maximised - it's recommended to demaximise the spreadsheet, and then close Excel. Then reopen it again. This should allow the windows to be laid out on screen nicely)

Then open the Import pages (link in the spreadsheet)

and view one of the category lists. Select all (press Ctrl-A) and copy to clipboard (Ctrl-C).

Paste into Column B (cursor in cell B2 and paste)

- choose TLCs as per instructions in the spreadsheet.

Once done select the two columns (cells B2 - C101 probably) and copy into the form at the above page.

(If you want to use the spreadsheet to do more than 100 rows at time, will need to duplicate the VLOOKUP formula down the page, and of course, copy all the new rows back to the Import screen)




Creative Commons License Text by Barry Hunter, February 2011 ; This work is dedicated to the Public Domain.
With contributions by Penny Mayes. (details)
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