Australian Speleological Federation KID: ASF Field Definitions

Definitions for ASF KID

This document was created from the ASF KID on Fri Mar 29, 2024

This is the current list of the data fields in the ASF's KID. They are identical with the draft data fields of the Informatics Commission (UISIC) of the International Union of Speleology. The definitions below are arranged in UISIC Field ID (FID) order. The FID and field name are shown first, followed by the other details. If the field has coded values a link to the available codes for that field will be provided.

The full list of all definitions is here: Field Definitions.    The full list of all field value codes is here: Field Value Codes.
Also see the Notes at the end for the meanings of the various abbreviations used here.

To find a field name in this list use your browsers search facility to search for the text or partial text. If you know the FID, you can go straight to the field by adding #fid to the URL in your browser window and pressing <Return>.

Total number of FIDs: 61


73 : Value sequence
Entity: SY
Data type: Integer (short) Max length: 5 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: M

Definition: The sequence number of one record among several which represent the values of a multi-valued field, and forming part of each such record's key. Example: Three records describing three different items representing the contents of a cave would have "Value sequences" of 1, 2, & 3 resp. Comments: The purpose of this field is (1) to make the key of each multi-valued record unique, and (2) to set the sequence in which the multi-valued records are stored and displayed.


154 : UIS status UIS code
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 1 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The code for the UIS status of a field or value definition issued by UIS.


155 : UIS status UIS text
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 0 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The English text for the UIS status of a field or value definition issued by UIS.


156 : Site country code
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 2 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The country in which this database site is located. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


157 : Site organisation code
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 3 Coding: L Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The standard three-letter code for the organisation operating this database site. Comment: (1) See also 178[Organisation code], 182[Database org code]. Usage: This field can be set only by the Regional Database Administrator.


158 : Site default language
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 2 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The spoken language normally used by this database site, expressed as an ISO 2-letter language code, normally in lower case.


182 : Database org code
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 3 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The standard 3-letter code for the organisation controlling the standards and design for the database being used at this site. Comment: See also 178[Organisation code]. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


183 : Form seq
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The sequence number of a form which this field appears on.


184 : Detail form tablename
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The tablename of the detail form for this instance of the field.


185 : Detail form form number
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The form number of the detail table for this instance of the field.


186 : Page number of form
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The page number of the form for this instance of the field.


191 : Local status UIS code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The code to indicate the local status of a field or value definition which has been issued by UIS, regardless of the UIS status of that definition.


192 : Local status UIS text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The English text to indicate the local status of a field or value definition which has been issued by UIS, regardless of the UIS status of that definition.


193 : Local status new code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The code to indicate the local status of a new field or value definition proposed to UIS.


194 : Local status new text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The English text to indicate the local status of a new field or value definition proposed to UIS.


284 : Country code ISO-3166
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The "Alpha-2" two-letter country code according to ISO Standard 3166. Comment: Codes which ISO has designated for user allocation are AA, QM-QZ, XA-XZ, and ZZ. It is therefore proposed to use AA for "International", and XA-XZ for country regional groupings, e.g. XA = Australasia.


285 : Country name
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 25 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The country name, sometimes abbreviated, based on ISO Standard 3166, which corresponds to an Alpha-2 Country Code.


286 : State code
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 2 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The local code for a State within a country. For example, "7" for Tasmania within Australia, or "TX" for Texas within USA.


287 : State name
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The name of a State within a country, in the local language.


289 : Map Grid used
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 30 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The official name of the Map Grid upon which the actual location co-ordinates are based, as opposed to the map grid co-ordinates given using any specific mapsheet. Example: "Australian Map Grid" in Australia. Usage: (1) Depending on the table structure being used at your database site, this field might appear once for the whole site, or else for each location entered. (2) This field can be set only by the Regional Database Administrator.


290 : Table scroll arrows Y/N
Entity: SY
Data type: Logical Max length: 1 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The default value for whether the database site wants the arrows which indicate the scrolling situation for the detail tables on a multi-table screen to be available or not. Comment: (1) Leaving them off allows better performance on a low-powered PC. (2) This value can be overridden for the duration of a particular session. Example: 1 = Yes, 0 = No.


291 : Code translations Y/N
Entity: SY
Data type: Logical Max length: 1 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The default value for whether the database site wants to have field value codes translated into the selected language on the screen during operation. Comment: (1) Leaving them off will improve performance on a low-powered PC. (2) This value can be overridden during any particular session. Example: 1 = Yes, 0 = No.


292 : Government level name
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 15 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: M

Definition: The name of one of the levels of government in the country. Comment: (1) The levels should be stored in order of size with the largest first and the smallest last. Example: In Australia there are two levels below "country" - the first is "State", and the second is "Local Government Area", i.e. municipality. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


293 : Land unit name
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 15 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: M

Definition: The name of one of the series of land units used within the country to subdivide land. Comment: These should be stored in order of size with the largest first and the smallest last. Example: In the State of Victoria in Australia, land is divided first by "State", then by "County", "Parish", "Section", "Crown allotment", "LP" (lot on plan), "Lot". Usage: (1) This field can be set only by the Regional Database Administrator. (2) It is vital that once this field is set and in use, that it not be changed, because these names are also used as the screen prompts for data entry for these values for a cave or karst feature. If the relative prompts are changed, then thereafter the affected fields will contain a mixture of data, some of it wrong.


294 : Coarse - geogr. precision
Entity: SY
Data type: Numeric Max length: 8.4 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The precision to which the coarse geographic co-ordinates, 21[Latitude - coarse] and 22[Longitude - coarse], can be given, expressed in degrees.decimal degrees. Comment: (1) Having coarse co-ordinates available allows publication of an approximate location to enable spatial searches and reports without revealing the exact location. This field chooses the coarse precision which is suitable for coarse lat/longs in this country. Example: In Australia the precision used is 0.0833 degrees (5 minutes). Max text length: sign(1)+whole(2)+sep(1)+dec(4) = total 8, scale 4. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


295 : Coarse - gr.ref precision
Entity: SY
Data type: Numeric Max length: 10.3 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The precision to which the coarse grid references, 26[Grid reference - coarse], can be given, using the same units as the grid references. Comment: Having coarse co-ordinates available allows publication of an approximate location to enable spatial searches and reports without revealing the exact location. This field chooses the coarse precision which is suitable for coarse grid refs in this country. Example: In Australia coarse grid references are given to a precision of 10 000 metres (10km). Max text length: sign(0)+whole(6)+sep(1)+dec(3) = total 10, scale 3. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


296 : Coarse - grid ref units
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 1 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The length units in which the coarse grid references are given, expressed as a coded value. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


298 : Length units
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 1 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A generic coded field which can be used for translating the coded values used by any field containing codes which specify the units of length used. Usage: UIS fields related to length measurement will already specify the unit to be used, i.e. the units are always fixed for a particular field, so this field is not needed. However, where a field is describing lengths set outside our control, e.g. the grid units used on a government-produced topographic map, then the field's length units are not pre-determined and so a further field is needed to specify the length units used. Having length units fixed for a particular field greatly simplifies data transfers; a further possibility would be separate fields for different units (not recommended!).


299 : Length units abbreviation
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 1 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A generic coded field which can be used for translating the codes used by any length unit field into abbreviations for the length units.


306 : Auxmaster name
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 8 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The name of an auxmaster table. Enables each auxmaster table to be kept up to date with its respective entity ID. This field will appear in the auxmaster table for each entity, e.g. for caves, will appear in CA0000x0.


336 : Local abstracts name
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 132 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The name of the bibliographic abstracts publication which has been referred to in the "local abstracts" fields in the References table. Usage: This field can be set only by the Regional Database Coordinator.


337 : Local abstracts initials
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 10 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The initials or abbreviation of the bibliographic abstracts publication which has been referred to in the "local abstracts" fields in the References table. Example: "ASA" for "Australian Speleo Abstracts". Usage: The field can be set only by the Regional Database Administrator.


338 : AT coding-type code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A range of available code numbers for indicating the coding-type of a field. For example, whether it is uncoded, has a standard code, or has a local code.


339 : AT coding-type text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to an 'AT coding-type code'.


340 : Field length-type code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The range of integer codes available to indicate a field's length type for data interchange purposes, e.g. whether it is a long or a short field.


341 : Field length-type text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to a 'Field length-type code'.


342 : Key status code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A range of integer codes to indicate whether a field is a primary or secondary key.


343 : Key status text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to a 'key status code'.


344 : AT cardinality code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A range of integer codes to indicate whether a field is single- valued or multi-valued.


345 : AT cardinality text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to an 'AT cardinality code'.


346 : Value set code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A range of available integer codes to indicate whether a field is set or whether it is used in a particular table.


347 : Value set text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to a 'value set code'.


348 : AT data-type code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A range of available integer codes to indicate the data-type of a field. For example, numeric, integer, alphanumeric, etc., types.


349 : AT data-type text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to an 'AT data-type code'.


350 : Language code ISO-639
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The range of available codes from the ISO-639 international standard to indicate the language being used. These codes are two-letter lower-case codes.


351 : Language text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to a 'Language code ISO-639'.


352 : SSC update-status code
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A range of available integer codes to indicate the update status of an SSC category.


353 : SSC update-status text
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The text corresponding to an 'SSC update-status code'.


354 : State abbreviation
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 8 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The common abbreviation (as opposed to the code) for a State in a country.


375 : Sequence for lookup
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A dummy sequence number to provide a unique lookup value for use where the lookup has duplicate values in the looked-up field. This field is needed only because of a quirk of Paradox software. Example: The Genus+Species lookup on the genus field has duplicate genus values; to allow selection of other than the first of these, a unique value for the lookup field must be provided. So we lookup on the sequence number but copy down same-named fields, i.e. genus and species only. Comment: The width of this field will vary with each use of it because it must match the width of the actual field being looked up.


412 : Coarse - map series
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 30 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A brief statement of the map series used for providing the map sheet name and grid reference for coarse locations. Example: "250K topo" for 1:250 000 Topographic Series. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


413 : Coarse - gr.ref qualifier
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 30 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A brief statement describing the qualifier which is being used to enable distinguishing between similar grid references on the one map sheet when giving coarse locations. Comment: (1) On 250K sheets you can use the "100km square letters" or the "100K map sheet numbers" to distinguish between identical grid references on the sheet. Example: "100K map sheet number" Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


415 : Agent type
Entity: SY
Data type: Max length: 0 Coding: ? Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The type of agent who has carried out some function, with respect to whether they are a private individual, a voluntary organisation, a government department, or the like. Expressed as a numeric code. Comment: This is a "system" value which could apply to a range of fields in a range of entities, e.g. a map producer, a land owner, a cave discoverer, etc.


440 : Coarse - land unit name
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 15 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The name of the land unit series being used at this site to provide a publishable land unit location for caves or karst features which does not reveal their exact location. Example: The name is "Parish" in the State of Victoria in Australia. Usage: This field can be set only by the Regional Database Administrator.


446 : Coarse - altitude units
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 1 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The length units of 28[Altitude - coarse], expressed as a coded value. Usage: This field can be set only by the Central Database Administrator.


507 : Data confidence level
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 2 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A generic coded field for common use by data-confidence-level fields when translating their coded value. Usage: When various data-confidence-level fields need their code value translated, this field should be used rather than having a separate series of values for each data-confidence-level field. A one-character symbol 508[Data confidence symbol] is also available as a translation.


508 : Data confidence symbol
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 2 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A generic coded field for a one-character symbol for use by data- confidence-level fields.


512 : Entity update status
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 2 Coding: I  (codes) Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: A generic coded field for use by entity update-status fields when translating their coded value. The status refers to how up-to-date the data is rather than how much data is stored.


526 : Coarse altitude precision
Entity: SY
Data type: Integer (short) Max length: 0 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: Not yet ready. The precision to which 28[Altitude - coarse] can be given.


529 : Software upgrade level
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 4 Coding: L Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The upgrade level of the current system software, expressed as numeric digits, where each change to the software takes it to the next consecutive level. The level series is independent of any public 'Version number' series. Comment: (1) This series allows different 'patch' levels to be distinguished without necessarily affecting the public Version Number. (2) Storing this number in the system allows an incoming upgrade to detect the previous upgrade level and take appropriate action. Usage: This field is auto-filled by the system upon each upgrade.


539 : Program version number
Entity: SY
Data type: Alphanumeric Max length: 15 Coding: U Single/Multi-valued: S

Definition: The version number of the current program, as published.


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Notes

Entities:
   AR = Article in a publication
   AT = Field or attribute
   AV = Field value
   CA = Cave or karst feature
   EN = Entity
   JN = Journal
   OR = Organisation
   PA = Land parcel
   PE = Person
   PH = Photograph
   PL = Plan or map
   PM = Marker (Permanent mark)
   PS = Map series
   RE = Region or area
   RP = Report
   SM = Specimen
   SP = Species
   ST = Site
   SU = Subject
   SV = Survey
   SY = System field
   XK = A key-in batch
   XL = An upload batch
   XU = An update batch

Data type:

   A = Alphanumeric
   N = Numeric; A "real" number allowing decimal places and many significant digits, typically around 15.
   D = Date
   L = Logical; True or False.
   I = Integer (short); A whole number in the range -32,767 to +32,768.
   M = Memo; A variable-length free-text field.
   B = BLOB; A Binary Large Object, e.g. a photo image.
Maximum length:
When a Numeric data type is expressed as text characters, its maximum length must allow for the maximum value and the finest precision, and if necessary, a leading sign. This maximum must also be considered on an international basis. For example, a field value which has maximum text characters of "-9999.999" consists of sign(1) + whole number digits(4) + decimal separator(1) + decimal digits(3), giving a total text length of 9, with a "scale" of 3. This would be expressed as a "Max. length" of 9.3

Codes for field coding:

   I = International coding   U = Uncoded   L = Locally coded
Codes for single or multi-valued:
   S = Single-valued   M = Multi-valued



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