This group of fields provides information about the file. These fields are required so
that the receiving institution knows what to do with the incoming data.
Description: The beginning of the transfer file has the file
identifier 'startfile' only.
Domain/Range/Values: This field has the value 'startfile' only
(all in lowercase).
Description: The end of the transfer file has the file identifier
'endfile' only.
Domain/Range/Values: This field has the value 'endfile' only (all
in lowercase).
Comments: To be found at the very end of a HISPID3 file
indicating the end of file. The description of this file identifier has been included here
so that it can be considered together with the 'startfile' identifier.
Description: The HISPID Version used in the current HISPID
transfer file.
Domain/Range/Values: Alphanumeric; the version number prefaced by
the acronym 'HISPID' (all in uppercase).
Comments: Although it is expected that the latest version of
HISPID will normally be used for the transfer format, the format of earlier versions are
allowable. The 'HISPID Version August 1993' should be referred to as HISPID2 and the
original version of HISPID (1989) as HISPID1. This current version should be referred to
as HISPID3.
Description: The total number of records expressed as an integer.
Domain/Range/Values: Integer only.
Description: The date of compilation of the current HISPID file.
Domain/Range/Values: Integer; year (4 digits) followed by month
(2 digits) and then day (2 digits), without spaces between each. That is, YYYYMMDD. For
example, the 6th July 1987 would be transferred in the form 19870706 (refer Collection
Date for further details).
Comments: This date format consists of year month day in that
order.
Description: The name in full of the institution sending the
current HISPID file.
Description: The full name of the contact person within the
institution.
Description: The full postal address of the sending institution.
Comments: The address should be displayed as continuous text, no
line breaks, only commas and spaces as required.
Description: The telephone number of the Contact Person.
Comments: The use of national and international codes depends on
the circumstances of the sending and receiving institutions.
Description: The facsimile number of the Contact person.
Comments: The use of national and international codes depends on
the circumstances of the sending and receiving institutions.
Description: The email address of the Contact person.
Description: This field allows for the inclusion of data or
standards that have not been included in this publication. The data is likely to be of
particular interest to the sending and receiving institutions, who wish to use a HISPID
type format for data fields which have not been described in this standard.
Domain/Range/Values: Alphanumeric; the field identifier
'nonstandard' is followed by a suggested unique field identifier (all lowercase (a-z) or
at least first letter lowercase) to be used in the transfer file; which is followed by a
brief explanation (if necessary); the syntax of the data (whether alphanumeric or
numeric); and the reference to the standard used in this new field (if necessary)(all
enclosed by round brackets and, within, each separated by a semicolon and space)(refer
example below).
If the data for any one standard are being transferred in several
fields, then each unique field identifier is separated by a space followed by the
necessary explanatory information in round brackets.
If more than one non-standard HISPID field (based on different
standards) is being used in the transfer file then each must be separated by a semicolon
and space (; )(refer example, below).
Since this field is alphanumeric (text), the data must be enclosed by
double quotations ("); all data must be on one line; and the field must end with a
comma (,).
Note: Since conformity with the HISPID standard is an agreed
(essential) requirement for institutions interchanging data according to HISPID3 format,
institutions are strongly urged to modify their interchange data so that they conform with
one or more of the current HISPID3 fields. However, when circumstances preclude this, the Non-Standard
Option may be used to interchange such data. If an institution wishes to interchange
non-standard data, then they are requested to notify the HISPID coordinator (editor) so
that these additional fields can be considered for inclusion in future versions of HISPID.
In the following example, the 'nonstandard' information is presented on
more than one line for readability.
Example 1:
nonstandard "pol (Pollinator; alphanumeric - scientific name of
pollinator and authority at lowest level name or epithet); arch (Plant architectural
models; alphanumeric; F. Hallé et al. 1978. 'Tropical trees and forests',
Springer-Verlag: Berlin)",
Example 2:
If an institution is unable to provide information in the format of any
particular HISPID3 field, as here defined, because they combine two or more of these
fields together in such a way that the data are unable to be separated, then the Non-Standard
option can be used.
For example, if an institution combines the Substrate and Soil
Type fields together, and the Vegetation and Associated Species Fields
together, in such a way that they are unable to separate these elements into separate
fields, then a new 'Transfer code' for each pair of information can be formed, with the
'Transfer codes' of the segregate fields cited in round brackets, and each of these
Transfer codes separated by a comma. It is then understood that the Domain/Range/Values
and other Comments of each still applies.
nonstandard "subsoil (sub, soil); vegass (veg, asspp)",
subsoil is the nonstandard identifier for the combined Substrate and Soil Type fields;
vegass is the nonstandard identifier for the combined Vegetation
and Associated Species fields.
Comments: The non-standard fields would have to be programmed
into the receiving database, as well as into the HISPID insert program.
Description: A field to indicate how the records of the file
should be processed.
Domain/Range/Values: Alphabetic; this field must consist of one
of the values in the table below:
| Values in Field | Meaning |
| delete | delete all records in file from institutional database receiving transfer file |
| insert | all records in file to be added to receiving database |
| update | update relevant fields of all records in file in receiving database |
Comments: This field should be used in conjunction with the Description
of File Contents and Other Comments field (refer below). The 'delete' option is used
when previously received collections are know to be sufficiently inaccurate that it is
recommended that the specimen be removed from the herbarium. The reason for this would be
explained in the Description of File Contents and Other Comments field (refer
below).
The 'insert' option is used for new records being sent to the receiving
database. This is the default value for all exchange data.
The 'update' option is used for records already held in the receiving
database which have been modified and included in the current transfer file. This option
would be used for returning redeterminations and other corrections to the receiving
institutions.
Description: A field to indicate the nature of the records
contained in the file.
Domain/Range/Values: Alphabetic; this field must consist of one
of the values in the table below:
| Values in Field | Meaning |
| exchange | records in file to be added to receiving database as part of exchange of herbarium material |
| loan | electronic herbarium data associated with loan of herbarium material |
| repatriation | repatriation of electronic data (from duplicate material held at sending institution to receiving institution) to the database held at the latter institution. |
Comments: These key values may be used to automatically implement
the procedures to be followed by the receiving institution. This field should be used in
conjunction with the Description of File Contents and Other Comments field (refer
below).
Description: A brief description of the content of the current
HISPID file.
Domain/Range/Values: Alphanumeric; free text.
Example 1: Description of records being transferred as
part of an herbarium loan:
| content | "Herbarium loan 96/014, Myrtaceae data, from NSW to MO", |
Example 2: Description of transfer file containing
corrections to the plant name (Record Identification Group of fields):
| content | "Redeterminations and other corrections to the plant name fields, from BRI to LAE", |
Comments: This field may be used in conjunction with the File
Descriptor Flag (above).
Description: The internet URL (Universal Resource Locator) where
the records in this file can be found.
Relevant standards: Internet URL, RFC 1738 (refer URL
http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/Addressing/rfc1738.txt or URL
http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/Addressing/URL/Overview.html)
Domain/Range/Values: Alphanumeric; any valid internet URL.
Comments: This information can refer to either a fixed export
file, to an on-line query, or can link to a specimen database gateway.