Import-Export Format "BiblioMaker Exchange" for Title Records

The predefined import and export format "Echange BiblioMaker" is the one we recommend for exchanging document data either with another BiblioMaker database, or with other software (e.g. during a catalog migration and a change of library management software).

The import/export file is in text format, with a tab mark between fields and a line feed between records. The character table can be UTF-8, Windows or macOS.

To import title records into the software, the most common method is to prepare the file to be imported with a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc, which make it easy to define the order of fields by moving columns. To this end, the first column in the table below contains the letter of the column in which the field is to appear.

The order of fields is predefined:

When importing documents in «BiblioMaker Exchange» format you must choose between various import options :

Import the numbers : The number of each record will be imported.

Import copy data : Copy data (barcode, loan duration, number of copies) will be imported.

Import the barcodes : Barcodes will be imported, if they are not already in the database (in this case BiblioMaker makes new ones).

Import the keywords : Keywords will be imported.

Import the class and shelf marks : Class marks and shelf marks will be imported.

Import the subjects : Subjects will be imported.

Some fields, if they are empty, automatically take on the default value defined in the parameters.

Author, Secondary entries, Series, Class mark and Subject fields, if filled in, will automatically create a record in the corresponding file (if they do not exist already).

In the case of a text import, it is important to verify that the last record of the list has been read. It happens frequently, in fact, that the end of line symbol of the file is forgotten and then BiblioMaker is unable to recognize the record.

Imported records acquire status «X» which means that you can find them rapidly with the Find function and status «X». You may see other letters added to status «X» and this means that BiblioMaker has detected «errors» when importing. Thus an «R» means that the record(s) were renumbered. A «C» means a barcode was generated by BiblioMaker. A «Z» means that the record does not have a title (The Title field will show «*********»).

Tip: to facilitate the preparation of an import file, you can export document files from BiblioMaker using the BiblioMaker Exchange export format and open this file in a spreadsheet program. You'll then have a model with the columns in the required order. All you need to do is prepare your import file based on the template.