You will find that there are times when you need to change the same detail of a number of resources that have nothing in common ie you would be unable to use a filtering option that would generate a list of all of the resources.

This is quite often the case if a large number of resources are to be located in a different location or site.  Or, alternatively, you might like to cull or withdraw a large number of outdated resources.  Both of these operations can be done using a Buffer File (or Barcodes File).

• Gather your resources requiring the change and take them to the data entry machine
• Open Text Tracker Suite / Utilities / Setup / Buffer file
• Scan in a couple of the barcodes then click on the Save as button

1. The program will open up the TTS folder for you to save your file.
2. Click on the New Folder icon and create a new folder. 
3. Rename the folder to BufferFiles
4. Name your file so it is easily identifiable
5. The Save as type is already defaulted to a .buf or buffer file.  You can also use .txt files for this application if necessary.

If you wanted to use a memory/portable scanner or laptop to collect the barcode details you can open up notepad and save the barcodes into this program.  Make sure you save the file as a .txt file.

Because the file can be saved and used at another time, it can also be added to if necessary.  This is particularly handy if you only have a couple of hours a week in the Bookhire.

To recall a .buf file go to Utilities / Setup / Buffer file.  Click on the Open file option and locate your save file highlight it and click on Open.  Scroll to the bottom of the list and continue scanning in the barcodes until the job is done.

Once you have entered all of the barcodes and saved the files you can then edit the details of these resources using the saved files.

To change barcode details using a buffer file -

• Go into Utilities / Backup-Restore / Backup
• Once the backup is complete stay in Utilties and select Update / Barcodes
• Click on the Buffer file option and locate the buffer (or text file) you save earlier highlight and open it. (If you created a .txt file please change the file type at the bottom of the screen to ALL FILES.)

1. Check the number of filtered records.  Only if you're satisfied with the number continue
2. Select from the drop down list the field you wish to edit
3. Type in the the replacement information
4. Click on Replace.  You will be asked twice if you're sure you want to update these records

To change set details using a buffer file -

Because the buffer file is created using barcodes we need to tag or mark these barcode records so they can then be filtered out in the Update / Set area. This operation can only be done if you DO NOT use the STATUS field in the SET DETAILS screen for any of these resources.

• Using the instructions above select Set Status from the drop down list and in the Replacement field type in X and click on the Replace button.

• Close this screen and go into Utilities / Update / Set / Update. 

1. From the selection criteria field select Status and in the low value type in X and in the high value type in X.
2. Click on Apply, the number of filtered records at the bottom of the screen is the total number of Catalogue Entries that will be changed ie the number of TITLES that are to be effected.
3. In the replacement field select from the drop down list the details you wish to change
4. Type in the new details in this field
5. Don't forget that the number of filtered records is how many set records are to be changed.  The example I have used had 39 barcode records or copies with only one set record.