Automatic loading of WorldShare Collection files via FTP

The change:

OCLC recently confirmed in September 2016 that they have a new process that they’re implementing for all WorldShare Collection Manager files. When files in WorldShare Collections reach the 31-day mark of existence they will be placed in a .zip file. The filename doesn’t change, and the system post date assigned will be an old date. Note:

  • The zip process is not a scheduled process at this time. OCLC monitors the storage needs and performs as needed, but never on files that are less than 30 days old.
  • OCLC is not currently zipping WorldCat Cataloging Partners (WCP) files; only New, Updates and Deletes are being zipped.

Impact at Alliance libraries:

This can cause problems if libraries have automated their import profiles for these types of WorldShare Collection files because even with the old post date, Alma thinks these old files are new files and will load them again.

What affected Alliance libraries need to do:

For Alliance libraries automatically loading WorldShare Collection files via FTP:

  • Use regular expressions in the file name pattern to restrict those .zip files from loading (e.g. ^metacoll.OQP.wcp.FIRM.YDX.D*.mrc$ because $ ensures that only files that end in .mrc will load and not ones that end in .mrc.zip). The caveat with this approach is that this file name pattern seems to prevent you from downloading any failed records from jobs using this import. (PCC Salesforce case 00204567 documents this issue.) You have to remove the file name pattern from the import, download the failed records, and add the file name pattern back to the import in order to download records that failed to load during import.

OR

  • Download and import files manually until Ex Libris fixes the bug that prevents failed records to download with the file name pattern required to avoid loading .zip files

Background

Software: Alma

Current phase: NA

Written by: Milly Williams

Approved by: NA

Last updated: 9/30/2016

Nature of last update: updated to clarify information

Document History: This document was updated on 4/14/2021 to update “end of string” coding currently supported in Alma import profiles. This document was updated on 9/30/2016 to integrate clarifications from OCLC on their process. The impact and options for institutions to handle this situation remain unchanged. The first version of this page was created on 9/23/2016.