Some big changes to the database - Page 1

Hi

I've registered on here because I'm aware of many changes that need to be made to the database.

As record keeper for a GSD recsue in the UK, I have access to many GSD pedigrees going back about 25 years. I often find when persuing the pedigreedatabase that some dogs have two entries - often confused because of the german accents. So sometimes I have to use some latreral thinking to track back the pedigrees.
Here's an example:

Arko vom Hühnegrab has three entries, under ids: 8701, 1850903 and 548104

under each entry his father is correctly identified as Quando von Arminius 

But since he's got three entries, I presume he's counted three times as progeny of Quando.

Is there any simple way for the database adminstrators to combine or link these entries?

We can combine them and delete the doubles if they are reported to an admin. We have 2 admins who only work on pedigrees and they have spent weeks lately dealing with all the dupes we can find but with nearly 2 million pedigrees it is hard to find them all. We encourage members to report dupes so that the admins can take care of them.

Please contact GSD Lineage   with any pedigree issues you may have.

Just a question:  how does the perrenial problem of duplicated entries
for individual dogs equate to problems requiring  "Big changes to the 
dBase" ?  Misleading thread title, or what ?  Clearly the OP wasn't watching
when Oli made the real big changes recently ...   Linda Swift.

Hundmutter: as well as being involved in GSD rescue I'm also a database specialist. I am very aware of the issues involved with duplicate entries in databases of this kind.
Changes to the way data is entered into the database can help prevent more duplicate entries to the database. Procedures can be written that will automatically identify existing duplcates. These different tasks will take many man hours to complete. If a task takes many hours to complete then I beleive it is very fair to describe it as 'big'. So, yes, the changes would be 'big', so the thread title is accurate after all.

If the people who run the database would like any assistance in designing procedures to detect duplicates, I'd be more than wiling to offer help, having had to perform similar tasks many times in the past.

I stand corrected !   But I suspect, Mike, that the difficulties with running THIS
TYPE of dBase, i.e. the feeding in by 'anybody' of names of dogs, which can
be subject to various spellings and interpretations, might be a little difficult
for the technology of which you speak, or in terms of getting inputters to follow
the rules (!).   I have a lot of confidence in Oli's knowledge and abilities, and
therefore I'm guessing he has probably already considered what is available
and whether it is suitable.  [But one never knows, does one ?]

Do please enlighten me on something else about your post :  how come being
involved with a Rescue has you involved with doing so much investigating into
back-pedigrees ?  Strikes me as unusual.  Is that for your own interest, or what ?
By the way,  is one of your  GSDs a white one ?

" how come being involved with a Rescue has you involved with doing so much investigating into back-pedigrees"

I would say it's not 'so much' investigating, but the occasional interest. It really does help in that I have access to a lot of different pedigrees. Sometimes when a dog comes into rescue and it has a close resemblance to another, if they both have pedigrees, it's interesting to compare them.

In the particular case that prompted me to post my original message, I was looking at the pedigree of a dog that I had personally fostered myself. He suffered a rapid onset of CDRM and I was inerested in looking further into his pedigree. What I found really shocking was that one particular dog (Bedwins Quatro of Jutone) featured 4 times in three generations of his pedigree, including in one instance this dog (Quatro) was mated with ones of it's own progeny. Arko vom Hühnegrab was the sire for Quatro. 

I'm not sure why you are asking if I have a White GSD? (The answer is no, but I have fostered several white ones over the past 5 years)

Just used to Rescues  in general being, with reason, very cagy about any
pedigree information or papers (when they get any),  and was surprised
that any depth of research was therefore felt necessary ?  Trying to establish
which Rescue we might be talking about ...(just for my own interest ).

Of course rescues are cagey about pedigrees. The rescue that I assist is no different.

You seem to push and twist my words. Whoever said the depth of research was 'felt neccessary'? My previous post clearly stated it was an occasional interest of mine to compare pedigrees.

To be honest, I'm quite taken aback by your aggressive tone to someone posting in the newcomer's section.

Sorry mate, but your OP did run the fact that you were with a Rescue
together with the info about available pedigrees to research, in the
one sentence.  You must know there have occasionally been problems
with some groups calling themselves 'rescues'  but using papers to
justify selling dogs on at near-market rates, rather than adopting them
out for donations;  making them more 'broker / dealer'  than re-homer.
Guess I'm just a pessimist, naturally suspicious LOL.

Me too, Mike.