Separate an authority term’s hierarchy

You can use the AU_USER_SYM_EXPLODE subroutine in a complex User Symbolic to separate your authority field hierarchy onto new lines. You can choose which part of the hierarchy will be displayed.

Subroutine name

AU_USER_SYM_EXPLODE

Field type

Hierarchical authority fields

Example of use

This subroutine is useful for producing address labels in Word Merge reports.

For example, reporting on an object's location will display:

Shelf 1/Room 32/Ground Floor/Storage/Vernon Systems Museum

The EXPLODE subroutine changes the display to:

Shelf 1
Room 32
Ground Floor
Storage
Vernon Systems Museum

You can choose when the hierarchy should stop. For example, instead of the full hierarchy of Shelf 1 to Vernon Systems Museum, you could display just the terms two levels higher:

Shelf 1
Room 32
Ground Floor

Argument syntax and parameters

The subroutine is a piece of code that uses ‘arguments’. An argument is a set of options that tells the subroutine what to do. The argument parameters are commonly separated by an exclamation mark.

The EXPLODE subroutine argument structure is:

auth.field!auth.mv!auth.file!explode.settings

What the argument parameters mean

Argument parameter Required or optional? Explanation Example
auth.field Required This is the internal field name or FMC (Field Mark Count) of the field you want to extract authority terms from. ADDRESS_PLACE
auth.mv Optional

Only use for multi-value authority fields.

  • Set to 0 to only process the first authority term.

  • Set to 1 to process all terms (default).

  • Set to F to find first relevant data.

 
auth.file Required This is the System ID of the authority file that controls the auth.field. PLACE
explode.settings Required

B$1 will display:

  • The current term.

  • Broader terms one level away.

F$1,N will display:

  • The current term.

  • Used For terms one level away.

  • All Narrower terms.

Common codes are:

  • B (Broader)

  • N (Narrower)

  • U (Use Instead)

  • F (Used For)

  • R (Related)

  • T (Translation)

B$1

Example of subroutine argument

This argument will extract all Place terms from the Address Place field in the Person file. For each Place entered, it will display the current term and Broader terms one level away.

ADDRESS_PLACE!!PLACE!B$1

For example, Melbourne/Victoria/Australia will become:

Melbourne
Victoria

Tip: Apply the conversion [AU_CONV,PLACE*AU_SHORT_NAME_OR] to display the Short Name of the Place term. For example, Victoria will become VIC. This relies on data being entered in the Short Name field.