Record ids and updating a database

[magsuk]

I have a database of publications on our web site (http://www.mrc-hnr.cam.ac.uk/). When a user performs a search, the criteria are returned together with subsequent links to show more detail of a particular record. It is at this point where the more detail (abstract) is requested that a unique "recid" appears to be assigned to individual records.

The problem I have is that the data in this database are frequently updated. Initially our publications are in an EndNote file. I use PocketCites (http://www.woodenbrain.com/) to export from EndNote and then into the FileMaker database. Each time an update was required I created a new Filemaker database (based on an existing file). In doing so, I have found that the "recid" change when a search was performed via the web.

I have tried importing just the records that have changed but Pocketcites imports all the records once again and I end up with duplicates, hence the newer records would have different "recids" when searched on via the web.

We are just in the process of launching our new web site which has links to specific publications in this database (which obviously relies on the "recid" to display the correct record). Apart from manually typing in the updated/revised information, can anyone suggest a way of getting the newer data into the existing file so as not to mangle the links from our web pages?

[Garry Claridge]

Can you use the ISBN rather than the RecID?

The same goes for the Import. Can you tell FM to only import/update etc based on ISBN, or some other unique identifier?

Good Luck.

Garry