# /research/software/pears/documentation/pears_db_desc_config.htm

originally: http://www.oclc.org/research/software/pears/documentation/pears_db_desc_config.htm

# Pears Database Description Configuration File

## Contents

Introduction
Sections in a Database Description Configuration File

> [Bartlett]
> [DB]
> [Record Handler Section]
> [Indexing Rules Section]
> [LockServer]

Example Database Description Configuration File

## Introduction

A Pears database description configuration file contains the rules for creating a Pears database. It is divided into various sections in which you can set block size, declare input record format, and define indexes. Optionally, you may also include a section in the file to reference a specific record handler.

## Sections in a Database Description Configuration File

The following sections make up a typical database description configuration file:

Section | Description
--- | ---
[Bartlett] Optional | Contains optional parameters specific to the Bartlett utility
[DB] Required | Declares file and formatting characteristics for the database
[Indexing Rules Section] Required | Contains an index definition for each separate index for the database
[Record Handler] Dependent | Sets parameters for the specific record handling class that is used to convert the input data into database records Example: `[HandleUSMARC] deleteChars=d` Note: Some record handling classes (record handlers) require or need additional parameters in order to interpret and convert input data successfully. These parameters vary according to the record handler being used and the nature of the data being imported into the database.
[LockServer] Optional | Declares the host and port for the lock server that prevents the same database from being updated by two simultaneous Bartlett sessions

## Parameters in Each Section of a Database Description Configuration File

[Bartlett] Section - Optional for: All

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
badRecordMessageFile | Contains the text of a message when a record is not successfully committed to the database during a load

[DB] Section - Required for: All

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
blocksize | Sets the size of each file block in the database (.pdb) file for the storage of data and indexes
InputRecordType | Declares the record format of the input file so that Bartlett uses the correct record handling class to inport the data
RecordIDIndex | Points to the index within the database description configuration file that is mapped to the unique ID field within each record
Name | Declares the name of the database

[Record Handler] Section - Optional for: All

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
Various parameters | The parameters and their settings within this section vary according to the record handler that is being used and the nature of the data being imported. Note: The section name must match the name of a valid record handler and must also correspond with the `InputRecordType` declared in the [DB] section of the same database description configuration file.

[Indexing Rules] Section - Required for: All

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
[rule label] | This is the descriptive label for a specific index. You may choose any label you like, although we recommend something meaningful that suggests the index's type, purpose, or content. The label must be unique, but is not linked to a corresponding item in a list located somewhere else within the database description configuration file.
index= | Unique index ID that is used internally to identify an index from all others for a particular database Notes: The index ID is used to map an index defined in a WebZ database configuration file to its corresponding index in the .pdb file, which ultimately provides searcher access to a database from the WebZ Interface.
tagpath* | BER field tags that represent the sequence of nested parent and data tags within a record that must be traversed in order to find the term(s) to be indexed Note: Since most indexes are collections of terms from different fields within a record, an index definition often has multiple tag paths.
routine | References the specific class (index routine) that is used to extract terms and build an index

[LockServer] Section - Optional for: All

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
Host | Name of the host on which the lock server is running
Port | Port on the host at which the lock server listens

## Example Database Description Configuration File

The following example is a database description configuration file for a MARC database:

`[DB] blocksize=16384 InputRecordType=ChinaMarc Name=tsinghua RecordIDIndex=1 [Accession Number] index=1 routine=ORG.oclc.pears.IndexRoutines.Phrase tagpath*=001 [Date Completed] index=2 routine=ORG.oclc.pears.IndexRoutines.Phrase tagpath*=022/37 [Catalog Language] index=3 routine=ORG.oclc.pears.IndexRoutines.ISO639Language tagpath*=031/37 [Document Language] index=4 routine=ORG.oclc.pears.IndexRoutines.ISO639Language tagpath*=040/37`

## See Also

- Creating a Pears Database
- Pears Record Handling Classes
- Pears Indexing Classes

## Pears Contact

- Ralph LeVan (levan@oclc.org)

Content Last Modified: March 28, 2001