The “Reference” Table from the former Biotics Database has been exported from Oracle into a static Excel workbook for referencing use only. A copy of the original source reference table, BIOTICS_USER_REFERENCE, is now locatable on the network at K:\Natural Resources\REFERENCE_BIOTICS_USER--SourceAbstracts.xlsx.
So what does this mean? Where’s the value?
Since the death of Biotics, the various tables within the database have been effectively frozen until we can get them migrated and properly accessible through our IFWIS system, using SQL Server and a web interface. As a result, we have been accomplishing “back-door” queries to the Oracle DB by using Access and ODBC to link to the data. However, this can be risky as it allows for potential corruption of the data. To prevent corruption and allow for data migration, these database tables been locked down.
By exporting the former Biotics “Reference” table into an excel workbook/spreadsheet, YOU can now access existing data using Excel and may query records. If you DON’T find a Source Abstracted record in there, then we can add it to an Excel spreadsheet that we are using to track NEW Source Abstract records.