Matching individuals with different names

Support
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1

If this is a bulk import report, send the spreadsheet to services@wildme.org with the email subject line matching your bug report

In which Wildbook did the issue occur?
Flukebook

What operating system were you using?
Windows
What web browser were you using?
Chrome
What is your role on the site? (admin, researcher, etc)
researched
What happened?

Hi there,

I am coming with an issue I tried to fix by myself but I haven’t succeed.

When I was looking at the results of the identification process of this bulk import (https://www.flukebook.org/import.jsp?taskId=55094d54-8373-4a6b-bcaf-9ad83579c91b), I managed to find some matches with previously already identified individuals from DSWP catalog. However, because the identification results page was so long to load, I decided to manually add the name of the individual directly on the page of the Encounter linked. It worked well since all those pictures have been successfully added to the page of each DSWP’s individual.

However, I also added a Alternate-ID for each of those individuals to keep a track of the match, because those individuals have a different name in CCS catalog. And that’s where I am blocked. When I go on the page of the individual 6376 for instance (Flukebook), I can’t see the alternate-ID of CCS_Pm_0111 to link those “two” individuals together. In fact, the individual CCS_Pm_0111 doesn’t even exist in my list of individuals (I can only find the individual 6376). It’s just when I clicked on the page of the encounter where I have done the match that I can see the mention of CCS_Pm_0111 (Flukebook) in the Alternate-ID.

I think it’s probably due to the way I did the match manually and not on the identification page. Before, when an individual was matching against another via the identification page, the mention of the second name would appear like this on the individual page (Flukebook) as for this individual 5127 (with the mention Other values: CCS_Pm_0023).

To be clearer, I would like each alternate-ID to appear as the second name of each already sighted individual in DSWP catalog.

I also have a second problem related to the fact that when I look for an individual in “My individuals” list, I cannot find it under its previous name (i.e CCS first name, i.e it’s second name). I have to look for the DSWP name to be able to find it (it was not the case before). You will see that if you search for CCS_Pm_0023, you will find nothing. You have to go on the page of 5127 to see that it’s the same individual.

I hope it’s clear enough and I thank you in advance for your help ! :wink:

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Hi @lsimon

I tested this in another WIldbook and it does look like setting an Alternate ID on the encounter level only updates the encounter and not the marked individual. I’m not sure if this is intentional or a bug yet. I need more time to keep working on this.

I did add CCS_Pm_0111 as an alternate ID on 6376’s marked individual page by clicking the edit button and scrolling down to the alternate ID section and updating it there. Now when you search for “CCS_Pm_0111” in the search bar on the top of the page, it directs you to 6376’s page.

How recently did this start happening? I’m trying to figure out which Wildbook update may have been the culprit if this worked before but doesn’t anymore. When I search for “CCS_Pm_0023” in the quick search bar at the top of the page, it takes me to the marked individual page for 5127. Unless you’re referring to an Individual Search or an Encounter Search?

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Hi @Anastasia,

Ok great, thank you for looking into this problem :wink:
Indeed, when I go on the global search bar, I can find the individuals under their CCS names and it directs me to the page of the individual with the CCS’name as an alternate ID or in Other values.
The only problem I have, it’s when I look into “My data”, “My individuals” and then search for the CCS individuals into this search bar, I can’t find the individuals that have another name than the CCS ones, under their CCS names.
All I was refering was the search bar into my own list (“My individuals”) but as you mentioned, into the global search bar, it seems to work properly.

Anyway, thanks for your time and help :smiley:

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Ah, yes, the My Individuals page will only display the primary ID in the table. Any other names (alternate ID, previous IDs from merges, nicknames, etc.) are going to be searchable in the top nav/global search or by going to Search > Individuals > Identity filters > Individual names (default, nickname, etc.) contains field.

I’ll let you know as soon as I have an update on the alternate ID assignment issue.

1 Like
5

Hi @lsimon

I have a quick update on this: Setting an alternate ID on the encounter not setting the alternate ID on marked individual page is intentional. An alternate ID on the encounter is really a “field code” and is meant only as an encounter-specific alternate ID.

I’m going to write a ticket that proposes two things:

  1. Change the alternate ID field on the encounter page to be “field code” instead and
  2. Remove it from the Individual section since this field has no impact on the marked individual in the encounter

I’ll follow up with a ticket link soon.

1 Like
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Hi @Anastasia,

Ok, great, thank you !

Is there a quick way for you to set all my alternate-ID as the second name for each already known individual so when I extract data from Flukebook, I know exactly to which individual from my catalog it’s refering to ? I also have a table for the names’matches but it’s just so I am sure that no informations is lost in the process.

As an example, I would like that, on the page of the individual 6302, next to “57123” in the “Other values” section, the CCS name “CCS_Pm_0137” appear as another possible value (as it was set, for instance, in this encounter: 0294ade4-b4ef-46af-a870-394c3c9a85ce). Indeed, even I have the edit access set with DSWP, it seems that I can’t edit myself an individual’s page.

Thanks for your help and have a good week !

1 Like
8

No, there isn’t a quick way to do this. If you’re not able to add the alternate IDs on the individual page, you can email me a spreadsheet with the individual name and the CCS alternate ID and I can add them manually. You can send it to services@wildme.org

1 Like
9

Ok, I just sent you the spreadsheet with the matching names.
Thank you because I couldn’t do it myself.

Have a great day !

1 Like