Help for 'Loading Tables Diagram'

To open form in VegBranch, use the "View Loading Tables" option on the toolbar, then the button "Diagram of Tables" button on that form.

This diagram shows the relationship between the different tables in the loading module. Each table is represented as a box, and different information can be displayed for each table, according to the picklists at the top of the diagram. This diagram can be resized with the display controls. You can also double-click a table to get more information that what is seen here, which is controlled also by a picklist at the top of the diagram.

Each loading module table is described in greater detail here. This page describes the relationship between the loading tables.

Text fields link data from one row in one table the data in another table. For example, in Plot Data, the data on the row with AuthorPlotCode= "plot.5" is linked to all data in Strata Cover Data with authorPlotCode = "plot.5". Each link between tables is symbolized by a colored line between the tables in the above diagram. Each line color represents a certain type of field, shown in the key at the top.

Sometimes, there are multiple fields that link tables, and multiple lines connect these tables in the diagram. For example, the yellow line StratumIndex and the red line AuthorPlotCode link Plot Normalized where the strata definitions appear (such as height, cover, valid strata) and Strata Cover where plant data in each stratum is listed. Both fields must be the exact same in both tables for the data to be linked together.

Non-intuative links

There are several tables with non-intuative links. The most widely used are PlantCode and commCode/Name. The lines in the above diagram seem to indicate that plants or communities mentioned in loading tables must be defined in the Species List or Community Concept tables. This is optional. If you use standard names for plants and/or communities, you may not need to use the Species List and/or Community Concept Tables. Standard names (such as scientific names, USDA Codes, CEGL codes) can be looked up in the VegBank module, directly from the other Loading tables, such as Strata Cover and Plot Communities. How these names are looked up is described in the Matching Plants and Matching Communities Forms.

Note also, that Party fields in the loading tables (Plot Data, Plot Norm, Plot Communities) have names other than UserPartyCode, to signify what the parties are doing, and that there may be more than one party contributing in a particular way. The names of the party fields are listed in purple in the above diagram.

Note that the names of communities in the Plot Communities Table are commName1-commName4. These map onto CommCode in the Community Concept table, not CommName.

Note also, that if you use any synonyms or parents in the Species List or Community Concept table, these too will be looked up as Plant/Comm Concepts. First, VegBranch will look up the values in these fields in your Species List/Community Concept Loading Tables, then it will try to match the value to VegBank Module concepts.

Key: VegBranch Loading Tables Names appear like this. Field names appear like this.