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Configure primary column for searches

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Learn how to change the primary key in an OLIB domain search.

About the Primary Column

The Primary Column is the main identifier in a particular OLIB domain search. It is the "field" in the hitlist that displays as a link to the record details screen. In the List View the Primary Column is displayed on the first line of the hitlist, with the other fields on the second line. See the record in the search below:

Traditional Irish cooking : the fare of Old Ireland and its history / Gravette, A G; Cook, Debbie.  (2008)
Classmark:    641.59    Format:  Books    Co. of copies: 1

The primary key is determined automatically by OLIB Web. However, the system manager can change an OLIB search to have a different Primary Column or "main identifier" to override OLIB Web's automatic assignment.

Example - Invoices domain
In the Invoices by Invoice Key search, the OLIB Web hitlist uses the Supplier column as the primary column by default, rather than the first column (the Invoice Key column):

Askews and Holts Library Services
Invoice Key: 68

Dawson Books
Invoice Key: 7

Change the primary column

In the above example, it is more logical to use the Invoice Key column as the primary column because the search is against the invoice key rather than the supplier.

Configure a search to use a specific column as the primary column

  1. Go to Admin Client Configuration> Search Templates.
  2. Search for the relevant search, e.g: invoice%

Invoice Items Secondary Search
Search:    2INVI01

Invoice by Invoice Key
Search:    PIV01

Invoice by Supplier
Search:    PIV02

  1. Click the link to display the Search Template details, e.g. Invoice by Invoice Key.
  2. Click the Template Attributes tab.
  3. On the Template Attributes sheet, select the column you would like OLIB Web to use as the primary column, then in Actions choose Make Primary.

 Note: you can only mark columns as primary that are included in the hitlist (Show = Y).

Template Attributes sheet

Show Primary Attribute Prompt
<link>   invoices_infotype Invoices Infotype
<link>   Invoice No. Invoice Number
 Y   Invoice Key Invoice Key
 Y   invoices_supplier.sp_supname Supplier
 <link>   Invoice Key Invoice Key
 <link>   Invoice No.  

(Show=Y means Yes these columns are included in the hitlist).

 Tip: if another column is already marked as the primary column, you do not have to unmark it first. Marking another column as the primary column automatically unmarks the current primary column.

If you check the box and use the Make Non-Primary action to unmark the current primary column, this will revert to OLIB Web choosing the primary column automatically.

  1. Next you need to rebuild OLIB Web. Log out and back in to OLIB Web, for any changes to the primary column to take effect. In this example the primary column is no longer Supplier, it is Invoice Key:

68
Supplier/Publisher:  Askews and Holts Library Services

7
Supplier/Publisher:  Dawson Books