Questions about OPR image availability

[JayPee]

On SP's "What's in the database" availability page, it shows that images for OPRs will become available "Commencing 2005". I have performed some searches, and for a few of these the search page summary shows that an OPR record exists, but instead of a link to an image, it shows "No Image". That's fine, I still have some patience.

Now the questions, for the SP User Group insiders:
1) If I re-visit my "Previous Searches" page at some time in the future and follow to that same OPR search summary page, will the "No Image" change into a link to the OPR image when the image finally becomes available, or is that search summary page a "static" page that will not be updated when the image is available? (i.e. Do I need to re-do the same search again to see an update? I hope not...)
2) I understand that this project, digitising and linking the OPRs, is an immense undertaking, but is there a rough estimate of when this might be complete?
3) Is there any specific order in which these are being done? By year, by parish, by RD, by county, by ??? ... and ...
4) Is there a list showing when I might expect to be able to find images for a specific area?

I know these target deadlines are susceptible to slippage due to a multitude of potential problems, but I'm just looking for "ballpark" guesses -- I won't consider any estimates to be promises...

Thanks,
- JayPee

[sheilajim]

Hi Jaypee

I would like to know this too. Maybe Davie can answer it.

[DavidWW]

On SP's "What's in the database" availability page, it shows that images for OPRs will become available "Commencing 2005". I have performed some searches, and for a few of these the search page summary shows that an OPR record exists, but instead of a link to an image, it shows "No Image". That's fine, I still have some patience.

Now the questions, for the SP User Group insiders:
1) If I re-visit my "Previous Searches" page at some time in the future and follow to that same OPR search summary page, will the "No Image" change into a link to the OPR image when the image finally becomes available, or is that search summary page a "static" page that will not be updated when the image is available? (i.e. Do I need to re-do the same search again to see an update? I hope not...)

Don't know, we'll ask at the next UG meeting.

2) I understand that this project, digitising and linking the OPRs, is an immense undertaking, but is there a rough estimate of when this might be complete?

As far as I know the images are complete, it's the re-indexing that's taking the time.

3) Is there any specific order in which these are being done? By year, by parish, by RD, by county, by ??? ... and ...

No idea ! See answer to No.1

4) Is there a list showing when I might expect to be able to find images for a specific area?

'Fraid not.

I know these target deadlines are susceptible to slippage due to a multitude of potential problems, but I'm just looking for "ballpark" guesses -- I won't consider any estimates to be promises...

Thanks,
- JayPee

If the project is completed on a county-by-county basis then the UG have already argued for the data & images to be made available on the same basis. I'd have hoped for the first info some time during 2006..........

David

[sporran]

Hello JayPee,


the answer to 1) is yes. Previous searches for all areas are "dynamic", i.e. they are updated with the current information. (This has caused confusion when people have returned to an old search to show a problem, only to find out that the problem has been fixed).


Regards,

John

[JayPee]

Thanks for the helpful info, David and John ... it's nice to have friends in high places
- JayPee