BirdBase Conversion

Move up to AviSys' advanced features, functions, beautiful printed output, and rapid data entry. We now offer data conversion from BirdBase for Windows to AviSys 4.5x, and then to AviSys 6, via a comprehensive, interactive data conversion program.

Automatic Conversion

• All records automatically assigned to the correct nation and/or state.
• BirdBase trip locations installed as AviSys Key Words.
• BirdBase Notes > 48 characters converted to AviSys Field Notes.
• If you have BirdArea, it is completely integrated with AviSys. (Look here and look here.)
• Automatic check to ensure all BirdBase species with sightings match AviSys species.
• Automatic conversion of BirdBase "European" names to AOU names for ABA Area birds (ex: Black-necked Grebe to Eared Grebe).

Optional Interactive Conversion

• Interactively assign BirdBase "trips" to AviSys hierarchical geographic system (Places: Sites, Cities, Counties, States, Nations, Continents - look here).
• Interactively assign BirdBase "Re", "Lo", "Ho"* to AviSys Places, Attributes, or Key Words.
• Interactively assign BirdBase "S1", "S2", "S3", "S4" to AviSys Attributes - look here, Key Words, or Places.
• All interactive assignments optional -- any can be ignored.

* BirdBase allows only one "Ho" (Home). Thus, when you move, you end up with sightings from multiple locations assigned to "Ho" -- in reports you have to split them up by calculating and entering the correct date ranges.
In AviSys, you will be able to re-assign these records to multiple Places (your multiple homes), and then run reports on those Places directly without having to calculate and enter the correct data ranges.
Your multiple homes, in AviSys, would be Sites, with linkages, such as: 123 Main Street, Seattle, King County,WA; 456 Oak Street, Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, NM.
This same problem, and AviSys solution, might also apply to "Re" and "Lo."
"Na" would typically be ignored since it is meaningless after the AviSys conversion.

Instructions:

Warning: This download will do absolutely nothing unless you have both AviSys 4.5 and BirdBase for Windows.

*** If you are concurrently ordering AviSys Version 6, please let us know in the comments section of the order to also send you a temporary copy of Version 4.5 to use for this conversion process. After converting BirdBase to AviSys Version 4.5, you will then install Version 6 and have a quick, automatic conversion to it.

*** If your BirdBase taxonomy is older than three years, use Version 4.5 as it is supplied. If your BirdBase taxonomy is newer than three years, download and install, in Version 4.5, the Clements 2005 Taxonomy Update from the AviSys web site before proceeding with the conversion.

Print this web page -- you will need it later.

Click on this link to download the file BBSETUP.EXE (Updated 12/7/2006)

Remember the folder your browser places the file in -- including the entire path. If the path includes "DESKTOP" then an icon for the file will probably be on your desktop.

After the download, when you are ready to do the conversion, start Windows Explorer (or File Manager).

If you are using Windows Explorer:

• Select View. If Details does not have a dot or check by it, click it.
• Select View, then Options (or Folder Options). Select the View tab in the dialog, and un-check the "Hide file extensions . . ." box. OK the dialog.

Locate the downloaded file, BBSETUP.EXE, in Windows Explorer or File Manager (or possibly on your desktop) and execute it by double-clicking it.

The installer automatically finds your copy of AviSys and renames the current AviSys program, AVISYSP.EXE, to AVISYSP.XXX. (The original program will be restored after the conversion.)

The installer places the following files in your AviSys folder:

• AVISYSP.EXE -- a special version of AviSys 4 for conversion.
• BBCONV.DOC -- conversion instructions and documentation in WordPad/Word 6 format. It is automatically presented to you for printing.

(If you have not already printed it, double-click BBCONV.DOC and print it.)

Note: if you are not using Windows 95 or Windows 98, BBCONV.DOC will probably not work on your system. Contact us at <support@avisys.net> for a text copy of the instructions.

Proceed with the printed conversion instructions.

If you use BirdArea, instructions are provided to completely integrate BirdArea with AviSys.

(If you have been using AviSys for some time, and want to append converted BirdBase data to your existing AviSys data, call us before doing so. Also, if you have birded in Russia both east and west of the Urals, call us.)