I have updated this a little.
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Guidelines for State File Managers/Archivists
FTP Site:
NOTE: USGenWeb Archives file managers (archivists) will use the two
directories:
archive_html - for images, graphics, scanned documents, tocs (tables
of content), zipped files
archive_ftp - for the actual text files
1. Include a HEADER/HEADLINE on the FIRST line of every text file,
describing the file. For example:
LUNENBURG COUNTY, VIRGINIA - 1850 U.S. CENSUS
The search engine returns the "header" and this will help researchers
navigate and browse the files of their choice.
1a. Use lowercase (i.e. no CAPS) Spell out county name without the
word county, no special characters, and no spaces (e.g. harrison,
princegeorges). Do not put underlines, prince_george, st._luke, in
filenames or directories. NEVER create directories that contain
spaces.
1b. Upload non-text files as binary. Never upload a text file as
"binary."
2. Do not create sub-directories unless there is a file located there.
3. Under county, use subdirectories established by USGenWeb Archives
(e.g. wills, deeds, vitals, census, misc). For example:
usgenweb/ma/berkshire/wills/[filename].
Acceptable sub-directories include:
/bibles/
/bios/
/cemeteries/
/census/
/church/
/deeds/
/history/
/book/
/quarterly/
/school/
/letters/
/land/
/military/
/civilwar/
/revwar/
/warof1812/
/ww1/
/ww2/
/letters/
/pensions/
/newspapers/
/obits/
/taxlists/
/vitals/
/births/
/deaths/
/marriages/
/wills/
4. For states where towns are political entities, a sub-directory may
be used under the county directory. For example,
usgenweb/ct/tolland/towns/mansfield/wills. In states where cities are
independent, a sub-directory can be created. For example,
usgenweb/va/richmond/census.
5. NO Gedcoms.
6. The USGenWeb Archives are not a replacement for state and/or county
websites (XXGenWeb). Therefore, links to files on other sites are not
to be placed on the state tocs of the Archives. Linking to files other
than those located in the USGenWeb Archives should be placed on the
appropriate state or county website.
File Names:
1. Within a given directory, all filenames must be unique.
2. File names cannot contain more than 8 (eight) characters. (e.g.
cens001a.txt). This is based on the DOS naming convention. Remember to
always use lower case.
3. Suggestions for naming files:
* a. Since the files will be located in sub-sub-directories under
each county sub-directory, the first characters should be
descriptive, such as "1880cens.txt". If the file pertains to a
specific family, it might be helpful to use Soundex. If the file
contains information on several surnames, use standard
abbreviations such as will, deed, vita, cens, chur, bapt. Use
freestyle abbreviations when appropriate.
* b. The three characters at the end may be .txt indicating text,
.zip indicating zipped file, etc. Zipped files should also be
available uncompressed. NOTE: Put zipped files in the archive_html
directory, not in the archive_ftp directory.
Examples of file names
usgenweb/tn/lincoln/pubs/pion001.zip
(publ) Lincoln Co TN Pioneers, volume 1, zipped
usgenweb/tn/lincoln/church/bethel.zip
(church records) Bethel Church records, zipped
usgenweb/ky/pulaski/cemetery/nancy.zip
(cemetery records) Cemeteries of Nancy, Pulaski Co KY
usgenweb/va/campbell/families/Carter04.zip
Carter family of Campbell Co VA, file #4.
State archive file managers must follow the rules established for the
USGenWeb Archives. The archive committee will have "owner" access to
all state directories.
BACK UP your FILES! Rootsweb provides backups of the files, too.
After you add a data file, update the state table of contents page
(toc), which is stored on the web side in HTML format so that visitors
can click and download the file of their choice, if they choose not to
search the ftp site. There should be some type of communication
between the file managers and state and county coordinators for
announcements of newly uploaded files. County coordinators should be
familiar with their county's directory of the USGenWeb Archives:
ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ss/cccccc
Never upload a file without a submitter's permission.
All state table of contents pages will remain at Rootsweb and linked
from the US table of contents. -
www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/xx/xxfiles.htm
When in doubt, look at the top of
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/newstats.html for the proper categories
And I would really prefer that you don't put .zip files in the archives.
Thanks,
David
dmorgan(a)efn.org David W. Morgan Honolulu Hawaii
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ga/gafiles.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/okfiles.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tx/txfiles.htm