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USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Bird Banding Laboratory
12100 Beech Forest Road
Laurel, MD 20708-4037
NOTE TO ALL BANDERS
March 28, 2007
To: All Banders
From: Chief, Bird Banding Laboratory
Subjects:
1. Bandit and Version 1.02 Release
2. Bandit Training Workshops
3. Correct E-Mail Addresses -- Please Assist Us
4. December 2006 Note to All Banders
1. Bandit and Version 1.02 Release
An updated version (1.02) of Bandit is available on our web site for download at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/resources/bandit/Software/index.html.
In Bandit Version 1.0, there were several problems with handling Bandit data in the BBL that were transparent to the user. One of the main issues involved importing Band Manager data when 'Numeric' wasn't selected in the settings, Age and Sex were blank in the data file sent to the BBL when 'Submit Data' was pressed. Those of you who are in this situation will be contacted shortly after this release to resubmit your data. This now works properly in Bandit 1.02. Bandit 1.02 alleviates the need to export and import data again for your inventory, locations, and banders as that happens automatically during the install process.
The "Bandit Bander Reference Guide" has been extensively rewritten with better descriptions of how to use all of the functions, particularly; importing files from Band Manager, how to ensure your locations are valid, and describing various error messages. There is also a description of how to use the back-up files created by Bandit and a handy new feature where you only have to click and select the back-up file you wish to load. This will be very handy as you learn to navigate through the program. If you make an error that cannot be corrected within the program, you can now easily reload a back-up file to correct it.
The "Bandit Bander Reference Guide" can be found from the Bandit program by clicking on Bandit Help > Bandit Web Site > Bandit Documentation.
We would like to stress the use of the Bandit Help Desk bandithelp@usgs.gov. for any questions, comments or problems you encounter while using the program. A link is also at the bottom of the start page of Bandit. E-mails sent to the Bandit Help Desk will be answered within 48 hours and are generally answered within hours on the day they are received. As with any new software, we are aware there will probably be a few problems that we have not uncovered during our extensive testing at the BBL prior to release. However, we do find that most of the requests for help that we receive are usually answered quite quickly and easily, and most of the problems result from the user being unaware of the full functionality of the program.
Lastly, please be sure that all data files sent to bandit@usgs.gov have a .tab extension.
We have Bandit Training Workshops planned during the following events in April 2007. Contact Frances Hicks (fhicks@usgs.gov) if you need exact times and locations. If you plan to participate in a workshop, please bring your laptop with Bandit (version 1.02) already loaded, as well as some banding data to work with. You may also want to have Band Manager if you have been using it.
Cornell University:
Ithaca, New York on April 16
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center:
Laurel, Maryland on April 24
Additional Bandit Training Workshops to be held later in the year will be announced in the Spring 2007 MTAB.
3. Correct E-Mail Addresses -- Please Assist Us
We received a large number of rejected e-mails from our December 22, 2006 mailing of our "Note To All Banders". In order to help reduce future delivery failures, please be sure your e-mail address is kept current
(http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/resources/modpinfo.cfm).
Please be sure your mail server filter doesn't reject mailings from the Bird Banding Laboratory as spam, that your mail client set-up will allow our mailings to reach you, and that your quota settings on your mail client computer are sufficient to accept our mailings. We appreciate your efforts in helping us reduce the number of rejected e-mails as well as ensure you get the latest information form us. We will US mail this "March Note to All Banders" to any banders for which this email is rejected.
4. December 2006 Note to All Banders
If you did not receive the December 2006 Note to All Banders please be sure you have read and acted upon Item 3 above to resolve the problem. You can view the Note from the MTAB section on our web site (http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/mtab/mtab.htm).