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Check Omeka S Template Dependencies Before Importing a Photo Schema

By ImgHeal · Updated

An Omeka S resource-template JSON file can depend on capabilities not present in the receiving installation. Review vocabularies and module-specific value types before importing. A template with the same labels may behave differently when those dependencies are missing or replaced.

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Inventory the source template

Record its label, intended class, property terms, data types, required fields, visibility defaults, and language conventions. Note any controlled-value module or suggestion service used by contributors. Keep a representative record showing how the schema is applied. Separate the template's structure from its actual photo records and uploaded media; moving one does not automatically move the others. Ask the destination maintainer to compare the dependency list with their installed setup before you begin a large migration.

Review the import mapping

Omeka S documents exporting templates as JSON and reviewing them during import. Its instructions call out dependencies such as custom vocabularies and module-based data types. Follow that review rather than accepting an automatically substituted type without inspection. Compare property identifiers, not just friendly labels that may have been customized. Use a copied or testing installation when appropriate, and preserve the receiving site's existing templates. This procedure concerns schema portability; it is not a reason to loosen site permissions or install unreviewed modules casually.

Enter and retrieve a small sample

Create a few authorized test records including an uncertain date, a linked person, a multilingual description, and a private working note if the schema uses one. Check saving, public display, search, and any planned export. Confirm that field meaning and visibility match the documented intention. Record any deliberate substitution and its consequences before adopting the template for real records. Keep original scans and restored viewing files identifiable outside the schema transfer so a successful template import is not confused with complete preservation of the photo collection.

Check this workflow

  • List property terms and module-based data types.
  • Inspect the import review for substitutions.
  • Test uncertain and multilingual sample records.

Sources and further reading

Questions about this restoration task

Does an imported template include the photographs described by it?

No. Treat template structure, metadata records, and media files as separate migration components and verify each.

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