This Specify 7.6.0 update is being released simultaneously with Specify 6.8.01. Both platforms require a database schema update for existing Specify 6 and 7 installations. The new Specify database schema is v2.9 updated from current production v2.7 (v2.8 skipped).
Here is the GitHub list of user-facing software issues (except for the WorkBench) fixed or enhanced in this release: Issues Fixed in the Specify 7.6.0 Release.
See: Specify Schema Update (v2.9): Additions, Changes, Virtual Fields for a list of the data tables and fields added and changed in the Specify v2.9 schema update, as well as new virtual, calculated fields outside of the schema.
The highlight of this Specify 7 release is a new WorkBench module. Much SCC software engineering during 2020 through mid-2021 was focused on developing it. The WorkBench is an effective tool for capturing new records from specimen digitization or for migrating old records from legacy systems. We re-designed the WorkBench to be able to import and upload more kinds of data into a Specify collection database--with increased flexibility for mapping between external data columns and Specify database fields; comprehensive error checking, validating and editing of Data sets, and with efficient uploading of data into the database. The new WorkBench has intuitive features for ‘everyday uploading’ and advanced settings for more complex mapping and uploading workflows. Data sets created with Specify 6 or previous versions of Specify 7 will not be compatible with the new WorkBench and will be inaccessible in the new version.
This document: Specify 7.6.0 Release Notes: New WorkBench includes a structured walk-through of the operation of the new Specify 7 WorkBench on a public Specify7 test server.
Another major push in the development of Specify 7.6.0 was the elaboration and documentation of Specify 7 server APIs. This was in response to increasing community interest in API integrations and for a global, digital object based, biodiversity data architecture.
Current Specify API documentation can be viewed on the demonstration server at:
http://api.test.specifycloud.org/documentation/api/tables/ and http://api.test.specifycloud.org/documentation/api/operations/
Each installation of Specify 7.6.0 will have this API documentation
interface turned on by default and be accessible at the server URL
with the /documentation/… string postpended.
Last but not least with the concurrent 7.6.0 and 6.8.01 Specify releases we are excited to announce the creation of the Specify Network. With these updates, both Specify 6 and 7 are now integrated with it. The Specify Network’s initial API-based integrations find and return information held in aggregators and name authorities about specimens in your collection.
For an introduction to the new Specify Network and its current services see the Specify Network page on the Specify Collections Consortium site.