Where do people go wrong when making entries - most common errors?

What could we do to make your task easier when we enter a plant?

Thank you all for the intense work you do to make this site so informative and so helpful to so many.

I once posted two threads in the Plant Database Forum to point out the most common errors we run into in data proposals and new plant proposals.

The thread "Common errors in data proposals" in Plant Database forum

The thread "Common errors in new plant proposals" in Plant Database forum

Regarding your second thread, there have been 108 views but the maladies seem to linger. The first thread has had 382 views and yet the issue of feet and inches continues. Is there a way you can bounce back the proposal until it's presented correctly?

Or, would it be possible for plant entries to automatically bounce it back if something is wrong just as spell-check highlights anything suspected of being an error?

You do have the patience of a saint.

The issue of feet and inches is one we may never be able to conquer. In fact, some of the database moderators are still using abbreviations (ft. and in.) or single and double quotes in their own sections of the database.

The trouble with bouncing proposals back is that we have to include a message to explain the error. That often leads to an exchange of tree-mails and can take longer than the alternative of simply approving the proposal and then correcting the errors we notice. If a person submits many proposals and makes the same errors consistently, I usually send a tree-mail to explain the correct format.

Perhaps this is a job for Super Dave. He comes up with solutions for problems with such amazing speed that this could be a challenge for him.

Clearly all your tree mails, specifying the errors, are in vain with some people. Habits are hard to break but a big note on the face of the computer saying "Do not use ft. and in." would probably be ignored.

zuzu said:The issue of feet and inches is one we may never be able to conquer. In fact, some of the database moderators are still using abbreviations (ft. and in.) or single and double quotes in their own sections of the database.

I actually woke up this morning thinking about this. We have areas of the database that are really "ranges" rather than fixed values. Hardiness zones go from one point to another and every zone inside those points apply. Same with height and spread. My thinking is to replace those text fields into ranged slider bars or something like that.

Let's move this discussion over here:

The thread "Handling ranges in the database" in Plant Database forum

pirl said:Where do people go wrong when making entries - most common errors?

What could we do to make your task easier when we enter a plant?

Thank you all for the intense work you do to make this site so informative and so helpful to so many.

If I could, I would love to make one request when people entering data into plant entries. That is, enter the information you KNOW, but please don't just GUESS. One common example is the Inflorescence Type field. There are 16 choices within that field, each with fairly precise definitions. The odds of guessing the right one are slim. It's far better to leave fields blank when you aren't sure. Empty fields invite someone else to fill the gaps. Incorrect information is more persistent and difficult to root out.

I have been completely out of touch for several days and won't get a chance to completely catch up. I did get to see some of the lovely new data base pics. I would like to add a few to the winter interest Database pics. But I can't seem to find it?

When you add a photo to any plant in the database, you'll see the option. It asks you what kind of image it is and the last option is "Winter Interest"

Thanks Dave,