so many attributes....

[dustymc]

Between some recent projects, data like #6175, similar data for marine mammals, etc., it seems that we're destined to have hundreds (thousands?!) of attributes.

#3452 may (eventually) make it easier for eg a rodent-centric mammal collection to avoid being overwhelmed with cetacean-specific attributes.

#6111 is the start of a conversation regarding dealing with attributes in tabular form.

@Jegelewicz and I can find no realistic alternatives to just creating attributes as they're requested. This Issue is an acknowledgement that we see the slippery slope and are not sure what's at the bottom of the cliff.

Any alternative viewpoints or approaches, concerns, thoughts, illumination, etc., greatly appreciated!

[Jegelewicz]

Just adding that once the RANGES stuff is added and if the hundreds of measurements in #4533 plus this antler stuff are added - the list of mammal attributes will be pretty BIG. Asking people to scroll through it might be frustrating or intimidating OR maybe it is fine? Just start typing the attribute you want and get there?

[campmlc]

Just typing the start of a value and having the dropdown go there would be a big help. . . possible?

[dustymc]

Possibility: store stuff as JSON - would allow any level of complexity, take only one columns. Would need UI/schema/??? development.

[dustymc]

select
    ctattribute_type.attribute_type,
    count(*) usecount
from
    ctattribute_type
    left outer join attributes on ctattribute_type.attribute_type=attributes.attribute_type
group by ctattribute_type.attribute_type order by count(*);


        attribute_type        | usecount 
------------------------------+----------
 antler diameter              |        1
 luster                       |        1
 antler spread                |        1
 antler circumference         |        1
 tail girth                   |        2
 antler points                |        2
 year class                   |        4
 keywords                     |        7
 gonad                        |        7
 chromatography compound      |        8
 tooth width                  |        9
 brood patch                  |       12
 bursa width                  |       15
 tail base width              |       17
 spleen length                |       19
 hallux length                |       20
 middle toe length            |       20
 verbatim attribute           |       22
 isotope value                |       30
 curved carapace length       |       32
 straight carapace length     |       39
 neck width                   |       40
 gape width                   |       46
 body width                   |       70
 eggshell thickness           |       73
 width                        |       96
 hind limb length             |       97
 nest phenology               |      120
 clutch size of nest parasite |      160
 carapace length              |      170
 electrical conductivity      |      179
 exhibit caption              |      255
 radiometric date             |      270
 portfolio or series          |      297
 egg content weight           |      314
 tested for presence          |      334
 plastron length              |      360
 diploid number               |      477
 head width                   |      599
 ovum                         |      627
 hind foot without claw       |      705
 crystal habit                |      762
 historical                   |      822
 bursa length                 |      829
 calcar length                |      834
 thumb length with claw       |      852
 tooth length                 |      976
 ear from crown               |     1007
 crop contents                |     1014
 right gonad width            |     1100
 breadth                      |     1113
 behavior                     |     1127
 user contributed comments    |     1166
 trap type                    |     1371
 NAGPRA category              |     1452
 parts examined               |     1564
 object title                 |     1581
 axillary girth               |     1634
 right gonad length           |     1664
 curvilinear length           |     1755
 bill width                   |     1856
 extension                    |     1938
 bill depth                   |     2014
 crown-rump length            |     2123
 caste                        |     2316
 Indigenous term              |     2352
 image confirmed              |     2679
 bill length                  |     3338
 body temperature             |     4558
 tail condition               |     4612
 fork length                  |     5756
 abundance                    |     7900
 copyright notice             |     8094
 culmen length                |     8214
 wing span                    |     8632
 inscriptions and marks       |     9546
 verbatim host age            |    10528
 experimental                 |    11648
 framed                       |    13266
 tragus length                |    13638
 copyright status             |    13656
 tarsus length                |    15543
 nest description             |    15596
 dimensions                   |    17295
 forearm length               |    18746
 left gonad width             |    22564
 credit line                  |    23540
 left gonad length            |    23668
 maximum total length         |    27460
 incubation stage             |    33916
 life stage                   |    34782
 soft parts                   |    35778
 subject matter               |    35810
 standard length              |    36505
 gonad weight                 |    37910
 height                       |    41478
 wing chord                   |    41517
 bursa                        |    42370
 body condition               |    42560
 clutch size                  |    45380
 culture of use               |    47205
 head length                  |    49368
 archaeological feature       |    68381
 skull ossification           |    69958
 colors                       |   101100
 number of labels             |   113078
 minimum total length         |   118028
 value                        |   120125
 provenience east             |   122928
 quadrant                     |   124052
 stomach contents             |   131180
 provenience north            |   134172
 pit depth                    |   150880
 verbatim host sex            |   160892
 not examined for             |   161450
 snout-vent length            |   163004
 maximum standard length      |   166060
 minimum standard length      |   171362
 detected                     |   183245
 molt condition               |   199776
 provenience                  |   209895
 numeric age                  |   221868
 location in host             |   253536
 fat deposition               |   305572
 stratigraphic position       |   349804
 not detected                 |   358880
 processing history           |   367620
 square                       |   392250
 verbatim preservation date   |   440661
 examined for                 |   494240
 verbatim host ID             |   742090
 ear from notch               |   770565
 hind foot with claw          |   980406
 culture of origin            |  1024160
 age                          |  1390020
 unformatted measurements     |  1400377
 materials                    |  1820919
 tail length                  |  2032230
 reproductive data            |  2414416
 description                  |  3092299
 total length                 |  3190329
 weight                       |  4731633
 individual count             |  6903923
 age class                    | 15763832
 verbatim agent               | 30950810
 sex                          | 37858405
(146 rows)

[dustymc]

See also https://github.com/ArctosDB/code-table-work/issues/79 - I am still having difficulty determining a direction.