Observation utility processes register the operations for managing every reference catalogue in the observation_utility schema. Each process allows authorised users to insert, update, or delete records in a specific catalogue table. These processes must be registered before any observation data management processes, because observation processes depend on the utility catalogues being populated and manageable.

Process files

Process files are located at:

./setup/zzz/ai4sh/setup_processes/json_ai4sh/observation_utility/
File Process registered Target table Min stratum
apparatus_v10_sql.json manage_apparatus observation_utility.apparatus 4
classification_v10_sql.json manage_classification observation_utility.order/family/genus/species/specimen 4
indicator_v10_sql.json manage_indicator observation_utility.indicator 4
indicator_default_unit_v10_sql.json manage_indicator_default_unit observation_utility.indicator_default_unit 4
juxtaposition_v10_sql.json manage_juxtaposition observation_utility.juxtaposition 4
license_v10_sql.json manage_license observation_utility.license 4
location_method_v10_sql.json manage_location_method observation_utility.location_method 4
method_tier_v10_sql.json manage_method_tier observation_utility.method_tier 4
analysis_method_translate_v10_sql.json manage_method_translate observation_utility.analysis_method_translate 4
analysis_method_v10_sql.json manage_method observation_utility.analysis_method 4
preparation_v10_sql.json manage_preparation observation_utility.preparation 4
preservation_v10_sql.json manage_preservation observation_utility.preservation 4
profiling_v10_sql.json manage_profiling observation_utility.profiling 4
provider_v10_sql.json manage_provider observation_utility.provider 4
provision_indicator_v10_sql.json manage_provision_indicator observation_utility.provision_indicator 4
provision_serial_nr_v10_sql.json manage_provision_serial_nr observation_utility.provision (serial number field) 4
provision_v10_sql.json manage_provision observation_utility.provision 4
quantity_default_unit_v10_sql.json manage_quantity_default_unit observation_utility.quantity_default_unit 4
quantity_v10_sql.json manage_quantity observation_utility.quantity 4
setting_system_v10_sql.json manage_setting observation_utility.juxtaposition (setting records) 4
spatial_reference_v10_sql.json manage_spatial_reference observation_utility.spatial_reference 4
storage_v10_sql.json manage_storage observation_utility.storage 4
transportation_v10_sql.json manage_transportation observation_utility.transportation 4
unit_translate_v10_sql.json manage_unit_translate observation_utility.unit_translate 4
unit_v10_sql.json manage_unit observation_utility.unit 4

Access level

All observation utility management processes require a minimum user stratum of 4. This reflects that catalogue management (adding new instrument types, methods, units, etc.) is an administrative-level operation, not something an ordinary data contributor should be able to do. Incorrect or inconsistent catalogue entries would break the referential integrity of all observations that reference them.

Key processes in detail

manage_apparatus

Registers a new type of apparatus — any instrument, tool, laboratory process, or service that can deliver observation data. Parameters:

  • name — generic apparatus name (e.g. “VNIR spectroscopy”, “wet chemistry laboratory”)
  • alias — common shorthand (e.g. “wetlab”)
  • abstract — plain language description

The alias and abstract can be updated; the name cannot (it is a permanent identifier).

manage_provision

A provision combines an apparatus, a provider, and a method tier into a single identifiable combination. This is the key linking record that connects “what instrument” + “who operates it” + “at what professionality level” into a single entity that observations can reference. Parameters:

  • apparatus_id__apparatus_alias — look up apparatus by alias
  • provider_id__provider_alias — look up provider by alias
  • method_tier_id__method_tier_alias — look up method tier by alias

manage_provision_indicator

Links a provision to the specific indicators (measurable values) it delivers, together with the analysis method and unit. This is the record an observation references when storing an actual measurement value. Parameters:

  • provision_id — the provision delivering this indicator
  • indicator_id__indicator_name — the indicator being measured
  • method_id__method_alias — the analysis method used
  • unit_id__unit_symbol — the unit of the reported value

manage_indicator

Registers a measurable soil property. An indicator belongs to a quantity (the physical property type) and has a name, alias, and abstract. The combination of indicator + provision_indicator defines exactly what value an observation stores.

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