MarcEdit HTML Help / MarcEditor Startup

Example of Mnemonic File Format:

The mnemonic format can be a challenge for new users at first, but I hope that these challenges are short lived.

=LDR  01070cem  2200277Ia 45e0
=001  ocm09773020\
=003  OCoLC
=005  20010728220424.0
=008  830803m18461948paud\\\\\\a\\\\\0\\\eng\d
=040  \\$aAZP$cAZP$dOCL
=034  1\$aa$b10,000,000$dW1290000$eW1090000$fN540000$gN320000
=052  \\$a4050
=090  \\$aG4050 1848$b.M5
=049  \\$aOREU
=100  1\$aMitchell, S. Augustus$q(Samuel Augustus),$d1792-1868.
=245  10$aNo. 15 map of Oregon and Upper California /$cengraved to illustrate Mitchell's School and family atlas.
=255  \\$aScale [ca. 1:10,000,000]$c(W 129{esc}p0{esc}s--W 109{esc}p0{esc}s/N 54{esc}p0{esc}s--N 32{esc}p0{esc}s)
=260  \\$a[Philadelphia], Pa. :$bMitchell,$c[1848], c1846.
=300  \\$a1 map :$bcol., mounted on cardboard ;$c26 x 20 cm.
=500  \\$aRelief shown by hachures.
=500  \\$aPrime meridians: Greenwich and Washington.
=500  \\$aInset: No. 16 map of the Columbia River.
=651  \0$aWest (U.S.)$xHistorical geography$vMaps.
=740  01$aMap of Oregon and Upper California.
=949  \\$a*recs=b;loc=vmpg/ty=30/sta=-;
=994  \\$aE0$bORE

Format Definitions:

• Leader: This is a necessary part of the mnemonic format (though if it is absent, the MarcEngine will automatically generate one for your record).  This must be the first field in all mnemonic MARC records.  For information on the Leader, or other MARC basics, please see MARC21 Reference Materials found at the United States Library of Congress.
• Spacing: Spacing is a very important aspect of this mnemonic format.  Between the MARC field and the indicators, there must be two spaces.  Not only is it more readable, but it is required. 
• Hard Returns:  The MarcEngine interprets all hard returns as an end of line marker.  Moreover, each mnemonic MARC record must have one blank line between records.
• Special Characters:  Indicators use "\" characters to indicate blank diacritics, and uses special mnemonics to represent diacritics found in the MARC Source.  Delimiters are representing using the "$" character, or ASC character 36.  If your system associates a different character, other then a "$" to ascii character 36, use it for your delimiter instead.  All fields must be pre-pended by an equal sign (example "=245  10").  The equal sign tells the MarcEngine that indeed, an new line has begun.  If this character is not located, the MarcEngine will interpret this line as blank, and consider this line an end of file marker.
• Comments: As of Marcedit 4.5, users can now insert comments into the MarcEdit mnemonic structure. Comments must always start with a # as the first character in the line. When compiled, any commented lines will be ignored. An example of a commented mnemonic file can be seen below:

=LDR  01070cem  2200277Ia 45e0
=001  ocm09773020\
=003  OCoLC

=005  20010728220424.0
=008  830803m18461948paud\\\\\\a\\\\\0\\\eng\d
=040  \\$aAZP$cAZP$dOCL
=034  1\$aa$b10,000,000$dW1290000$eW1090000$fN540000$gN320000
=052  \\$a4050
#=================================================
# Commented lines begin with a # sign.  These lines will be ignored when 
# the record is compiled.
#=================================================
=090  \\$aG4050 1848$b.M5
=049  \\$aOREU
=100  1\$aMitchell, S. Augustus$q(Samuel Augustus),$d1792-1868.
=245  10$aNo. 15 map of Oregon and Upper California /$cengraved to illustrate Mitchell's School and family atlas.
=255  \\$aScale [ca. 1:10,000,000]$c(W 129{esc}p0{esc}s--W 109{esc}p0{esc}s/N 54{esc}p0{esc}s--N 32{esc}p0{esc}s)
=260  \\$a[Philadelphia], Pa. :$bMitchell,$c[1848], c1846.
=300  \\$a1 map :$bcol., mounted on cardboard ;$c26 x 20 cm.
=500  \\$aRelief shown by hachures.
=500  \\$aPrime meridians: Greenwich and Washington.
=500  \\$aInset: No. 16 map of the Columbia River.
=651  \0$aWest (U.S.)$xHistorical geography$vMaps.
=740  01$aMap of Oregon and Upper California.
=949  \\$a*recs=b;loc=vmpg/ty=30/sta=-;
=994  \\$aE0$bORE