====== 340 Biographical Dates / Dates of Existence (O;R) ======

==== Field Definition and Scope ====

This field contains information about the time a person or printer  has lived or was active or about the time a corporate body did exist.






==== Application of Content Designators ====

=== Indicators ===
\\
**Indicator 1: Specifies the type of data**

  * **0**  Biographical Dates

  * **1**  Dates of Activity

**Indicator 2: Specifies the type of input:**

  * **0**  Field has been input or corrected by cataloguer and cannot be overwritten in automated updating processes

  * **1**  Field has been input by automated addition; review by cataloguer may be necessary

=== Subfields ===
\\
\\

** $8 Language Code (M;NR) **\\
see the [[numerical subfields|description of numerical subfields]].

**$a Unparsed dates (M;NR)**\\
Dates given in plain text, including any textual additions or comments etc.

**$x Dates in machine-readable form (O;NR)**\\
Year of birth and year of decease / year of beginning of activity or existence and year of end of activity or existence. This subfields has 10 character positions which must all be filled.

**$9 Temporary data (O;NR) **\\
see the [[numerical subfields|description of numerical subfields]].






==== Input Conventions ====

In case this field is input manually it should not be repeated, unless there are differing (or contradictory) statements that should be recorded, or statements in different languages. Automatic merger of records from different sources may also cause a repetition of this field. It is strongly recommended that in case this field is repeated that there is always one field giving just the (most likely) dates in subfields $a and $x, with the language of $a being indicated as ''und'' (undefined).

The data in **subfield $x** must be entered according to the following pattern:

   µBBBBµEEEE

µ indicates whether the following year belongs to the Christian era or not:

  * **a**  the following numeral indicates a year A.D.

  * **b**  the following numeral indicates a year B.C.

  * **u**  date is unknown (the following positions are left blank)

If only one date is given, the character positions of the other date should contain blanks. In this case, character position 0 or 5 will hold "u" (unknown)
   
**BBBB** indicates the year of birth or the year of beginning of activity or existence, using four digits, right justified and zerofilled.

**EEEE** indicates the year of decease or the year of ending activity or existence, using four digits, right justified and zerofilled







==== Mapping ====
When creating an RDF description, the following mapping is applied

|$a|rdaGr2:biographicalInformation|if indicator 1 holds ''0'' and the record describes a person|
|$x/0-4|rdaGr2:dateOfBirth|if indicator 1 holds ''0'' and the record describes a person|
|$x/5-9|rdaGr2:dateOfDeath|if indicator 1 holds ''0'' and the record describes a person|
|$x|rdaGr2:periodOfActivityOfThePerson|if indicator 1 holds ''1'' and the record describes a person|

  * rdaGr2 represents the namespace "http://rdvocab.info/ElementsGr2/"
  * The RDA ontologies are registerd with the open metadata registry ([[http://metadataregistry.org/schemaprop/show/id/1141.html]])

**Mapping Example**
<code>
<rdf:Description rdf:about="http://thesaurus.cerl.org/cnp00541566">
  <rdaGr2:nameOfThePerson>Lechler, Lorenz &lt;Künstler, 16. Jh.&gt;</rdaGr2:nameOfThePerson>
  <rdaGr2:biographicalInformation xml:lang="de">-1550. - Todesjahr ca.</rdaGr2:biographicalInformation>
  <rdaGr2:dateOfDeath>1550</rdaGr2:dateOfDeath>
  <rdaGr2:periodOfActivityOfThePerson>1525-1547</rdaGr2:periodOfActivityOfThePerson>
</rdf:Description>
</code>


==== Examples ====

  - 200 #1$aMerula$bPaullus$5NeHKB \\ 340 01$8und$a1558-1607$xa1558a1607
  - 212 #0$aUniversität$rGöttingen$5GYMG \\ 340 00$8ger$agegr. 1737$xa1737u####
  - 200 #1$aHyperides$5GyFmDB \\ 340 01$8ger$aca. 390 - 320 v. Chr$xb0390b0320
  - 200 #1$aCollins$rCaptain$5ESTC(AACR2) \\ 340 01$8eng$ad. ca. 1724$xu####a1724


==== Internal Representation ====
//for biographical data (first indicator holds ''0'')://
<code javascript>
{"data": {"bioDates": [{
    "lang": "language code ($8)",
    "text": "unparsed data ($a)",
    "start": year ($x),
    "end": year ($x),
    "tmp": "temporary data ($9)",
    "prc": 1|0
}]}}
</code>

//for activity data (first indicator holds '1')://
<code javascript>
{"data": {"actDates": [{
    "lang": "language code ($8)",
    "text": "unparsed data ($a)",
    "start": year ($x),
    "end": year ($x),
    "tmp": "temporary data ($9)",
    "prc": 1|0
}]}}
</code>

==== Change history ====
  * //14.07.2017//: Indicator value 'x' in subfield $x will no longer be supported once the CT migrates into its new enviroment. Any value 'x' will be changed to 'u' during data ingest.
  * //14.07.2017//: Subfield $6 will no longer be supported, once the CT migrates into its new environment.
  * //14.07.2017//: Subfield $9 added to the format description