Site Forum

I have been discovering a common issue with how folks create, or update, an entry for a new player in our database. Talked to Admin first to make sure I understood, and just passing this along. I'll use this guy I randomly picked as an example:

https://www.tcdb.com/Person.cfm/pid/34907/

I notice lots of times that someone has gone through the trouble to enter something for Full Name (Edson Arantes do Nascimento for Pele). However, folks need to understand the database does NOT use that Full Name field when linking cards to a PiD. If Pele ever had/has a card printed with "Edson Arantes do Nascimento" on it, that card will not link back to Pele. You have to click "edit info" to see this page:

https://www.tcdb.com/AddInfoP.cfm/pid/34907

If a card is printed with his Full Name, you'd have to add 'Edson Arantes do Nascimento' as an Alias as well. Do not only put it in Full Name and think it'll work...it won't. I've spent a LOT of time taking a players Full Name and also adding it as an Alias so that the card will link properly to the PiD.

Passing along for anyone that is adding players names and wants to be sure that common variations, or proper full names, are covered.

Wouldn't it be easier to have Admin include the "Full Name" field in the PID linking proces.

Full Name values aren't unique or required. Adding an Alias is much easier and simpler.

Aliases aren't unique or required either.  Though their "value" is, duplicate Aliases aren't allowed.  If two players have the same alias, e.g., Joey Smith, only one PID can have that in the alias field.

I don't know. I always viewed the full name field as a supplemental field for informational purposes. Can be used to help differentiate players of the same name. If it appears on a card, then ya it should have an alias. To preemptively create aliases for everyones full name would be unnecessary. Say aliases were created for all players from Central or South America with their full proper names with both their fathers and mothers last names as would be proper. Searches of common names would really return a bunch of redundant hits. Im mainly thinking of baseball but I'm sure soccer would be the same.

Storing redundant or unnecessary data Is not generally good database practice. Sure storage cost much less these days, but every extra Alias would have to take a  little extra storage and create many new name records for you and the server to sort through.  How many TIDs we have on the db now? 

Just doesn't seem like good practice to go making aliases for anything not used on a card.

I have asked about this with common names like Rocket / Raghib Ishmael or with non-sports cards but since I haven't created a PID I ever them in as checklist and if it doesn't highlight and connect then I go through and figure out why...but...the cards with someone's full name SHOULD connect to the player as ADMIN have told me in the past whwn I pointed out I couldn't find a player based on the name but there was a space in the set... I guess I'm saying this isn't a thread for everyone; more specifically people who have been on here longer and have more permissions because this could be a potential nightmare (like checklists) if everyone starts creating pid's without making sure there isn't already a linked player name...Does that make sense? I'm not sure if I'm articulating my point correctly. Happy Friday! Becky Elizabeth