trouble importing tiers
Up one level
trouble importing tiers
First I have to convert file A, saved as .txt into a .eaf. I am able to do this by importing the .txt into a blank elan file.
Then, I merge this file A with file B. File B is already a .eaf. Next, I merged files A and B, creating file C, so that the two tiers from File A and the three from file B are on the same file, file C.
Next, I have to import a template into file C. This template has the five tiers included in file C, and then about ten more. However, the template also also has dependencies between the tiers, including dependencies between the tiers originally in file C. When I import the tiers, Two different things will happen:
1. File C has the tiers Speaker 1, Speaker 2, Speaker 1 Hands, Speaker 2 Hands, and Researcher.
In the template, Speaker 1 Hands is dependent on Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 Hands are dependent on Speaker 2. When I import the tiers into file C,
I see the original Speaker 1 Hands independent of Speaker 1. When I try to change the tier dependencies, Elan creates a copy of Speaker 2 Hands that is dependent on Speaker 1. So I have to go back and delete the independent Speaker 1. The same situation occurs for Speaker 2, Speaker 2 Hands.
2. Elan will create copies of Speaker 1 or Speaker 2 and Researcher. Researcher always has copies, but there are not always copies of Speaker 1 or 2 and there are never copies of both on the same annotation
How can I import the tiers so that the template overwrites the original tiers in File C while keeping the same annotations? This way there aren't any extra copies of tiers and I can import the tier dependencies.
Thank you
Re: trouble importing tiers
To start with the last question: this is not implemented.
The main reason for this is that when changing an independent tier into a dependent tier normally one of the existing constraint stereotypes has to be selected (in your case this can be taken from the template) and must be applied to the annotations on the changing tier. This can lead to a loss of annotations, e.g. if there are annotations on the (new) depending tier outside of the intervals of annotations on the parent tier, or, if there are multiple annotations within one parent annotation and the new constraint permits only one.
Therefore we have chosen to create a copy of a tier when the user changes the hierarchy; the result can be evaluated before deleting the original tier.
Now, if you know what you are doing and take care of where you create annotations etc. applying a template to an existing eaf file might work satisfactorily and save a lot of time. In terms of implementation, it could become a quite complex task (a lot of checking should be done); so I can put it on the request list but I'm not sure if it can be given a high priority.
-Han
Release of ELAN 4.3.0
