I may be missing an option here… but previously when preparing data in OpenRefine to export to Wikidata I was able to import and export previously created schema, so I didn’t have to rebuild them each time, and so that I could share with colleagues.
I can no longer see this option in the Extension which is now referred to as Extensions/Wikibase and shows these options:
Any help and guidance appreciated.
The option to import or export schemas is now available under the “Manage schemas” option -
In this screenshot I’ve currently saved one schema called “test” and I can import additional schemas or export the existing schemas
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There should be a number on the slight grey row… so that users can tell that this is a list of schemas. Currently, it looks like the grey row is just some kind of header… very awkward currently! So, someone should tweak this to improve the UX.
New Issue to work on this - Manage Wikibase schemas should use a list (auto numbered) to improve display · Issue #5893 · OpenRefine/OpenRefine (github.com)
When I tried to save schema here, I could only save one, not multiple schemas - which would be far more helpful.
I’m able to save multiple schema without an issue. Can you give any more information on the steps you take to save a schema?
My approach was to:
- Open Wikibase extension drop down menu
- Choose “Edit Wikibase schema”
- Edit the schema as I need
- Click “Save new” (nb not ‘save’ which saves the current state of the template, but ‘Save new’ which saves it for re-use)
I have to admit that the UI here seems a bit confusing and the documentation seems to not have been updated with the latest changes to the extension 
Thanks for this - maybe that is where I have been going wrong… I will give it another go and get back to you to confirm.
Sorry that this caused confusion and thank you so much for getting in touch about this! This part of the UI was changed during the project to add integration with Wikimedia Commons (with @lozanaross @Sandra).
We did have quite a few back and forth discussions about the wireframes for this part of the UI. It’s sad that we have ended up with something that does not work so well. I think this can totally be revisited, so if you have ideas about how this could be improved let us know.
Hi Antonin,
I can imagine it is not easy to get this so it works for everyone.
I think it might be useful for you if I give you the context of how we are using it at the University of York Library currently.
We are currently adding our research theses metadata into Wikidata, and using OR to edit, reconcile and upload it.
York and the London School of Economics Library have worked on this to produce a toolkit for other academic libraries to do the same if they are interested, without having to develop a process flow for themselves.
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Wikidata_Thesis_Toolkit
If you go into the actual toolkit at look at page 20 and 21, you will see how we were importing a previously prepared schema, which had been saved in a shared drive - in our case Google drive. This was so that multiple staff can access the same schema and input it into OR. ( I had prepared the schema - one for the thesis author, one for thesis title and one for thesis supervisor.)
Ideally it would be easiest for staff to import a prepared schema into OR once, save it with a recognisable name, and then to select it each time from an OR menu as required for this project.
I have created a new schema in OR under the new settings without too many issues, but find that I am struggling to save multiple ones. I think I am not quite understanding the work flow at the moment, and am perhaps failing to save a second schema separate to the one I have already saved. When I think I am saving the second one, I am maybe saving it as the first one with a new name, but I am getting myself quite confused with it!
Anyway - that’s where I am currently.
My email is ruth.elder@york.ac.uk if you wish to get in touch directly,
Many thanks,
Ruth
Thanks for all those insights!
Let me try to make sure I understand the issue correctly. Assuming you have two separate schemas on your drive, say schema-A.json and schema-B.json.
After opening OpenRefine, you could go to the “Manage Wikibase schemas” dialog. There, you could import schema-A.json, giving it a name such as “Schema A”.
After that, you could import `schema-B.json", giving it another name such as “Schema B”.
Once that is done, you would be able to apply either schemas in projects.
Does that workflow fit your needs? Is the problem that you have to import the schemas one by one, instead of selecting multiple files at once?
Hi,
Thanks for that - I think I managed to confuse myself working through the process.
I have now been able to upload the JSON details of previously created schema into OR, save them successfully, and then select as appropriate, prior to exporting data to Wikidata.
So I think I am now clear on what I am doing.
Thank you for your input.
Ruth