Errors on marking item as missing pieces

Both errors confirmed on 2.9.3. Clicking on the Debug Output to send to Helpdesk button helps to clarify the error. I agree that the overall message isn't entirely user friendly.

1. For handling in-transit items, we can go with an org setting to automatically (or not) abort the transits or we can go with a new dialog that lets staff decide. Or something else... I prefer the org setting.

2. I confirmed the precat copy issue in 2.12. If the precat is still checked out, it processes OK. But, if the API has to re-check out the item it fails because it does not handle the precat checkout steps, where it makes the secondary call w/ the dummy title, etc.

In addition to this, there's a bug in the browser client that causes an early failure when processing precats. I've included a fix for that in my in-progress branch:

http://git.evergreen-ils.org/?p=working/Evergreen.git;a=shortlog;h=refs/heads/user/berick/lp1257910-missing-pieces-repairs

Thanks for looking at this bug Bill!

I think a dialog may be better approach than an org unit setting because this might be a case-by-case decision. If the patron is still at the library when the staff person notices the missing pieces, they may promise to bring in the missing piece the next day, in which case, the library might want to hold on to it. If the patron is unreachable, the library may want to send it along to the owning library.

For the options, Tina suggested keeping it at the library or sending it into transit. However, when the action is performed at the home library, the system automatically checks it out to the most recent patron. Should that be an option too? If we do make that an option in the dialog, we may be wandering into the territory of bug 1441245.

Currently the function is available on CheckIn screen only. It looks to me it tackles a particular scenario: an item is returned with missing pieces. Bug 1441245 tackles another scenario: finding an item with missing pieces on the shelf. I think ideally the same function is provided on both CheckIn and Items Out screens. I worked out a flowchart to show how it may work. See the attachment. (I am not confident I covered all scenarios.)

As for using library settings or prompts, I slightly incline to prompts because of the flexibility they provide. But they are prone to human errors.

Tina Ji
BC Libraries Coop

Removing myself as assignee for the moment. Will return.

Noting that another entry point is through the Circulation -> Scan Item Missing Pieces interface.

In XUL, scanning an in-transit item as missing pieces through this entry point gives the same error as trying to set an item as missing pieces via checkin actions menu.

However, in the web staff client, if you scan an in-transit item via the Circulation -> Scan Item Missing Pieces interface, you get a silent failure and the following in the console:

angular.min.js:119 TypeError: Cannot read property 'textcode' of null
    at missing_pieces.js:68
    at angular.min.js:132
    at m.$eval (angular.min.js:147)
    at m.$digest (angular.min.js:144)
    at angular.min.js:147
    at f (angular.min.js:45)
    at angular.min.js:48

(Noting that webby's checkin action menu entry for Mark Item Missing Pieces is pending via bug 1685929)

I can list webby's silent failure as its own bug if that is preferred.

This is still an issue in 3.8.

Also adding a link to related bug 1756441.