The Arches Resource Model (ARM) Working Group has created the Arches Package Library as a resource for sharing Arches software configurations and customizations with Arches implementers. An Arches package can include:
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- Resource Models and Branches (includes data entry forms and report configurations)
- Semantic ontologies
- Controlled vocabularies
- Sample data
- Settings for existing datatypes, functions and widgets
In addition to package files, Arches implementations can also share their project files, which include additional customizations, such as:
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- Page and report templates
- New datatypes, functions, card components, widgets
- Workflows and other plug-ins
- Other Arches software customizations
Once an implementer installs the core Arches code, they can either load a pre-configured Arches package from the library or create their own Arches package. Pre-configured packages provide for using the included configurations as-is, or using that package as a starting point for further customization. Arches implementers can also share the Arches packages that they’ve created during their configuration process through the Arches Package Library.
For more information, see documentation on Arches Projects and Packages. Also, the following webinars (available on the Arches Videos page) discuss Arches packages: “Intro to the Arches Platform, Part 3 – Data Technology Concepts” and “Intro to the Arches Platform, Part 4 – Information Architecture.”
Currently, there are three packages available to load into an Arches implementation:
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- Arches v5 Demo – Containing both project and package files, this repository can be used to recreate the Arches v5 Demo site to be used as the starting point for a similar Arches implementation.
- Arches v4 Demo – Containing both project and package files, this repository can be used to recreate the Arches v4 Demo site to be used as the starting point for a similar Arches v4 implementation.
- Arches Resource Model Working Group – The initial instance of the Arches Resource Model Working Group package contains sample branches that have been created by the Arches Resource Model Working Group to exemplify best modeling practice. These branches can be used as the building blocks for the creation of resource models. Full example resource models are coming soon to this package.
The Arches Project team looks forward to the addition of other package/project files later in 2021 These will include the Arches HER (Historic Environment Record) project/package, which pertains to heritage information management in England according to the MIDAS Heritage standard. The Arches for Science project/package is also under preparation in conjunction with software development to extend the Arches Platform for the management of heritage conservation science data. We envision that in the future the Arches Package Library will be expanded to include packages representing a broad range of requirements and use cases from around the world, thereby lessening the time and expertise required during the software configuration process.
If you would like to share your Arches package for potential inclusion in the Arches Package Library, please contact us at contact@archesproject.org.
