Help

How to download data from the Paleontology database ?

Once you have found the dataset you want to download, you will see a list of files displayed like this:

You have two options for downloading the files:

• Download individual files with HTTP

  This is the simplest solution. Download the file you are interested in by simply clicking on the name of the file. This will start downloading the file using the standard web protocol HTTP, which requires no extra tools to use. The downside of this approach is that the file transfer protocol is not reliable for big files and can fail after a few gigabytes depending on your internet connection. In case of failure, your browser will indicate this in the downloads box or toolbar — e.g. in Firefox, if you click on the Downloads button, you may see something like this:

  

  In this case, you can continue downloading the file by clicking on the retry button (i.e. the clockwise arrow). The download will resume from where it failed. You may have to repeat this process multiple times for very large files (i.e. tens of gigabytes). A more efficient and reliable way to download large files as well as multiple files at once is to use Globus.

• Download multiple files with Globus

  This is the best option for downloading large datasets reliably. Globus is a service for downloading and transferring files. In order to use Globus to download files to your computer, you first need to install Globus Connect Personal. Once installed, start the software, and log in to create a local endpoint. In the search box, type "ESRF Paleo" to find the database' public endpoint:

  

  Click on the endpoint and then click on Open in File Manager, you should see all the datasets organised by samples. Now select the dataset(s) you want to download. Note that you can select all the files in the current folder from the file manager's top bar:

  

  Select the directory in which you want the data to be downloaded and start the file transfer by clicking on the Start button. Globus will restart the transfer automatically in case of failure and inform you once it is complete.

  From a dataset's page, you can go directly to the dataset's folder on Globus by clicking on the Download with Globus button:

  

  In case of problems, please email the ESRF data managers at dataportalrequests@esrf.fr.

What to do if the downloaded ZIP file is corrupt ?

If you have downloaded a ZIP file and your operating system cannot open it because it is corrupt, then most likely the download was performed with HTTP. Use Globus as explained above to try to download the ZIP file again in a more reliable way.

Under what license are the data from the Paleontology database made available ?

The data are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial CC-BY-NC-4.0 license. This means the data are accessible by all for re-use as long as the publication and DOI are cited when they are re-used and/or new publications are published which have used the data.

How to cite the data from the Paleontology database ?

Any publications or re-use of the data from the Paleontology database must cite the DOI and reference attached to each dataset.

How to search for data in the Paleontology database ?

Click on the Search tab and select the filter settings you are interested in to find the datasets which match the filters.

Who to contact in case of problem with the Paleontology database ?

• For technical issues with downloading the data or using the data portal, please email dataportalrequests@esrf.fr.
• For questions about the data and how they were processed, please contact the authors of the publications.