Layout of the MarcEditor

Last updated on 2026-03-27 | Edit this page

Estimated time: 10 minutes

Overview

Questions

  • What is the MarcEditor?
  • How are MARC files organized in the MarcEditor

Objectives

  • Explain what the MarcEditor does
  • Explain how the MarcEditor features can help work with MARC files

The MarcEditor

The MarcEditor is a discrete utility within MarcEdit that enables you to work with your MARC data in an easily human and machine-readable format.

MarcEditor Top Level Menu

The MarcEditor has a robust set of features available via the top level menu. Features can be accessed through the menu or through shortcut keys. The shortcut key for a feature appears next to it in the menu. The next episodes will look more in-depth at how to use these features.

MarcEdit top level menu

MarcEditor Top Level Menu Features

Each top level menu heading contains many options. Below are some highlights of those features that are frequently used when working with a set of MARC data.

File

  • Save, Save As, Open, Recent: This is where you will find those important functions of saving, saving as, opening up a recent file, or opening a new file.
  • Select Records for Edit: This is where you can select a subset of your data to work with.
  • Compile File: This is the same function as MarcMaker, meaning that the readable MARC data file (.mrk) being edited in the MarcEditor will be converted to a MARC binary file (.mrc).

Edit

  • Find and Replace: You can find or find and replace just on the current page or in the entire file.
  • Edit Shortcuts: This is where you can change the case, find records that have a missing MARC field or duplicate MARC field, or find fields with a missing word.
  • Jump To: You can use this to jump to a record in the file.
  • Insert/Edit 006 or 008: This will open a form to easily insert or edit these fixed fields.
  • Delete Record: You can delete one or more records in a range or based on invalid encoding characters.

Fonts

  • If you need to change the font and size for the current MARC data you are working on in the MarcEditor, this is the place to do that.

Note: Sometimes making the font extremely large does affect the display in the MarcEditor, especially if you are presenting as the instructor.

Reports

  • Create a custom report
  • Get a count of all the MARC Fields in the MARC Data
  • Get a count of the records based on type (book, serials, video recordings, etc.)
  • MARCValidator

Tools

  • Add/Delete Marc Fields
  • Edit subfields
  • Edit Indicators
  • Build a new MARC field
  • RDA Helper
  • Sort By

OCLC WorldCat: Requires OCLC Integration Setup

  • Search WorldCat
  • Add/Delete/Update OCLC Bibliographic Data
  • Create/Update Bibliographic Data
  • Update Holdings
Key Points
  • MarcEditor is a tool to work with MARC data in an easily readable format.
  • The MarcEditor has a robust top level menu.
  • The MarcEditor’s top level menu features highlighted here are only a select representation of those used most when working with MARC data.