Dataverse Software 5.6 Release

This release brings new features, enhancements, and bug fixes to the Dataverse Software. Thank you to all of the community members who contributed code, suggestions, bug reports, and other assistance across the project. You can learn more and download the release on GitHub:

https://github.com/IQSS/dataverse/releases/tag/v5.6

 

Release Highlights

Anonymized Access in Support of Double Blind Review

Dataverse installations can select whether or not to allow users to create anonymized private URLs and can control which specific identifying fields are anonymized. If this is enabled, users can create private URLs that do not expose identifying information about dataset depositors, allowing for double blind reviews of datasets in the Dataverse installation.

Guestbook Responses API

A new API to retrieve Guestbook responses has been added. This makes it easier to retrieve the records for large guestbooks and also makes it easier to integrate with external systems.

Dataset Semantic API (Experimental)

Dataset metadata can be retrieved, set, and updated using a new, flatter JSON-LD format - following the format of an OAI-ORE export (RDA-conformant Bags), allowing for easier transfer of metadata to/from other systems (i.e. without needing to know Dataverse's metadata block and field storage architecture). This new API also allows for the update of terms metadata (#5899).

This development was supported by the Research Data Alliance, DANS, and Sciences PO and follows the recommendations from the Research Data Repository Interoperability Working Group.

Dataset Migration API (Experimental)

Datasets can now imported following the format of an OAI-ORE export (RDA-conformant Bags), allowing for easier migration from one Dataverse installation to another, and migration from other systems. This experimental, superuser only, endpoint also allows keeping the existing persistent identifier (where the authority and shoulder match those for which the software is configured) and publication dates.

This development was supported by DANS and the Research Data Alliance and follows the recommendations from the Research Data Repository Interoperability Working Group.

Direct Upload API Now Available for Adding Multiple Files' Metadata to the Dataset


Using the Direct Upload API, users can now add metadata of multiple files to the dataset after the files exist in the S3 bucket. This makes direct uploads more efficient and reduces server load by only updating the dataset once instead of once per file. For more information, see the Direct DataFile Upload/Replace API section of the Dataverse Software Guides.

 

Major Use Cases

Newly-supported major use cases in this release include:

  • Users can create Private URLs that anonymize dataset metadata, allowing for double blind peer review. (Issue #1724, PR #7908)
  • Users can download Guestbook records using a new API. (Issue #7767, PR #7931)
  • Users can update terms metadata using the new semantic API. (Issue #5899, PR #7414)
  • Users can retrieve, set, and update metadata using a new, flatter JSON-LD format. (Issue #6497, PR #7414)
  • Administrators can use the Traces API to retreive information about specific types of user activity (Issue #7952, PR #7953)