Question: What is the 'inner counter' on the advanced serials pattern interface?
Answer: I think it is better to give an example to understand this :
Example for a monthly subscription :
First issue publication date : April 2010
Numbering : No {X}, year {Y}
First issue : No 4, year 2010
For the year Y : you will want the year change on January 2011
So, the advanced pattern for Y will be :
Add : 1
once every : 12
When more than 9999999
inner counter : 3
Set back to 0
Begins with 2010
Year is going to change after 12 received issues from April 2010, that is in April 2011 if you don't set inner counter. Set inner counter to 3 will say to Koha : change year after 12-3 = 9 received issues.
Inner counter says to Koha to take into account the first issues of the year, even if they are not received with Koha. If you begin with first issue of the year write nothing or 0.