Search and Retrieval Tools

The Cataloging module provides 6 distinct methods to retrieve records. Each method is designed for a specific cataloging need, ranging from quick lookups to complex boolean queries and sequential text analysis.

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1. Quick Search (Top Bar)

Located at the top of the cataloging interface, this is the fastest way to find a record if you know a specific identifier.

• How it works:

  1. Select the Index from the dropdown menu (e.g., Title, Author, Control Number).
  2. A click on the magnifier icon shows the index of the field.
     Selecting a term from the index starts the search immediately
  3. Manual entry in the text field is also possible.
     Wild card and logical expression function the same as in the advanced search.
     Hit return to start the search

• Technical Note: This sends a direct query to the CISIS Inverted File using the prefix defined in your FST (e.g., TI_ for Title).

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2. Search

Icon:

The Search (defined by the Advanced Search form) provides a structured form for building complex queries using Boolean Logic (AND, OR, NOT).

Features:

• Multiple Fields: Combine different criteria (e.g., Author="Asimov" AND Year="1980").
• Saved Searches: You can save complex queries to your user profile (via busqueda_guardar.php) to re-run them later.

Details:

• The Field column shows all fields of the Advanced Search form. With the drop-down button another field can be selected. Allows reordering of the expression and duplicate terms in the expression.
• Note that Field = - - - allows arbitrary search expressions.
• Button Index shows the index of the terms for the current field in the Index window.
• The Expression may contain the dollar character $ as last character of a string. Example: myt$ means that any string starting with myt will match.
• The Expression may contain the strings and, or, and not. To build logical expressions.
• The Expression may contain groups, indicated by (…)
• shows a pop-up to copy a stored expression.
• The last column contains the boolean operator between the expression fields (and, or, and not).

The bottom shows a button to Search, a button to reset the values in the form and a button to Edit search expression previously stored

Index window

Options in the index window:

• Select one or more terms and Search. Performs the search immediately. Multiple terms are connected by or.
• Select one or more terms and Copy terms. Copies the term(s) to the search form. Multiple terms are connected by or.
• Type the first few characters in the Go to box and Enter. Moves the list to the indicated term.

Result window

• Search results are collected in a list that can be browsed.
• On top of this page the record toolbar is shown for all kinds of edits
• Button Expression can be used to modify/save the search expression
• The text of the search expression can be modified and buttonSearch will execute the modified expression
• Button Refine shows Search
• An expression can be saved by entering a name in Description followed by save search expression

A saved expression can be used by . This shows a pop-up to copy a stored expression.

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3. Search History

Icon:

Cataloging is repetitive. The Search History (search_history.php) keeps track of your recent activities.

• The shown history is for the current database.
• A click on the magnifier icon executes the query

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4. Search with Thesaurus

Icon:

If your system is connected to a Thesaurus database, this tool allows you to search using Controlled Vocabulary.

1. Type a term (e.g., "Education").
2. The system looks up the term in the Thesaurus.
3. It displays relationships: BT (Broader Terms), NT (Narrower Terms), and RT (Related Terms).
4. Selecting a term executes a search in the main catalog for that standardized descriptor.

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5. Search,result in list

Icon:
This search method is also called Free Search as it has powerful options to model the applied search and the resulting output.

Key Capabilities:

• Results in List: Displays matches in a spreadsheet-like grid (defined in freesearch_ex.php), ideal for comparing records.
• Mark string: You can search for an arbitrary string within a chosen field (e.g., "Find 'Biology' inside Tag 650"). This allows you to find text in fields that are not indexed.

Form components

A dropdown to use a Saved parameterset
Click the name of a parameterset and all fields in the set will be copied to the form

Record Selection

Main goal of the record selection is to limit the number of results for the resulting list. This limits also the time to search for arbitrary strings.

Only one selection method can be used for the search

• By a standard search. See Search
  Button Search` will copy the search expression to the form
• By using the MFN's of previously selected records. This method is only shown if there are selected records. It is not possible modify the MFN numbers.
• By entering an MFN range
  This options is intended for checks and rarely used, so hidden during normal operation

Action on the selected records

• Sort by a selected field. Sort in reverse order is optional
• Mark a string. The entered string will be marked red in the text of the result list
• Action if the marked string is present in the results:
  • Omit record if no hits will still find the number of the search results, but records with no hits will not be displayed.
  • Omit field if no hits will omit displayed fields for a record if that field does not contain the Mark string

Display field(s) and/or PFT

This component determines the shown results.
The shown Fields can be selected in the multiselect list. The radio buttons modify the content:

• Repeatable occurrences can be shown as a single line (concatenated and separated by a ";") or as multiple lines
• The text of a field is preceded by a field indicator. This is either the Title (e.g. "Collectie") or the tag (e.g. "100")

The field Apply PFT gives the option to show something extra in front of the standard selected Fields.

• Text example: if p(v250) then v250 fi
• Related picture example: if p(v250) then '<img src="../../bases/snr/snrbld/'v250'" width=225>'fi

Action buttons

Action buttons on the bottom of the form:

• Button Save parameterset is used to save a set. See Parameterset
• Button Delete parameterset is used to delete set. See Parameterset
• Button Executes the search, sorts and marks the results and shows the Result form

Result form

Note the buttons on the right of the form:

• Check box is used to add the record to the set of selected records. Equivalent to Check box in Toolbar record
• Shows the selected record in a pop-up window with the default display format. Each clicked record gets its own pop-up window. This allows to visually compare the complete records.

Parameter set

The parametersets are administrated in file <base>/pfts/<lang>/freesearch_save.tab. Each line of this file contains the name of the parameterset and the values of the parameters

• Button Save parameterset gives options to update an existing set or to create a new set
• Button Delete parameterset gives the option to delete an existing parameterset

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6. A-Z Dictionary Browse (alfa.php)

Icon: (A-Z List)

This is the most precise retrieval method because it eliminates "zero results" due to typos. Instead of guessing a term, you browse the Inverted File (Index) directly. A window is shown in which all records of the database are listed according to the field identified as the Identifier field in the Field Definition Table (FDT) (4th column I). In bibliographic databases mostly the title field.

Workflow:

1. Click the A-Z icon.
2. Browse: The system displays a scrollable dictionary of terms actually existing in the database. In this list each alphabetic section can be clicked on to allow navigation in this normally large list.
3. Select: Click on a term to retrieve all linked records.
   • Tip: You can select multiple terms to perform an OR search (e.g., "Smith" OR "Smyth").