Overview

This online guide explains you how to use the retrieval system:

The image selection window "guide"

Using the search screens

The index window and the available index lists

Making search requests and examples for search

Selection of documents in the hit list

Viewing and using of documents


Guide
The Guide

This screen provides a guide to some of the main features of the product.

You can access any of the databases by selecting the relevant icon; you can then use the relevant Search screen to search through the material each database contains. If you are not represented in the database and would like to be, you can use the entry form provided by selecting the appropriate icon.

Context-sensitive help is provided as you move through the different parts of the database and can be accessed by selecting the `Help' button on the left-hand side of the screen. In addition, an overview of the software functionality is available via the `Help' menu.


Search

The menu  "Search" enables to choose the relevant search screen to search through the material each database contains. To choose information about search screen, click the topic you want to view.

Company search

Title search

Hardware/software search

Books search

Journal search

Conference search

Glossary search

The size of the pop-up window is proportional to the size of the main Help window. If you want the pop-up window to be larger, you need to change the size of the main Help window.

See also

Search screen


Company search

The Company search screen enables documents to be found using a number of fields.

Search terms can be entered either by keying directly into the field boxes or selecting from the index lists.

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select 'Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select' (press ENTER). To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

When you have chosen all the items you require, select `Search' (press ENTER).


Title search

The Title search screen enables documents to be found using a number of fields.

Search terms can be entered either by keying directly into the field boxes or selecting from the index lists.

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select `Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select' (press ENTER). To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

When you have chosen all the items you require, select `Search' (press ENTER).


Hardware & software search

The Hardware & software search screen enables documents to be found using a number of fields.

Search terms can be entered either by keying directly into the field boxes or selecting from the index lists.

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select `Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select' (press ENTER). To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

When you have chosen all the items you require, select `Search' (press ENTER).


Book search

The Book search screen enables documents to be found using a number of fields.

Search terms can be entered either by keying directly into the field boxes or selecting from the index lists.

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select `Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select'  (press ENTER). To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

When you have chosen all the items you require, select `Search' (press ENTER).


Journal search

The Journal search screen enables documents to be found using a number of fields.

Search terms can be entered either by keying directly into the field boxes or selecting from the index lists.

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select `Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select' (press ENTER). To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

When you have chosen all the items you require, select `Search' (press ENTER).


Conference search

The Conference search screen enables documents to be found using a number of fields.

Search terms can be entered either by keying directly into the field boxes or selecting from the index lists.

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select `Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select' (press ENTER). To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

When you have chosen all the items you require, select `Search' (press ENTER).


Glossary search

The Glossary search screen enables documents to be found using a number of fields.

Search terms can be entered either by keying directly into the field boxes or selecting from the index lists.

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select `Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select' (press ENTER). To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

When you have chosen all the items you require, select `Search' (press ENTER).


Search screen

The search screen is where search queries are input and, therefore, is the central operating element of the retrieval system.

Input is carried out either by keying directly into the search fields or alternatively by selecting and transferring entries from the index lists.

The desired field is selected by positioning the cursor. The entries in the search field, as well as the search fields themselves, can be linked by operators.

A query consists of a word or phrase you want to look for. You can use Boolean operators AND, OR, NOT, NEAR, BEFORE, AFTER, and numerical operators ">", "<", ">=", "<=", and range operator "-" to form complex search queries.

You have to use double quotation marks to delimit phrases. You may use parentheses to nest expressions within your query.

Buttons

Search

Starts a search using the entries made in the search screen. For time-consuming searches the progress is indicated graphically in the state window. After search the found documents are shown in the hit list.

Index

Opens an index window for any selected field. You can select and transfer entries from the index list.

Help

Displays help for the search screen.

Cancel

Closes the search screen without carrying out a search. If there is only the search screen as main window on the desktop then the button "Cancel" is dimmed.

Clear

Deletes all the entries in the search screen. Use this option to clear the search criteria in the current search window. To delete individual entries, highlight with the mouse and then press the key "Delete".

Operator

The search fields can be linked by operators. When a search request is started, all of the input fields are connected by the active interfield operator OR/AND to form a single condition. The default setting is AND.


Field structure
Field structure and index

This field structure is related to search masks, index lists, and documents. For structuring the following fields were introduced:

Company search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Whole record	GLB	word + phrase

Company name	COX	word + phrase

Country	CON	phrase

Geographical code	GCO	phrase

Primary contact	CNX	word + phrase

Company activities	CAC	phrase

Platforms	PLA	phrase

Product Type	PRO	phrase

Sectors	SEC	phrase

Titles	CTX	word + phrase

Products	CPX	word + phrase

Title search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Whole record	GLB	word + phrase

Title of CD-ROM	TIX	word + phrase

ISBN	ISB	word

ISSN	ISS	word

Publisher	TCX	word + phrase

Information provider	IPX	word + phrase

Subject	SUX	word + phrase

Language	TLA	phrase

Type of data	TDA	phrase

Date of current issue	DCX	word + phrase

Computer	TCF	phrase

Operating system	TOF	phrase

Networkable	NAV	word

Software	RSX	word + phrase

Software Producer	RPX	word + phrase

Disc manufacturer	DMX	word + phrase

Price category	PCA	phrase

Hardware & Software search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Product name	PNX	word + phrase

Product type	PTX	word + phrase

Platform	HPR	phrase

Manufacturer	HCX	word + phrase

Whole record	GLB	word + phrase

Book search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Title	BTX	word + phrase

ISBN	BIN	word

Author	AUX	word + phrase

Publisher	BCX	word + phrase

Current edition	CEX	word + phrase

Language	BLA	phrase

Whole record	GLB	word + phrase

Journal search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Title	JTX	word + phrase

ISSN	JIS	word

Publisher	JCX	word + phrase

Editor	EDX	word + phrase

Frequency	FRQ	phrase

Language	JLA	phrase

Whole record	GLB	word + phrase

Conference search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Name	CFX	word + phrase

Organiser 	CCX	word + phrase

Venue	VEX	word + phrase

Date	CDX	word + phrase

Number of visitors	NVI	word

Visitors addresses

available for mailings	VAD	word

Whole record	GLB	word + phrase

Glossary search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Term	HEX	word + phrase

Comprehensive

search 	GLB	word + phrase

Global search

Field	Abbreviation	Index

Whole search	GLB	word + phrase


Input fields
Input fields of the search screen

The input of search queries is carried out directly into these search fields. By clicking with the mouse you can activate selected fields.  A long query is cut off. You can scroll it by the cursors.

For Boolean expressions you have to take into account that the character "space" is interpreted as a logical AND. Therefore you must enclose phrases in double-quotes.

Numerical operators like ">", "<", "<=", ">="  and the range operator "-" have to be enclosed directly. E.g., the phrase "double-quotes" has to be enclosed because the operator "-" acts as FROM/TO.

You can enter individual terms or phrases into the fields of the search screen or use the index list. If the number of hits is too large, you should reduce the amount of hits by the application of operators. Boolean and numerical operators are available. You enlarge the amount of hits with the Boolean operator "OR" and you can limit the number with the appropriate application of all the other operators. Thus, you should link terms that are similar or have the same meaning with "OR" and different search terms with "AND".


Index window

To select a term from the index, move the cursor to the relevant field and select `Index' (press TAB to move through the fields and press APPLE+I).

Highlight an entry in the list and choose `Select' (press ENTER).

To select more than one term from the index, hold down the APPLE key whilst you click with the mouse on each item required. The selected term(s) are then automatically pasted into the relevant field(s).

See also

Index


Index

Each input field in the search screen corresponds to an index list. In these lists you will find all words, phrases and characters that have been indexed. The items of the index lists represent the documents you want to search for.

All possible entries for the search screens are shown. The numbers in front of the key words indicate how often they occur in the entire set of documents.

Use the index list to choose keywords or phrases from an alphabetical list for performing a search.

Index list

You can search for items of the index list via the scroll bar or by using the incremental search. With the help of the incremental search, you can quickly reach a certain position in the index list. Then select the required keyword and transfer it into the search screen.

Default setting is that all keywords are enclosed  in double-quotes. In the search field multiple items are linked by the operator OR. You can replace this operator by AND and NOT.

You can select one or more indexes and transfer it to the search screen. You can select different, multiple items (APPLE+mouse click) or a contiguous block (SHIFT+mouse click).

Selected terms can be transferred to the search screen with the help of the button "Select". Single terms can be transferred by double clicking on the item.

You can close the window with "Cancel" without transferring terms.

Indicator at the bottom of the window

At the bottom of the window on the left the first number indicates which element is in the first entry position of the list. The second displays the collective length of the index list. On the right you see the last marked key word in the list.


Incremental search

With the help of the incremental search, you can quickly reach a certain position in the index list. You can then select the required keyword and transfer it into the search screen.

Enter a letter or a number in the input field. The index list automatically positions itself at the corresponding letter. If you now enter a second letter or a number, the list again positions itself, but this time at the second letter of the entry in the list.

For example, if you enter g, the list moves down to the first "g" present in the list. If you now enter r, the list positions itself at gr. If the list does not contain this entry, positioning always occurs at the element in front of it. In this way, it is possible to search for a certain term without having to enter the entire word. The first three letters are usually enough to find the required word.


Search strategies

To selectively find information in a database, each relevant search query must be suitably formulated. In general, the problem is to sift out (from a large amount of hits) a small number of hits which contain the information required to solve the problem.

Searching for a single term

Enter the term in the search field and click Search. A search term can be a word, a word with wildcard characters, or any combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.  But a search occurs only for character strings indexed in the database.

Searching for a phrase

Type the phrase in the search field and click Search. But you must enclose the phrase in double-quotes. You can use a phrase as part of a Boolean expression too. A search occurs only for phrases indexed in the database.

Use the index list

In the index list you will find all words, phrases and characters that have been indexed. The items in the index lists represent the documents you want to search for.

Select one or more indexes and transfer it to the search screen.

Searching with wildcard characters

You can use wildcard characters to find all the words that contain a word fragment or all the words and terms that match an arbitrary character pattern. The wildcard characters are:

* 	the asterisk, which matches zero, one, or more characters,

? 	the question mark, which matches any one character,

$n	the $n, which matches up to <n> characters.

Boolean expressions

You can build a Boolean expression that uses one field or more than one field of the search screen. It is generally possible to combine various operators in the same search request. However, it is important to note that certain operators take precedence over others when used within the same statement. Those operators with the highest precedence are processed first. By enclosing parts of the overall expression in parentheses "()" you can override the default order in which expressions are evaluated.

Operator	Precedence

BEFORE/n	4

AFTER/n	4

NEAR/n	4

NOT	3

AND	2

OR	1

Handling a search that finds too many documents

Use AND to limit searches to documents that contain two or more words or phrases. You can search, for example, for documents that contain "technical" and "service". You can also use NOT  to find documents that contain one, two, or more words but not another word. You can search, for example, for documents that contain "technical" and "service" but not "hardware".

Locating hard-to-find information

Use OR to search for alternative spellings of the same word, or to search for two or more words that are used to describe the information for which you are searching. E.g., you can search for "document" or "article". And use wildcard characters to find more documents.


Examples for search

Query 	The search returns only documents that contain:

information	the word "information"

"technical service" 	the phrase "technical service"

technical AND service	both "technical" and "service"

document OR article 	either "document" or "article"

service NOT hardware	"service" but not "hardware"

"technical service" 	the phrase "technical service" and either "hardware"

AND 	or "software"

(hardware OR software)

form* 	any word that begins with "form", e.g. formation

*ation	any word that ends with "ation" endet, e.g. information

report? 	any seven-character term that begins with "report", e.g.  report1

deform$5	any term that begins with "deform" and up to 5 characters, e.g. deformation

Operators, numerical and range

    >x	searches for greater than x

    <x	searches for less than x

   >=x	searches for greater than or equal to x

    <=	searches for less than or equal to x

   x-y	searches for the range from x to y, inclusive

x, y can be a number, character or string depending on the index.


Hit List

The Hit List displays all the documents retrieved by your search.

You can select the documents you wish to view. By default, all documents are selected. To make a different selection of documents, press and hold down APPLE while you click on each item you require. Alternatively, if all the documents you wish to select occur in a sequence, press and hold down SHIFT while you click on the first and last items in the sequence you require.

The number of hits is displayed at the bottom left of the window, the number of selected hits at the bottom right.

To view the selected document(s), select `Display' (press APPLE+D).

See also

Hits


Hits
Hit List

The hit list contains all documents that were found as a result of the search. The hits are displayed as abbreviated titles. You can perform such tasks as select items, display them,  and printing hits.

Use this list to view results of your latest search in shortened version and to open selected documents as needed. The default setting for selection is all documents. Selected documents were grouped together in a browse sequence.

Select and display titles:

To select and display one item, double-click with the left hand mouse button.

To select multiple items, depress APPLE key and click with the left hand mouse button. For displaying documents click the button "Display".

To select a contiguous block of documents depress SHIFT and click with the left hand mouse button on the first and last entry. For displaying documents click the button "Display".

The hit list can be activated within the window menu and within the document display.

Structure of the Hit List

The actual search query (abbreviations) of the hit list is displayed on the top. A long query is cut off.

Document icons

In the hit list documents are characterized by  an icon.

Indicator at the bottom of the hit list

The number of the first (entry) position in the list and the number of hits are displayed on the left, and the number of selected hits on the right.

Buttons

Display

Displays the selected documents.

Cancel

You change back to the last opened window.

Print

Prints the selected titles of the hit list.

Help

Displays help for the hit list.


Document Display

To move through documents retrieved by a search:

You can move to the next or previous document retrieved by your search, or to the first or last document in a sequence, by selecting the appropriate icon in the Tool bar.

Alternatively, you can move to a specific document by typing the relevant number in the `Documents' box or by selecting it using the scroll bar.

To move through all the documents in the database:

You can move through each document in the database in turn by checking the box marked `All' and then selecting the required icon in the Tool bar.

To consult cross-references:

You can access information relevant to the document you are viewing by clicking the icon displaying a hand. When you have read the reference, you can return to your previous position by selecting `Back' (pressing APPLE+B).

The next document in the sequence containing the relevant word will be displayed. You can then repeat this procedure as many times as you wish.

You can also step back through the sequence by selecting `Back' (pressing APPLE+B).

See also

Document


Document

The documents found following a search and then selected from the hit list can be viewed in the document display. This display acts as a container or file. You can browse through an individual document and all documents.

Documents can include cross references that link topics, paragraphs or words to other documents. In the text cross references are represented by a symbol . To choose one point to the symbol, and click with the left mouse button. The target document (or documents) will be opened.

Dialogue box and buttons

Documents

Browses through the found documents. You can use the movement keys (ARROW, PGUP, END, etc.) to move through the documents). The first number indicates the number of selected documents. The second displays all selected hits of the hit list.

To move to the next document with the mouse, click >. To move to the previous document, click <. If you want to skip to a specific document instead of calling up all hits in sequence:

 enter the number of the desired document, or

 select the desired number using the scroll bar.

All

Switches between choosing  all documents in the database and the selected documents only. In order to advance from one document to the one that follows it (like paging through a printed book), mark the option "All" with the mouse, then use > and < in the box "documents".

Locations

The searched-for words are highlighted in colour in the document display. You can navigate from one to the next or previous word, in the "Locations bar".

Hit list

Changes back to the hit list. Selections in the hit list are fixed.

Back

The back button retrace your steps in a document display, moving to each document in the order visited. At last you return to the first document. If there is no previous document to view, the back button is dimmed.

Help

You get help for using a document display by clicking the button.


Dokumente Dok
Documents

Browses through the found documents. You can use the movement keys (ARROW, PGUP, END, etc.) to move through the documents (active - red box). The first number indicates the number of selected documents. The second displays all hits of the hit list.

To move to the next document with the mouse, click >. To move to the previous document, click <. If you want to skip to a specific document instead of calling up all hits in sequence:

 Enter the number of the desired document, or

 Select the desired number using the scroll bar.


Cross references

Documents can include cross references that link topics, paragraphs or words to other documents.

In the text cross references are represented by a symbol. To choose one point to the symbol, and click with the left mouse button. The target document (or documents) will be opened.

If the cross reference you choose is linked to more then one document or is on the same page (of the print product) with other documents you have to browse through the found documents in the field documents.