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-- PAGE 1 -- 16 August 95
About this Document
This is a brief textual introduction to the use and administration
of the UNIX SilverPlatter Information Retrieval Software (UNIX-SPIRS)
on ERL. You can print this document on any local printer; the pages
include page breaks so that the format is maintained. If you have a
choice of printing fonts, a monospaced font, such as Courier, is best.
Table of Contents
About This Document Page 1
Table of Contents Page 1
What is UNIX-SPIRS? Page 2
Who is SilverPlatter? Page 2
What is ERL? Page 2
Use of UNIX-SPIRS
Keymappings Page 3
*** Quick Reference Page Page 4 ***
Starting UNIX-SPIRS Page 5
Onscreen Help/Guides Page 5
Available Commands Page 6
Available Operators Page 15
Search Strategies Page 16
Broadening Your Search
Narrowing Your Search
Getting Output Page 19
Show, Print, Download
Marking Records
Shortcuts and Navigation Tools Page 20
Getting Help Page 21
Administration of UNIX-SPIRS
Running UNIX-SPIRS from Any Directory Page 22
Reconfiguring UNIX-SPIRS Page 23
Editing the erlclnt.cfg File Page 24
(for using different servers)
Security Page 25
FORMAT NOTE: Keystrokes given in double square brackets, [[like this]],
are configurable to the needs of individual sites. SilverPlatter ships
UNIX-SPIRS with default keymappings for a VT100 terminal. These
defaults are listed in a table on page 3.
The onscreen help and messages on UNIX-SPIRS reflect the keymappings
specific to your site. See page 3 for information on modifying your
keymappings.
-- PAGE 2 --
What is UNIX-SPIRS?
The SilverPlatter Information Retrieval System (UNIX-SPIRS) lets you
search for terms of your choice throughout a database. SilverPlatter
releases databases on compact discs (CDs), and also on hard drives. A
database is an organized collection of "records." Each record
represents an article, book, conference, chemical record, etc. Records
consist of standard fields (such as Author, Descriptors, and Publication
Year) in which you can search. You control UNIX-SPIRS by making choices
from a menu of commands. With UNIX-SPIRS you can search for terms,
display retrieved records, Print or Download your search results and
save your search history to reuse in later sessions.
Who Is SilverPlatter?
SilverPlatter intends to provide the best information in the world.
Our intent is to serve our customers, our industry, our employees, and
our investors. To this end, we provide retrieval software and
databases containing the most accurate, up to date information about
the world.
What is ERL?
ERL (Electronic Reference Library) allows a user to retrieve
information from databases which are in a central location. The ERL
is an open-architecture, information delivery platform that provides
efficient access to SilverPlatter data over local and wide-area
networks. ERL supports clients on several platforms, and uses
client/server architecture, UNIX servers, and the TCP/IP protocol.
-- PAGE 3 --
Keymappings
The keymappings for a particular terminal should be in a file located
in the /unixspirs/dbase directory. The name of the file should be
xxxx.cfg, where "xxxx" is the name of the terminal (for example,
vt100.cfg). Edit this file using any standard text editor. PC-SPIRS
keystrokes have been included for reference.
Function vt100 default PC-SPIRS Your terminal
1 Help F1 F1 ________
2 Find F2 F2 ________
3 Guide F3 F3 ________
4 Show F4 F4 ________
5 Index Ctrl-N F5 ________
6 Print Ctrl-P F6 ________
7 Restart Ctrl-R F7 ________
8 Xchange Ctrl-X F8 ________
9 Thesaurus Ctrl-T F9 ________
10 Command Menu Ctrl-U F10 ________
11 Download Ctrl-D F11 ________
12 Clear Searches Ctrl-K F12 ________
13 Help Index Ctrl-Y Ctrl-F1 ________
14 Display Terms Ctrl-E Ctrl-F4 ________
15 FSI List Ctrl-O Ctrl-F5 ________
16 History Popup Ctrl-G Ctrl-F2 ________
17 Field List Ctrl-L Ctrl-F3 ________
18 Home Ctrl-A Home ________
19 End Ctrl-Z End ________
20 Page Up Ctrl-B PgUp ________
21 Page Down Ctrl-F PgDn ________
22 Next Record Plus Ctrl-PgDn or Plus ________
23 Prev. Record Minus Ctrl-PgUp or Minus ________
24 Screen Redraw Ctrl-M (no equivalent) ________
The keystrokes that you map are used by UNIX-SPIRS in all keystroke
references and help screens.
In this document, keystrokes given in double brackets [[like this]]
are vt100 defaults. You can configure them to suit your terminal.
NOTE: UNIX-SPIRS uses the TERM env variable to determine which
configuration file (xxxx.cfg) to use.
-- PAGE 4 --
Quick Reference Page
This page gives the essentials for maneuvering in UNIX-SPIRS. If you
only read one page, read this one.
Getting Help
There are three kinds of Help available during the search
session:
[[F1]] HELP is context sensitive.
[[Ctrl-Y]] HELP presents a general list of Help topics.
[[F3]] GUIDES gives help specific to the current database.
Searching
Press [[F2]] FIND to display the Find prompt.
Type a search statement.
Press [Enter] to begin the search.
Displaying Search Results
Press [[F4]] SHOW to display the results of the current search.
Use the [O] Options dialog box to change the way that records
are displayed.
Browse the records using [[Ctrl-B]] and [[Ctrl-F]].
Printing Records
Display the search you want to print from.
Press [[Ctrl-P]] PRINT to display the Print options dialog box.
Press [C] Change Options to determine the printing options.
Press [Enter] to accept the changes.
Press [S] Start Print to begin printing records.
Downloading Records
Display the search you want to download from.
Press [[Ctrl-D]] to display the Download options box.
Press [C] Change Options to determine the printing options.
Press [Enter] to accept the changes.
Press [S] Start Download to begin downloading records.
Using the Index
Press [[Ctrl-N]] INDEX to display the Index prompt.
Type a word or root and press [Enter] to look up a word.
Use the arrow keys to move up and down in the Index.
Press [S] Select Search Term, when the cursor is on the term
you want to find, to mark the term. You can select
multiple terms.
Press [F] Find to search for the selected term(s).
Changing Databases
Press [[Ctrl-X]] XCHANGE to display the Database Selection
Screen. Select another database.
Quitting UNIX-SPIRS
Press [[Ctrl-U]]-[Q] to quit UNIX-SPIRS and return to the system.
-- PAGE 5 --
Starting UNIX-SPIRS
To start UNIX-SPIRS, you must have previously accessed the client,
either through installation on your hard disk, or connection to a
server. If you have not done that, see your ERL system administrator
for instructions.
To Start UNIX-SPIRS:
1. If necessary, attach yourself to the server.
2. Change to the SPIRS subdirectory and type "spirs", then type your
username and password. (Contact the ERL system administrator to
obtain a username and password.)
3a. If the Title screen is displayed,
Begin your search by typing a term at the Find prompt at the
bottom of the screen.
3b. If the Database Selection screen is displayed:
>> Press the [up] or [down] arrow keys to move to the database
you want and press [Spacebar] to highlight your selection.
You can select more than one disc, but only if it is in the same
database. An asterisk will appear to show your selection(s).
To deselect a database choice, press the [up] or [down] arrow
keys to move to a database title and press [Spacebar].
>> Press [Enter] to load the database disc(s) you have chosen.
The Title screen for the selected database will be displayed.
Restarting UNIX-SPIRS
If the computer is already on and UNIX-SPIRS is running, press
[[Ctrl-R]] Restart to display either the Database Title screen or the
Database Selection screen.
Onscreen Help and Guides
Access the context-sensitive onscreen Help by pressing [[F1]].
Access the general onscreen Help by pressing [[Ctrl-Y]].
Access the database-specific Guide files by pressing [[F3]].
-- PAGE 6 --
Available Commands for UNIX-SPIRS
CLEAR Command [[Ctrl-U]] then [C] (or [[Ctrl-K]])
Clear lets you erase all or a selected portion of your current search
history.
How to Clear
1. Press [[Ctrl-U]] then [C] Clear. The Clear prompt appears.
2. Type ALL to clear the entire history. Type specific statement
numbers (separated with commas, such as 1,3,6-15) to clear only
those search statements.
3. Press [Enter]. The desired statements are Cleared immediately.
DOWNLOAD Command [[Ctrl-U]] then [D] (or [[Ctrl-D]])
Download saves records from either your most recent search or the
marked set to a directory on the workstation running the client or to an
internet mail address.
How to Download
1. Ensure that the search you want Downloaded is the current search.
2. Press [[Ctrl-U]] then [D] Download. The Download Options dialog box
appears. (You can also choose Download from the Show menu.)
3. Adjust the options as necessary (press [[F1]] for Help).
a. Press [C] Change Options.
b. Press [Tab] to move between options.
c. Change any of the options (details below).
d. Press [Enter] to accept the new options.
4. Press [S] Start Download to begin Downloading records.
5. To interrupt Downloading, press [Ctrl-C].
When Downloading is complete, the Find prompt appears.
Downloading to a file
If you choose to download to a file, you can specify the exact location
by giving a full pathname and filename in the Filename option. If you
do not specify a pathname, the file will go to the location specified
by the system administrator.
Downloading to an Internet address
If you choose to download records to an internet address, choose the
Internet Address option as the Download Destination, and then type in
the complete Internet address at the Filename/Address: option. An
email containing the records will appear at that address.
-- PAGE 7 --
Available Commands, continued
FIND Command [[F2]]
FIND searches the database for terms you specify and reports the
number of records containing the search terms.
How to Find at the Find Prompt
1. Press [[F2]] FIND to display the Find prompt.
2. Type a search term.
3. Press [Enter] to begin the search. The total number of records
containing the search term appears on the Search History screen.
4. To interrupt a search, press [Ctrl-C]. If you break a
search, the number displayed is incomplete and is preceded
with the > sign. You can Show ([[F4]]) the results of an
interrupted or broken search, but be aware that they are
incomplete.
GUIDE Command [[F3]]
The Guides provide unique and specific information about the database
you are currently using. Once you select GUIDE, you can choose from
different topics describing the database. Topics may include the
following:
Introduction
Fields
Terminology
Stopwords
Examples
Thesaurus (if available)
How to Use the Guides
1. Press [[F3]] Guide to display the Guide Index.
2. Select the Guide topic you want to view.
a. Press [left arrow] or [right arrow] to highlight
the desired topic.
b. Press [S] to view information on that topic.
3. Press [[Ctrl-F]] and [[Ctrl-B]] to scroll through the Guide screens.
4. Press [G] Guide Index to go back to the Guide Index and select
another topic.
5. When finished, press [R] Resume to return to what you were doing
before choosing Guide.
-- PAGE 8 --
Available Commands, continued
HELP Command [[F1]]
Help provides information about using the UNIX-SPIRS software. There
are two kinds of Help: Context Sensitive Help and Topic Help.
How to Use Context Sensitive Help
Context Sensitive Help gives you information on your current task.
1. Press [[F1]] HELP. A window appears, explaining whatever you
were doing at the time you requested Help. If there is
additional information, use the [[Ctrl-B]] and [[Ctrl-F]] keys to
view more Help.
2. If you want help on another topic, press [H] for the Help Index.
3. Press [R] Resume to go back to what you were doing before Help.
How to Use Topic Help
Topic Help lets you choose a help topic from an index of topics.
1. Press [[Ctrl-Y]] to immediately display the Help index of
topics. You can also access the Help index as described in steps
1-2 above.
2. Press the [up] or [down] arrow to move to the topic you want.
3. Press [S] to Select the topic. A window appears, explaining the
topic you selected.
4. Press [H] Help Index to go back to the index and select another
topic.
5. When finished, press [R] Resume to go back to what you were doing
before choosing Help.
-- PAGE 9 --
Available Commands, continued
HISTORY Command [[Ctrl-U]] then [H] (or [[Ctrl-G]])
History lets you save your current search history to disk for later
use, run a previously saved search history to reuse in your current
search, or delete saved searches from disk.
Saving Your Current Search
The Save choice on the History menu lets you save your search history
to a directory on the workstation running the client. You can then use
that saved search history later, in another search session, by using
Run on the History menu. Save saves your entire search history.
How to Save the Current Search
1. Press [[Ctrl-U]] then [H] History to display the History menu.
2. Press [S] Save to display the Save Search Options dialog box.
3. If desired, change the options (press [[F1]] for Help).
a. Press [C] Change Options.
b. Press [Tab] to move between Options.
c. Change any options as desired.
d. Press [Enter] to accept the new options.
4. Press [S] to Start Saving.
When saving is complete, you will be returned to the History menu.
NOTE: The filename must have the extension .his, and you may enter any
description of up to 70 characters.
Running Saved Searches
The Run choice on the History menu lets you use a previously saved
search history in your current search session.
How to Run Saved Searches
1. Press [[Ctrl-U]] then [H] History to display the History menu.
(Or type [[Ctrl-G]] from the Find prompt.)
2. Press [R] Run to display the Run Searches dialog box, listing the
saved searches.
3. Use the [up] and [down] arrow keys to select a search file.
The files are listed alphabetically by filename; all history
files are listed.
4. Press [Enter] to run the selected search. The search is performed
immediately and displays on the Search History screen with a
message telling you which file the search was from.
5. To interrupt running, press [Ctrl-C].
6. When running is complete, press [Esc] to return to the Search
History menu.
Note: If the saved search file was from a different database than the
one you are currently using, you can still run the search. However,
if there are references in the saved search to fields that do not
exist in the current database, those particular search statements will
be displayed with n/a in the results column; in other words, the
results are not available.
-- PAGE 10 --
Available Commands, continued
HISTORY Command, continued
Deleting Saved Searches
The Delete choice on the History menu lets you erase a previously
saved search history.
How to Delete Saved Searches
1. Press [[Ctrl-U]] then [H] History to display the History menu.
2. Press [D] Delete to display the Delete Searches dialog box,
listing the saved searches.
3. Choose a saved search to delete.
Press [up] and [down] to select a search file. The files
are listed alphabetically by filename; all history files are
listed.
4. Press [Enter] to delete the selected search. The search will be
erased from the disk immediately.
5. Press [Esc] to return to the History menu or press [[Ctrl-U]] to
display the Command menu.
INDEX Command [[Ctrl-N]]
INDEX gives you access to the alphabetical list of all words,
descriptors, and hyphenated phrases indexed in the free text fields
of the database (information in limit fields is not included in the
Index). Each Index entry is listed with the number of times it
occurs in the database and the number of records in which it occurs.
You can use the Index to look for related terms, more specific terms,
or to check spelling variations. The Index is especially useful when
searching for an author or for finding descriptor terms.
You can select terms from the Index and search for them directly,
without having to retype them at the Find prompt. The Index is an
effective search tool because all Index terms appear in the database--
you will always retrieve records when you search with Index terms.
How to Browse the Index
1. Press [[Ctrl-N]] Index to display the Index prompt.
2. Type a word or word root at the prompt.
3. Press [Enter]. The portion of the Index beginning with that
word is displayed.
-- PAGE 11 --
Available Commands, continued
INDEX Command, continued
How to Select and Search for Index Terms
1. Select a term for searching.
a. Use the [up] and [down] arrow keys to move to
the desired term.
b. Press [S] to Select the term.
2. Repeat step 1 to select more terms. You can select up to 50 terms.
3. Press [F] Find to search for the selected terms. If you select
multiple terms, UNIX-SPIRS combines them with the OR operator.
How to Display Selected Terms
1. Press [D] Display Terms to display the Search Terms list box.
2. If necessary, use the [up] and [down] arrow keys to scroll through
the list of terms. You cannot make changes to this box.
3. Press [Esc] to close the Search Terms box and return to the Index
menu.
How to Clear (Unselect) Individual Selected Terms
1. Press the [up] and [down] arrow keys to position the cursor on
the desired selected term.
2. Press [U] Unselect Term to clear the term. (The Select Term menu
choice changes to Unselect Term when the cursor is on a selected
term.)
How to Clear (Unselect) All Selected Terms
-- Press [C] Clear Terms. All selected terms are immediately cleared.
Selected terms are cleared automatically after you search for them
by choosing Find.
OPTIONS Command [[Ctrl-U]] then [O]
Options is a convenient command that lets you change the options for
Show, Print, Download, and Save Searches. (You can also change the
options for these commands through the Change Options choice on their
individual menus.)
Many of the changes you make to the options remain in effect until you
change them again or until you press [[Ctrl-R]] Restart. At Restart,
all options return to their default values.
How to Change Options for Show, Print, Download, or Saving Searches
1. Press [[Ctrl-U]] then [O] Options to display the Options menu.
2. Press [S] Show, [P] Print, [D] Download, or [A] sAve Searches
to access the appropriate Options dialog box.
3. Press [Tab] to move between options.
4. Change any options you want (press [[F1]] for Help).
5. Press [Enter] to accept the new options.
6. Press [R] Resume to go back to the Command menu.
-- PAGE 12 --
Available Commands, continued
PRINT Command [[Ctrl-P]]
Print outputs your search results to either the default print queue
at the workstation running the client or to an internet mail address.
The system administrator may have set a limit on the number of records
you can Print, or Printing may not be allowed at your workstation.
How to Print
1. Ensure that the search you want PRINTed is the current search.
2. Press [[Ctrl-P]] Print to display the Print Options dialog box.
3. If desired, change the options (press [[F1]] for Help).
a. Press [C] Change Options.
b. Press [Tab] to move between options.
c. Change any of the options.
d. Press [Enter] to accept the new options.
4. Press [S] Start Print to begin Printing records.
5. To interrupt Printing, press [Ctrl-C].
6. When you are finished Printing, you will be returned to the Find
prompt.
QUIT Command [[Ctrl-U]] then [Q]
Quit UNIX-SPIRS by pressing [[Ctrl-U]] then [Q].
RESTART Command [[Ctrl-R]]
Use RESTART to end a search session. RESTART returns you to either
the Database Title screen or the Database Selection screen, depending
on your workstation setup. Your search history is erased and all
options are reset to their default values. Use the Save choice on
the History menu before Restarting to retain your search history.
1. Press [[Ctrl-R]] RESTART. You will see a message about
restarting.
2. Press [[Ctrl-R]] RESTART again. Depending on your workstation
setup and the current disc, you see either the Database Title
screen or the Database Selection screen. Your search history, if
any, is cleared and the workstation is ready for the next user.
Automatic Restart
There may be an automatic restart period on your system. If there has
been no activity at the workstation (keystrokes or disc reads) during
the set time period, UNIX-SPIRS automatically Restarts and erases your
search history. See your system administrator for details.
A warning message alerts you two minutes prior to the Restart. To
cancel the automatic Restart, press any key.
There may also be a session time limit set for your system. At the end
of this limit, regardless of keyboard activity, UNIX-SPIRS will restart.
-- PAGE 13 --
Available Commands, continued
SHOW Command [[F4]]
Show lets you display the records retrieved by your search. Show
displays either the results of the most recent search or the marked
set of records, depending on how you set the Show options. You can
select additional search terms from the displayed records; this is
called Lateral Searching. Also, you can mark individual records for
later Showing, Printing, or Downloading.
You can display records in a variety of formats by changing the
settings for the Show options, as described below.
How to Show Records
1. Make the search you want Shown the current search:
a. Press [[F2]] Find to display the Find prompt.
b. Type the search statement number with the # sign,
like #5, and press [Enter].
2. Press [[F4]] Show to display the first record.
3. Press any of the following keys to browse the records:
[[Ctrl-F]] to see the next screen
[[Ctrl-B]] to see the previous screen
[[Plus]] to see the next record
[[Minus]] to see the previous record
[up arrow] to move down one line at a time
[down arrow] to move up one line at a time
How to Mark a Record
While the cursor is within that record, press [M] Mark Record.
Asterisks appear to the left of the record to show that it is
marked.
Unmarking a Single Record
While the cursor is within that record, press [U] Unmark
Record to clear the marked record and remove the asterisks.
How to Select Search Terms (Lateral Searching)
1. When the cursor is on a term, press [S] Select Term to
highlight the search term.
2. Press [F] Find to search for the selected terms.
How to Display Selected Terms
Press [[Ctrl-E]] to display the list of selected terms.
How to Clear (Unselect) All Selected Terms
1. Press [O] to choose Options from the Show menu.
2. Press [Tab] to move to the Clear All Selected Terms option.
3. Press [left] or [right] to change the option to Yes.
4. Press [Enter] to accept the new options and clear the terms
immediately.
-- PAGE 14 --
Available Commands, continued
THESAURUS Command [[Ctrl-T]] (or [[Ctrl-U]] then [T])
The THESAURUS command gives you access to the online thesaurus
for the current database. This command is only available if the
database has an online thesaurus.
Use the Thesaurus to find the most precise controlled vocabulary term
for your search and to find related search terms. In some
SilverPlatter thesauri, you can also view the thesaurus structure
(trees) and conduct a special type of search called an explosion.
How to Access the Thesaurus
1. Press [[Ctrl-T]] Thesaurus to display the Thesaurus prompt.
2. Type a word, word root, or phrase at the prompt.
3. Press [Enter] to display the portion of the Thesaurus containing
your term. For further details on using the Thesaurus, see the
chapter or quick reference guide for the specific database you
are using.
You can also get Context Sensitive Help when you are using the
Thesaurus by pressing [[F1]].
XCHANGE Command [[Ctrl-X]] (or [[Ctrl-U]] then [X])
XCHANGE lets you search another database, either on the same disc or
another disc. It also lets you search the same database on another
disc.
1. Press [[Ctrl-X]] XCHANGE.
2. The Database Selection screen is displayed.
3. Press [up] or [down] to move to the desired database.
4. Press [Spacebar] to select the database. You can select
multiple discs from the same database by repeating steps 3 and 4.
5. Press [Enter] to load the database you chose.
6. If you have chosen a new database, you will see the Title screen;
press [Esc] to continue.
Your search history is retained and a message lists the database
in which the searches were originally used.
7. Repeat any of the previous searches on the new database by typing
the search statement numbers, like #5. You must repeat the search
on the new disc before you can use the results. The actual records
retrieved in searches from the previous database are no longer
available for Show, Print, or Download.
Note: If you had done a field-specific search in the first database,
such as "py>1990", and the PY field is not available in the second
database, n/a will be displayed in the records retrieved column,
meaning the results are not available.
-- PAGE 15 --
Operators Available in UNIX-SPIRS
AND Operator
Use the AND operator in your search statement to retrieve records
containing both search terms. For example, the statement "dyslexia and
child" retrieves only those records containing both dyslexia and
child. Records containing only one of the terms are not retrieved.
IN Operator
Use the IN operator in your search statement to limit your search to
occurrences of your term within a particular database field. For
example, "dyslexia in ti" searches for records with the term dyslexia
in the Title (TI) field only. If dyslexia is in another field but not
in the Title field, the record is not retrieved.
NEAR Operator
Use the NEAR operator in your search statement to retrieve records
that have two search terms in the same sentence. For example,
"dyslexia near treatment" finds only those records where dyslexia and
treatment are in the same sentence--either term can appear first.
Add a number to NEAR to specify exactly how close the terms
must be to each other. For example, "dyslexia near2 treatment" further
limits your search to records where dyslexia and treatment occur
within two words of each other in the same sentence.
NOT Operator
Use the NOT operator in your search statement to limit your search
by excluding records containing a particular term. For example,
"dog not puppy" retrieves records containing dog but excludes those
containing puppy.
NOT should be used carefully since it can also eliminate relevant
records. For example, "dog not puppy" would eliminate relevant records
containing references to both dog and puppy.
OR Operator
Use the OR operator in your search statement to broaden your search by
looking for more than one term at a time, especially when there are
several synonymous or related terms for your search concept. For
example, "dyslexia or learning disabilities" retrieves records
containing either dyslexia or learning disabilities or both.
WITH Operator
Use the WITH operator in your search statement to limit your search by
retrieving records that have two search terms in the same field. For
example, "dyslexia with research" finds only those records where
dyslexia and research are in the same field; either term can appear
first.
-- PAGE 16 --
Search Strategies
BROADENING YOUR SEARCH
When your search retrieves too few records, use one or more of the
following techniques to increase the number of records retrieved:
Using the OR Operator to Broaden a Search
Or retrieves all records that contain either of two or more search
terms. For example, "dyslexia or learning disabilities" retrieves
all records containing just dyslexia, or just learning disabilities,
or both terms. This way you retrieve more records than if you had
only searched for one of the terms.
Using Truncation to Broaden a Search
Truncation lets you broaden your search by searching for occurrences
of any term that begins with the same letters you specify. Use an
asterisk or a series of question marks to truncate the end of a word
or word root. The asterisk retrieves an unlimited number of
characters at the end of a search term.
Using Wildcards to Broaden a Search
Use the wildcard symbol (a question mark) to search for alternate
spellings of a word. For example, "colo?r" retrieves all records
containing terms that begin with colo and have zero or one letter
before ending with the letter r: color and colour.
Using the Index to Broaden a Search
The Index works in conjunction with the OR operator to help you
broaden a search. For example, if you look up the word "food" in
the Index, you can select two related terms to search:
food-and-nutrition and food-consumption. When you select these two
terms and choose Find, UNIX-SPIRS automatically combines them with
the OR operator.
Omitting Hyphens from Descriptors to Broaden a Search
Databases commonly have special descriptor fields that indicate the
main topic or focus of the record. These descriptor fields contain
hyphenated terms, like "teachers-of-the-blind". You can broaden a
search by searching without the hyphens. For example, if you search
for the term "teachers" in the Descriptors (DE) field, without the
hyphen, you retrieve all records with an occurrence of teachers,
including mentions such as teachers-administrators, teachers-
elementary, high-school-teachers, etc.
-- PAGE 17 --
Search Strategies, continued
Using Lateral Searching to Broaden a Search
Lateral Searching is the technique of selecting additional search
terms from previously retrieved records. For example, If you search
for "river blindness" and then Show ([[F4]]) the results of that
search, you are likely to run across the Latin term oncocerciasis
while you are scrolling through the records. You can then search for
that term to retrieve records that may not have been included in the
previous search. You can select more than one term at a time for
Lateral Searching. Lateral Searching is especially effective when
terms are selected from the Descriptor (DE) or equivalent fields.
Searching Multiple Discs in a Database Set
If the database you are searching is contained on several discs,
repeating your search on all discs in the set will increase the number
of retrieved records.
Searching Additional Databases
Another way to broaden your search is to continue it on a different
database. Use XCHANGE [[Ctrl-X]] to switch discs. Keep in mind that
field-specific searches may not work on different databases.
NARROWING YOUR SEARCH
When your search retrieves too many records, you can use any of the
following techniques to narrow it:
Using Operators to Narrow a Search
AND retrieves only those records containing both search terms.
Since AND requires that both terms be in the same record, it
retrieves fewer records than if you searched for records containing
either one of the terms by itself.
WITH searches for two terms that appear in the same field. Records
that contain the two terms in different fields are eliminated.
NEAR searches for two terms that appear in the same sentence. By
adding a number to NEAR, you can specify exactly how close the terms
should be.
NOT excludes records containing the search term from your results.
NOT should be used carefully, however, because it can also eliminate
useful records. For example, if you searched for "dog not puppy",
you would miss records that discuss both dog and puppy.
-- PAGE 18 --
Search Strategies, continued
Using Fields to Narrow a Search
Another way to narrow your search results is to look for your search
term in a particular field, using the IN operator. For example, search
for "woodward in au" to find articles authored by Bob Woodward, not
necessarily those that mention him.
Using Descriptors to Narrow a Search
Databases commonly have special descriptor fields that indicate the
main topic or focus of the record. For the most precise results,
use hyphens when searching for descriptors. For example, if you are
interested in teachers of the blind, search for the hyphenated
phrase "teachers-of-the-blind in de". You will retrieve only those
records covering teachers of the blind.
Using Limit Fields to Narrow a Search
A limit field search may not be particularly useful if it is your
only search statement, but it can be very helpful in further
narrowing other search statements. For example, if you wanted to
limit your search to English-language records, you would use the
search statement "english in la" (English in the Language field).
When searching limit fields, you can substitute the equal sign (=)
for the in operator; for example, "la=english".
Using Lateral Searching to Narrow a Search
You can use lateral searching to narrow searches by choosing more
specific search terms from the displayed records. You may find more
specific terms that you had not thought of.
Combining Techniques to Narrow a Search
You can combine any of the above techniques to narrow searches. For
example, you can use operators with field-specific searching. When
you combine techniques in this way, you may need to use parentheses
to make the meaning of your search statement clear.
For example, if you were conducting research on salmonella in poultry
eggs, you might use the statement "(salmonella and eggs) in de".
In this statement you use the AND operator to search for only those
records that contain both salmonella and eggs. In addition, by using
the IN operator to restrict your search to the Descriptor field (DE),
you ensure that salmonella and eggs are the main focus of the record.
Notice the use of parentheses to group salmonella and eggs.
Parentheses are often required in complex search statements to ensure
that UNIX-SPIRS interprets your statement correctly. If you omit the
parentheses, UNIX-SPIRS searches for "salmonella and (eggs in de)",
which is not what you intended.
-- PAGE 19 --
Getting Output
Showing Records (Current or Marked Set)
1. At the Find prompt, type the search statement number with the #
sign, like #5, and press [Enter].
2. Press [[F4]] SHOW. The first record is displayed.
3. Press any of the following keys to browse the records: [[Ctrl-F]],
[[Ctrl-B]], [[Plus]], [[Minus]], [down arrow], [up arrow].
4. Press [O] Options to change the SHOW options.
Printing Search Results
1. Display the search you want to print.
2. Press [[Ctrl-P]] PRINT to display the Print Options dialog box.
3. If desired, press [C] to access the Change Options box.
4. Press [S] Start Print to begin Printing records.
5. To interrupt Printing, press [Ctrl-C].
Downloading Search Results
1. Make sure the search you want Downloaded is the current search.
At the Find ([[F2]]) prompt, type the search statement number with
the # sign, like #5, and press [Enter].
2. Press [[Ctrl-U]], then [D] Download to display the Download Options
dialog box.
3. If desired, press [C] to access the Change Options box.
4. Press [S] Start Download to begin Downloading records.
5. To interrupt Downloading press [Ctrl-C].
Marking and Unmarking Records
Marking records is a convenient way to select relevant records from
your search results.
1. While in the SHOW screen, Use the [[Ctrl-F]], [[Ctrl-B]], [up arrow]
and [down arrow] keys to position the cursor within the record you
want to mark or unmark.
2. Press [M] Mark Record, or [U] Unmark Record. Asterisks appear, or
disappear, on the left side of the record to show whether it is
marked.
When you are Showing records, you can clear the entire set of marked
records immediately by changing the Clear All Marked Records option to
Yes.
The set of marked records is automatically cleared after Printing or
Downloading, unless the Clear Marked Set option is set to No.
-- PAGE 20 --
Shortcuts and Navigation Keys
Below is a table of the special keys to use for UNIX-SPIRS.
(vt100 default keymappings; see page 3)
Key Where It Is Used What It Does
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[right arrow] Dialog boxes Changes option value
[left arrow] Dialog boxes Changes option value
[Ctrl-C] Find; Show; Print; Download; Interrupts command
Run History
[[Ctrl-L]] Show, Print, or Download - Displays list of
Fields option database fields
[[Plus]] Show Displays next record
[[Minus]] Show Displays previous
record
[End] -Find, Index, or Thesaurus -Redisplays last term
prompt
-Show; Index; Thesaurus -Moves cursor to lower
left of screen
[Esc] -Menus -Moves back one menu
-Find, Index, or Thesaurus -Deletes entire term
prompt
[Home] Show; Index; Thesaurus Moves cursor to top
left of screen
# Find prompt Used with a number to
specify a previous
search statement
() Find prompt Combine and clarify
complex search
statements
"" Find prompt Used to search for
operators as search
terms
[Spacebar] Dialog boxes Changes option value
[Tab] -Menus -Moves among selections
-Dialog boxes -Moves among options
-- PAGE 21 --
Getting Help
If you have trouble using UNIX-SPIRS on ERL, call your system
administrator, library, or local help desk. They may be available to
help if you have trouble installing or running SilverPlatter ERL
software, accessing your server, or searching a SilverPlatter database.
Please call from a telephone near your workstation.
THE INDIVIDUAL SUPPLYING HELP MAY ASK YOU...
Before you call for help, you should review the following list and make
a note of the details as they apply to your system. By preparing this
information in advance, you will help to address your problem quickly
and efficiently.
General Information
---Name
---Database and disc in use
---Phone number for return calls
Description of Problem or Question
---When does the problem occur?
---Does the problem happen repeatedly or is it intermittent?
Software Information
---Version of the SilverPlatter software
---Version of DOS/UNIX
---Error message and error number, if any, at the bottom of the screen
---Search history from the Search History screen
---Whether you have used Clear or Restart since starting the software
---How the Options are set for Find, Show, Print, and Download
Hardware Information
---Type of computer
---Amount of Random Access Memory
---Type of monitor (monochrome or color)
---Type of graphics card installed
---Type of peripherals installed
-- PAGE 22 --
Running UNIX-SPIRS from Any Directory
(Setting up users to run UNIX-SPIRS in their own directory)
UNIX-SPIRS can be run from any directory, as long as the SPIRSDIR
environment variable is set and one of the following conditions applies:
1. There is a path set to it in the PATH environment variable
2. The full path name is entered on the command line
One advantage of this method is the ability to set up users in their own
directory (usually their home directory), without having to install
UNIX-SPIRS more than once. This enables users to use their own
configuration files for custom default settings. It also enables users
to save download files and search histories in their own directory,
rather than the main UNIX-SPIRS directory, which usually has limited
permissions set for security purposes.
To set up a user in a personal directory, the user must have an
environment variable called SPIRSDIR pointing to the directory where
UNIX-SPIRS was installed (ex: SPIRSDIR=/applications/unixspirs).
SPIRSDIR allows the local user to locate the configuration files and
resource files necessary to run UNIX-SPIRS in their home directory.
The user can have some or all of the configuration files present
in his home directory. Any files that are not in the current directory,
are searched for in the SPIRSDIR directory.
The configuration files that most likely will be located in the user's
home directory are:
1) spirs.cfg - contains most of the default configurations for
downloading, printing, saving search histories
2) erlclnt.cfg - contains the addresses of the ERL servers
UNIX-SPIRS searches for configuration files and resource files in the
following order:
1. CurrentDirectory
2. CurrentDirectory/dbase
3. $SPIRSDIR
4. $SPIRSDIR/dbase
-- PAGE 23 --
Reconfiguring UNIX-SPIRS
Use the UNIX-SPIRS Reconfiguration Program (reconfig.exe) to change
certain options within UNIX-SPIRS. Reconfig runs automatically at the
end of the installation process.
Run reconfig at any time by typing the following at the UNIX-SPIRS
directory prompt:
./reconfig
You will see the Main Menu, which contains three options:
1. View Current Configuration Tag Values
2. Change Configuration Tag Values
3. Configuration Tag Definitions
Option 1 (View Current Configuration Tag Values)
This option shows the current values for tags in the UNIX-SPIRS
configuration files. Most of the tag values are toggles (0 for off,
1 for on). Explanations of these values are in options 2 and 3.
Option 2 (Change Configuration Tag Values)
This option allows you to change the current tag values. You enter
the screen at the first tag. The help window at the bottom of the
screen explains each tag value as you scroll down the list.
Type the value that you want the tag to have.
Press [Enter] to move to the next tag value.
After you have entered all the options, the Save/Abandon/Change menu
gives you the opportunity to either save the changes you have made,
abandon those changes, or edit a particular option.
Option 3 (Configuration Tag Definitions)
This option shows you a quick explanation of each configuration option.
-- PAGE 24 --
Editing the erlclnt.cfg File
(for using different servers)
The ERL configuration file (erlclnt.cfg) is a text file located in the
UNIX-SPIRS directory that contains information necessary for locating
ERL servers.
The erlclnt.cfg shipped with UNIX-SPIRS is preconfigured to login to
SilverPlatter's Guest ERL server. You can change this setup with the
following steps:
1. Open the erlclnt.cfg file for editing.
2. Place a comment mark (/*) in front of the server_addr1 line
(serveraddr1 = /2/erl2.silverplatter.com/416) in the "Guest Server"
section of the erlclnt.cfg file.
3. Remove the comment mark from in front of the server_addr1 line in
the section of the erlclnt.cfg file that corresponds to the other
server:
Your ERL Server
serveraddr1 = /2/your_server_name_or_ip_address_here/416
Subscription Server
serveraddr1 = /2/erl.silverplatter.com/5000
MEDLINE Current Server
serveraddr1 = /2/erl3.silverplatter.com/416
4. Save erlclnt.cfg in text-only format.
NOTE: If your server does not have name resolution capabilities, use
the IP address instead of the server name in the serveraddr1 line.
-- PAGE 25 --
Security
UNIX-SPIRS provides security through IP address checking. Three ascii
files located in the /unixspirs/dbase directory allow UNIX-SPIRS to
determine which addresses are authorized to use the UNIX-SPIRS client.
The files are as follows:
ipincl contains IP addresses or ranges of addresses that are
authorized to use UNIX-SPIRS
ipexcl contains IP addresses or ranges of addresses that are
excluded from using UNIX-SPIRS
offsite contains usernames that (with a proper password) are
automatically authorized regardless of IP address
Address Checking Algorithm
1. The user logs in with a username and password; the offsite file is
checked to see if the username exists. If the username exists in the
offsite file, no address checking is performed and the user (with a
proper password) is granted access.
2. If the ipincl file exists, then address checking is turned ON. Note
that if the ipincl file exists, then the ipexcl and offsite files
must also exist (but can be empty).
3. When address checking is on, the ipexcl file is checked to see if the
user's IP address is included. If the user's IP address is included
in the ipexcl file, the user is denied access, regardless of whether
their address is in the ipincl file.
4. When address checking is on and the user's address is not included in
the ipexcl file, the ipincl file is checked to see if the user's IP
address is included. Users (with a proper password) are then granted
access only if their IP address is included in the ipincl file.
Access to UNIX-SPIRS Granted
1. IP address checking turned off; proper username and password
2. IP address checking turned on; username included in the offsite
file; proper password
3. IP address checking turned on; IP address included in the ipincl
file, and IP address not included in the ipexcl file; proper
username and password
-- PAGE 26 --
Security, continued
Access to UNIX-SPIRS Denied
1. IP address checking is turned on; IP address is included in the
ipexcl file (regardless of whether it is included in the ipincl file)
2. IP address checking is turned on; IP address is not included in the
ipincl file
3. improper username or password (regardless of whether IP address
checking is on)
File Structures
Include file (ipincl)
There are three columns, each separated by at least one space. Each
entry begins in the first column, with only one entry on a line. The
first column contains the IP address, the second column contains the
Network Mask, and the third column is for Comments.
IP Address: specifies the addresses of workstations that are to be
given access to UNIX-SPIRS.
Network Mask: specifies how much of the address is significant.
Where there is a 255 in the mask, the corresponding place in the
address is significant. Where there is a 0 in the mask, the
corresponding place in the address is not significant.
For example, if the IP address is 192.82.71.99 and the network mask
is 255.255.0.0, then the significant bytes are 192.82, which would
authorize access for all 192.82 addresses.
Comment: must begin with a "#". Everything after the "#" is ignored.
A "#" may also be used in the first column on a line to make the
entire line a comment.
Exclude file (ipexcl)
The structure of the ipexcl file is the same as that of the ipincl
file, with the exception that these addresses are not to be given
access.
Offsite file (offsite)
The offsite file consists of two columns separated by at least one
space. The first column contains the user name; the second column
contains the comment.
User Name: specifies the usernames that will be given access
regardless of IP address.
Comment: must begin with a "#". Everything after the "#" is ignored.
A "#" may also be used in the first column on a line to make the
entire line a comment.