| ==Phrack Inc.== | |
| Volume Four, Issue Thirty-Nine, File 5 of 13 | |
| *************************************************************************** | |
| * * | |
| * The Complete Guide To * | |
| * The DIALOG Information Network * | |
| * * | |
| * by * | |
| * Brian Oblivion * | |
| * * | |
| * Courtesy of: Restricted-Data-Transmissions (RDT) * | |
| * "Truth Is Cheap, But Information Costs." * | |
| * * | |
| * 5/9/92 * | |
| *************************************************************************** | |
| INTRODUCTION: | |
| With the plethora of on-line databases in the public and private sectors, | |
| I feel it is becoming increasingly important to penetrate and maintain access | |
| to these databases. The databases in question contain data pertaining to our | |
| personal lives and to our environment, not to mention the tetrabytes of useful | |
| information that can be directed toward research and personal education. | |
| Who or What is DIALOG? | |
| The DIALOG Information Network is a service that links various public and | |
| commercial databases together for convenience. In the past, when one wanted to | |
| access LEGAL RESOURCE INDEX, for instance, one would have to dial direct. With | |
| DIALOG, hundreds of databases are connected via X.25 networks (Tymnet, | |
| Sprintnet, Uninet, Dialnet) eliminating frustrating searching and outrageous | |
| long distance telephone bills (before the AT&T divestiture). | |
| Further, within this file is a PARTIAL list of databases found on-line. | |
| Some of the databases are nothing more than periodicals and abstract sources, | |
| while others provide FullText articles and books. There are over 2500 | |
| periodicals, newspapers, newsletters and newswires on-line in FullText. | |
| Here are a few of my favorites: | |
| McGraw-Hill Publications On-Line (File624) | |
| - Services offer FullText of their Newsletters serving the world-wide | |
| aerospace and defense industry. Complete text from 30 newsletters such as | |
| AeroSpace Daily, BYTE, Aviation Week and Space Technology, Data Communications, | |
| ENR, among others. For more info on the database, when in DIALOG type Help | |
| News624. | |
| PR NEWSWIRE (File613) | |
| - PR Newswire records contain the complete text of news releases prepared | |
| by: companies; public relations agencies; trade associations; city, state, | |
| federal and non-US Government agencies; and other sources covering the entire | |
| spectrum of news. The complete text of a news release typically contains | |
| details or background information that is not published in newspapers. More | |
| than 8500 companies contribute news for PR Newswire. PR NEWSWIRE is a known | |
| agent of Corporate Intelligence. | |
| DMS/FI MARKET INTELLIGENCE REPORTS (File589) | |
| - FullText of World AeroSpace Weekly, covers all aspects of both civil and | |
| military aerospace activities worldwide. | |
| - World Weapons Review, very high degree of technical detail and | |
| perspective. As such, it has special appeal to military professionals | |
| and users of weapons. | |
| Note: The database treats the newsletters as separate Binders. For example, | |
| to access the World Weapons Review, after connecting to the database, | |
| type: | |
| SELECT BN=WORLD WEAPONS REVIEW | |
| or whichever newsletter you wish to search. | |
| FINE CHEMICALS DATABASE (File360) | |
| - The focus of this database is on sources for laboratory, specialty, and | |
| unusual chemicals used in scientific research and new product development. | |
| Fine chemicals are relatively pure chemicals typically produced in small | |
| quantities. The database will provide you with manufacturers and/or | |
| distributors. | |
| DUN'S ELECTRONIC YELLOW PAGES (File515) | |
| - Largest database of U.S. businesses available on DIALOG, providing | |
| information on a total of 8.5 million establishments. Corporate intelligence: | |
| you can quickly verify the existence of a business. Then you can obtain | |
| address, telephone number, employee size, Standard Industrial Classification | |
| (SIC) and other basic information. | |
| CURRENT CONTENTS SEARCH (File440) | |
| - FullText articles from over 8000+ worldwide journals dealing with | |
| science and technology. | |
| BOOKS IN PRINT (File470) | |
| - Access to in-print and out-of-print books since 1979, BIP lets you | |
| retrieve bibliographic data on virtually every book published or distributed in | |
| the United States. Plus FullText reviews on the book(s) you have selected. | |
| See next. | |
| PUBLISHERS DISTRIBUTORS AND WHOLESALERS ON-LINE (File450) | |
| - PDW on-line will locate virtually any book, audio cassette, software | |
| publisher, distributor, or wholesaler in the U.S. | |
| You now should have an idea of the power and scope of the Dialog | |
| Information Network. | |
| NOTE: Most of DIALOG's Services are now available to certain Research | |
| facilities, public and private, on CD-ROM. Check your local public and | |
| university libraries for this service. Of course, MANY of the more | |
| interesting databases are not available on CD-ROM and must still be | |
| accessed through the DIALOG network. | |
| Access to DIALOG Services | |
| The following on-line services are available from DIALOG Information | |
| Services: | |
| DIALOG | |
| DIALOG Business (DBC) | |
| DIALOG Medical Connection (DMC) | |
| DIALMAIL | |
| KNOWLEDGE INDEX | |
| The logon procedures for the first four are identical and use the same | |
| service address; procedures for KNOWLEDGE INDEX differ only in the use of the | |
| KI service address, as illustrated throughout this file. | |
| The most common method of access to DIALOG services uses local phone | |
| numbers for three telecommunication networks: DIALOG's DIALNET, BT Tymnet, | |
| TYMNET, and SprintNet. For those who live in an area that lacks a local dialup | |
| for those three networks, you may use the 800 link into the DIALNET for access | |
| to all DIALOG services except KNOWLEDGE INDEX. This access is not free, but it | |
| may cost less than dialing long-distance to reach a network node if you live in | |
| a region without local access. Access is also available through gateways from | |
| other on-line systems. | |
| Access to many DIALOG services is available from countries throughout the | |
| world and may be accessed from their own Public Data Networks. | |
| Dialnet 800-Number Access | |
| The two DIALNET 800 numbers are available for connecting to Dialog services | |
| from anywhere in the 48 contiguous states. Access through these numbers is not | |
| free. | |
| (800)DIALNET 300, 1200, and 2400 b. (w/MNP error checking) | |
| (800)342-5638 | |
| (800)847-1620 VADIC 3400 series modems (1200 baud) | |
| BELL 103 modems (300 baud) | |
| BELL 212 modems (1200 baud) | |
| Note: I have excluded all the dialup numbers for Tymnet and Sprintnet. If you | |
| don't know how to find those, obtain a file on X.25 nets and I'm sure | |
| they will be listed somewhere in them. | |
| DIALNET U.S. DIALUP NUMBERS | |
| (All DIALNET dialup numbers support 300, 1200, and 2400 baud) | |
| ARIZONA | |
| Phoenix....................................(602)257-8895 | |
| CALIFORNIA | |
| Alhambra...................................(818)300-9000 | |
| Longbeach..................................(213)491-0803 | |
| Los Angeles................................(818)300-9000 | |
| Marina Del Rey.............................(213)305-9833 | |
| Newport Beach..............................(714)756-1969 | |
| Oakland....................................(415)633-7900 | |
| Palo Alto..................................(415)858-2461 | |
| Palo Alto..................................(415)858-2461 | |
| Palo Alto....................................(415)858-2575 | |
| Sacramento.................................(916)444-5030 | |
| San Diego..................................(619)297-8610 | |
| San Francisco..............................(415)957-5910 | |
| San Jose...................................(408)432-0590 | |
| COLORADO | |
| Denver.....................................(303)860-9800 | |
| CONNECTICUT | |
| Bloomfield/Hartford........................(203)242-5954 | |
| Stamford...................................(203)324-1201 | |
| DELAWARE | |
| Wilmington.................................(302)652-1706 | |
| DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | |
| Washington.................................(703)359-2500 | |
| GEORGIA | |
| Atlanta....................................(404)455-4221 | |
| ILLINOIS | |
| Chicago....................................(312)341-1444 | |
| INDIANA | |
| Indianapolis...............................(317)635-7259 | |
| MARYLAND | |
| Baltimore..................................(301)234-0940 | |
| MASSACHUSETTS | |
| Boston.....................................(617)439-7920 | |
| Lexington..................................(617)862-6240 | |
| MICHIGAN | |
| Ann Arbor..................................(313)973-2622 | |
| Detroit....................................(313)964-1309 | |
| MINNESOTA | |
| Minneapolis................................(612)338-0676 | |
| MISSOURI | |
| St. Louis..................................(314)731-0122 | |
| NEW JERSEY | |
| Lyndhurst..................................(201)460-8868 | |
| Morristown.................................(201)292-9646 | |
| Newark.....................................(201)824-1412 | |
| Piscataway.................................(201)562-9680 | |
| Princeton..................................(609)243-9550 | |
| NEW MEXICO | |
| Albuquerque................................(505)764-9281 | |
| NEW YORK | |
| Albany.....................................(518)458-8710 | |
| Buffalo....................................(716)896-9440 | |
| Hempstead..................................(516)489-6868 | |
| New York City..............................(212)422-0410 | |
| Rochester..................................(716)458-7300 | |
| White Plains...............................(914)328-7810 | |
| NORTH CAROLINA | |
| Research Triangle..........................(919)549-9290 | |
| OHIO | |
| Cincinnati.................................(513)489-3980 | |
| Cleveland..................................(216)621-3807 | |
| Columbus...................................(614)461-8348 | |
| Dayton.....................................(513)898-8878 | |
| OREGON | |
| Portland...................................(503)228-2771 | |
| PENNSYLVANIA | |
| Allentown..................................(215)776-2030 | |
| Philadelphia...............................(215)923-5214 | |
| Pittsburg..................................(412)471-1421 | |
| Valley Forge/Norristown....................(215)666-1500 | |
| TEXAS | |
| Austin.....................................(512)462-9494 | |
| Dallas.....................................(214)631-9861 | |
| Houston....................................(713)531-0505 | |
| UTAH | |
| Salt Lake City.............................(801)532-3071 | |
| VIRGINIA | |
| Fairfax....................................(703)359-2500 | |
| WASHINGTON | |
| Seattle....................................(206)282-5009 | |
| WISCONSIN | |
| Milwaukee..................................(414)796-1785 | |
| Access to Dialog Outside of the US | |
| Foreign readers may access Dialog via the INFONET PDN. The following | |
| numbers are for those particular users. | |
| BELGIUM | |
| Brussels (300).............................(02)648-0710 | |
| Brussels (1200)............................(02)640-4993 | |
| DENMARK | |
| Copenhagen (300)...........................(01)22-10-66 | |
| Copenhagen (1200)..........................(01)22-41-22 | |
| Logging in to DIALOG or KNOWLEDGE INDEX (KI) | |
| After dialing the appropriate number and establishing the connection, you | |
| must allow a 10-second delay and then enter the letter A (or a carriage return | |
| or another terminal identifier from the table below) before any further | |
| response will occur. Then, follow the remainder of the procedures show below. | |
| DIALOG Information Services' DIALNET | |
| -2151:01-012- | |
| Enter Service: dialog Enter DIALOG or KI; | |
| DIALNET: call connected | |
| DIALOG INFORMATION SERVICES | |
| PLEASE LOGON: | |
| ?XXXXXXXX Enter User Number | |
| ENTER PASSWORD: | |
| ?XXXXXXXX Enter Password; | |
| NOTE: I have researched the method of user number and password distribution | |
| and all user numbers and passwords are generated by Dialog, BUT upon | |
| receiving a password from DIALOG you may opt to change it. The | |
| passwords issued from DIALOG are 8 digits long, consisting of random | |
| alpha-numeric characters. | |
| Once you are connected to your default service or file in DIALOG, you can then | |
| BEGIN one of the other services; for example, to access DIALMAIL, BEGIN MAIL. | |
| DIALNET Terminal Identifiers | |
| Speed Identifier Terminal Type Effect | |
| =---------------------------------------------------------------= | |
| 300 bps ENTER key PCs & CRTs Same as A | |
| E Thermal Printers Slower | |
| C Impact Printers Slowest | |
| G Belt Printer Slower | |
| 1200 bps ENTER key PCs & CRTs Same as A | |
| or G Matrix Printers Slower | |
| 2400 bps I Belt Printers Slowest | |
| - For access in half duplex, enter a < CTRL H > after the "Enter Service:" | |
| prompt and before entering the word "dialog" or "ki." | |
| - Don't hit backspace if you make an error in typing "dialog" or "ki." The | |
| result will be toggling your duplex, reason being your backspace is usually | |
| configured to send a < CTRL H > to delete to the left of the cursor one | |
| space. | |
| DIALNET Messages | |
| Message Probable Cause User Action | |
| ERROR, RE-ENTER SERVICE Incorrect host name Check typing | |
| ALL PORTS BUSY All DIALOG ports Try in a few min. | |
| are temporarily in | |
| use. | |
| HOST DOWN DIALOG computer is Try in a few min. | |
| not available. | |
| HOST NOT RESPONDING DIALOG Computer Try in a few min. | |
| difficulty | |
| CIRCUITS BUSY DIALNET Network is Try in a few min. | |
| temporarily busy. | |
| DIALNET: CALL CLEARED Appears after LOGOFF | |
| BY REQUEST to indicate connection | |
| ENTER SERVICE: to DIALOG is broken. | |
| DROPPED BY HOST SYSTEM Indicates a system failure | |
| at DIALOG. | |
| Navigating in DIALOG | |
| To begin a search, one would enter: | |
| BEGIN xxxx | |
| xxxx would be the database file number. All databases found on DIALOG are | |
| assigned file numbers. The searching protocol used to manipulate DIALOG seems | |
| at times to be a language in itself, but it can be easily learned and mastered. | |
| DIALOG HOMEBASE | |
| I would advise the first-timer to jump into the DIALOG Homebase Menu, | |
| which provides information, help, file of the month, database info and rates, | |
| the DIALINDEX, DIALOG Training, and announcements. DIALOG also provides | |
| subscribers with special services which include dialouts for certain area | |
| codes. You can begin the DIALOG HOMBASE by typing: | |
| BEGIN HOME | |
| =-**************************************************************-= | |
| DIALOG DATABASES | |
| File Number Database | |
| 15 ABI/INFORM | |
| 180 Academic American Encyclopedia | |
| 43 ADTRACT | |
| 108 Aerospace Database | |
| 10,110 AGRICOLA | |
| 9 AIM/ARM | |
| 38 America:History & Life | |
| 236 American Men & Women of Science | |
| 258,259 AP NEWS | |
| 45 APTIC | |
| 112 Aquaculture | |
| 116 Aqualine | |
| 44 Aquatic Science & Fisheries ABS | |
| 56 Art Bibliographies, Modern | |
| 192 Arthur D. Little On-Line | |
| 102 ASI | |
| 285 BIOBUSINESS | |
| 287,288 Biography Master Index | |
| 5, 55 | |
| 255 BIOSIS Previews | |
| 175 BLS Consumer Price Index | |
| 178 BLS Employment, Hours, and Earnings | |
| 176 BLS Producer Price Index | |
| 137 Book Review Index | |
| 470 Books In Print | |
| 256 Business Software Database | |
| 308-311 | |
| 320 CA Search | |
| 50 CAB Abstracts | |
| 262 Canadian Business and Current Affairs | |
| 162 Career Placement Registry/ Experienced Personnel | |
| 163 Career Placement Reg/Student | |
| 580 CENDATA | |
| 138 Chemical Exposure | |
| 19 Chemical Industry Notes | |
| 174 Chem Regulations & Guidelines | |
| 300,301 CHEMNAME, CHEMSIS | |
| 328-331 CHEMZERO | |
| 30 CHEMSEARCH | |
| 64 Chile Abuse & Neglect | |
| 410 Chronolog Newsletter-International Edition | |
| 101 Compuserve Information Service | |
| 220-222 CLAIMS Citation | |
| 124 CLAIMS Class | |
| 242 CLAIMS Compound Registry | |
| 23-25,125 | |
| 223-225 CLAIMS US Patents | |
| 123 CLAIMS Reassignment & Re-examination | |
| 219 Clinical Abstracts | |
| 164 Coffeeline | |
| 194-195 Commerce Business Daily | |
| 593 Compare Products | |
| 8 Compendex | |
| 275 The Computer Database | |
| 77 Conference Papers Index | |
| 135 Congressional Record Abstracts | |
| 271 Consumer Drug Info Fulltext | |
| 171 Criminal Justice Period Index | |
| 60 CRIS/USDA | |
| 230 DATABASE OF DATABASES | |
| 516 D&B - Dun's Market Identifiers | |
| 517 D&B - Million Dollar Directory | |
| 518 D&B - International Dun's Market Identifiers | |
| 411 DIALINDEX | |
| 200 DIALOG PUBLICATIONS | |
| 100 Disclosure II | |
| 540 Disclosure Spectrum Ownership | |
| 35 Dissertation Abstracts On-Line | |
| 103,104 DOE Energy | |
| 575 Donnelley Demographics | |
| 229 Drug Information Fulltext | |
| 139 Economic Literature Index | |
| 165 Ei Engineering Meetings | |
| 241 Electric Power Database | |
| 511 Electronic Dictionary of Education | |
| 507 Construction Directory | |
| 501 Financial Services Directory | |
| 510 Manufactures Directory | |
| 502 Professionals Directory | |
| 504-506 Retailers Directory | |
| 508,509 Services Directory | |
| 503 Wholesalers Directory | |
| 500 Electronic Yellow Pages Index | |
| 72, 73 EMBASE (Excerpta Medica) | |
| 172,173 EMBASE | |
| 114 Encyclopedia of Associations | |
| 69 Energyline | |
| 169 Energynet | |
| 40 ENVIROLINE | |
| 68 Environmental Bibliography | |
| 1 eric | |
| 54 Exceptional Child Education Resources | |
| 291 Family Resources | |
| 20 Federal Index | |
| 136 Federal Register Abstracts | |
| 265 Federal Research in Progress | |
| 196 Find/SVP Reports and studies Index | |
| 268 FINIS: Financial Industry Information Service | |
| 96 Fluidex | |
| 51 Food Science & Technology Abstracts | |
| 79 Foods Adlibra | |
| 90 Foreign Trade & Econ Abstracts | |
| 105 Foreign Traders Index | |
| 26 Foundation Directory | |
| 27 Foundation Grants Index | |
| 58 Geoarchive | |
| 89 Georef | |
| 66 GPO Monthly Catalog | |
| 166 GPO Publications Reference File | |
| 85 Grants | |
| 122 Harvard Business Review | |
| 151 Health Planning And Administration | |
| 39 Historical Abstracts | |
| 561 ICC British Company Directory | |
| 562 ICC British Financial Datasheets | |
| 189 Industry Data Sources | |
| 202 Information Science Abstracts | |
| 12, 13 INSPEC | |
| 168 Insurance Abstracts | |
| 209 International Listing Service | |
| 74 International Pharmaceutical Abstracts | |
| 545 Investext | |
| 284 IRS TAXiNFO | |
| 14 ISMEC | |
| 244 LABORLAW | |
| 36 Language & Language Behavior Abstracts | |
| 426-427 LC MARC | |
| 150 Legal Resource Index | |
| 76 Life Sciences Collection | |
| 61 LISA | |
| 647 Magazine ASAP | |
| 47 Magazine Index | |
| 75 Management Contents | |
| 234 Marquis Who's Who | |
| 235 Marquis Pro-files | |
| 239 Mathfile | |
| 546 Media General Database | |
| 152-154 MEDLINE | |
| 86 Mental Health Abstracts | |
| 232 Menu The International Software Database | |
| 32 METADEX | |
| 29 Meteor/Geoastrophysical Abstracts | |
| 233 Microcomputer Index | |
| 32 MERADEX | |
| 29 Meteor/Geoastrophysical Abstracts | |
| 233 Microcomputer Index | |
| 248 The Middle East: Abstracts and Index | |
| 249 Mideast File | |
| 71 MLA Bibliography | |
| 555 Moody's Corporate Profiles | |
| 557 Moody's Corporate News-International | |
| 556 Moody's Corporate News - U.S. | |
| 78 National Foundations | |
| 111 National Newspaper News - U.S. | |
| 21 NCJRS | |
| 211 Newsearch | |
| 46 NICEM | |
| 70 NICSEM/NIMIS | |
| 118 Nonferrous Metals Abstracts | |
| 6 NTIS | |
| 218 Nursing & Allied Health | |
| 161 Occupational Safety and Health | |
| 28 Oceanic Abstracts | |
| 170 ON-LINE Chronicle | |
| 215 ONTAP ABI/INFORM | |
| 205 ONTAP BIOSIS Previews | |
| 204 ONTAP CA SEARCH | |
| 250 ONTAP CAB Abstracts | |
| 231 ONTAP Chemname | |
| 208 ONTAP Compendex | |
| 290 ONTAP DIALINDEX | |
| 201 ONTAP ERIC | |
| 272 ONTAP Embase | |
| 213 ONTAP Inspec | |
| 247 ONTAP Magazine Index | |
| 254 ONTAP Medline | |
| 216 ONTAP PTS Promt | |
| 294 ONTAP Scisearch | |
| 207 ONTAP Social Scisearch | |
| 296 ONTAP Trademarkscan | |
| 280 ONTAP World Patents Index | |
| 49 PAIS International | |
| 240 Paperchem | |
| 243 PATLAW | |
| 257 P/E News | |
| 241 Peterson's College Database | |
| 42 Pharmaceutical News Index | |
| 57 Philosopher's Index | |
| 41 Pollution Abstracts | |
| 91 Population Bibliography | |
| 140 PsycALERT | |
| 11 PsycINFO | |
| 17 PTS Annual Reports Abstracts | |
| 80 PTS Defense Markets and Technology | |
| 18 PTS F&S Indexes 80- | |
| 98 PTS F&S Indexes 72-79 | |
| 81, 83 PTS Forecasts | |
| 570 PTS MARS | |
| 16 PTS PROMPT | |
| 82, 84 PTS TIME SERIES | |
| 190 Religion Index | |
| 421-425 TEMARC | |
| 97 Rilm Abstracts | |
| 34, 87 SciSearch | |
| 94, 186 SciSearch | |
| 7 Social Scisearch | |
| 270 Soviet Science and Technology | |
| 37 Sociological Abstracts | |
| 62 SPIN | |
| 65 SSIE Current Research | |
| 132 Standard & Poor's News | |
| 133 Standard & Poor's Corporate Descriptions | |
| 526 Standard & Poor's Register-Biographical | |
| 527 Standard & Poor's Register-Corporate | |
| 113 Standards & Specifications | |
| 238 Telgen | |
| 119 Textile Technology Digest | |
| 535 Thomas Tegister On-Line | |
| 648 Trade & Industry ASAP | |
| 148 Trade & Industry Index | |
| 106,107 Trade Opportunities | |
| 226 Trademarkscan | |
| 531 Trinet Establishment Database | |
| 532 Trinet Company Database | |
| 63 TRIS | |
| 52 TSCA Initial Inventory | |
| 480 Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory | |
| 260,261 UPI NEWS | |
| 126 U.S. Exports | |
| 93 U.S. Political Science Documents | |
| 120 U.S. Public School Directory | |
| 184 Washington Post Index | |
| 117 Water Resources Abstracts | |
| 350,351 World Patents Index | |
| 67 World Textiles | |
| 185 Zoological Record | |
| Before I continue describing the various methods of searching, DIALOG has | |
| an on-line master index to the DIALOG databases, DIALINDEX (file 411). It is a | |
| collection of the file indexes of most DIALOG databases (menu-driven databases | |
| cannot be searched in DIALINDEX). DIALINDEX can be used to determine the | |
| number of relevant records for a single query in a collection of files. The | |
| query can be a single term, a multiple-word phrase, a prefix-coded field, or a | |
| full logical expression of up to 240 characters. Nested terminology, proximity | |
| operators, and truncated terms may also be used. | |
| You can set the files you want searched by using the SET FILE command. | |
| Like this: | |
| BEGIN 411 (return) | |
| SET FILE ALLNEWS (if you want the latest news on | |
| or hack/phreak busts) | |
| SF ALLNEWS | |
| To scan all Subjects: SET FILES ALL | |
| To scan specific categories: | |
| All Science: (ALLSCIENCE) | |
| - Agriculture & Nutrition | |
| - Chemistry | |
| - Computer Technology | |
| - Energy & Environment | |
| - Medicine & Biosciences | |
| - Patents & Trademarks | |
| - Science & technology | |
| All Business: (ALLBUSINESS) | |
| - Business Information | |
| - Company Information | |
| - Industry Analysis | |
| - News | |
| - Patents & Trademarks | |
| All News and Current Events: (ALLNEWS) | |
| - News | |
| All Law & Government: (ALLLAW;ALLGOVERNMENT) | |
| - Law & Government | |
| - Patents & Trademarks | |
| All Social Science & Humanities: (ALLSOCIAL;ALLHUMANITIES) | |
| - Social Sciences & Humanities | |
| All General Interest: (ALLGENERAL) | |
| - Popular Information | |
| All Reference: (ALLREFERENCE) | |
| - Books | |
| - Reference | |
| All Text: (ALLTEXT) | |
| All databases containing | |
| complete text of: | |
| - Journal Articles | |
| - Encyclopedias | |
| - Newspapers | |
| - Newswires | |
| All Sources: (ALLSOURCE) | |
| - Complete Text | |
| - Directory | |
| - Numeric Data | |
| All ONTAP Training Files: (ALLONTAPS) | |
| - All On-Line Training And | |
| Practice databases | |
| Once you have selected a database you can now SELECT the search keyword. | |
| You set the flag by: | |
| SELECT term - Retrieves a set of records containing the term. | |
| May be used with words, prefix or suffix codes, EXPAND, or | |
| set numbers. | |
| When defining what you are searching for you can use logical operators | |
| such as: | |
| OR - puts the retrieval of all search terms into one set, eliminating | |
| duplicate records. | |
| AND - retrieves the intersection, or overlap, of the search terms: all | |
| terms must be in each record retrieved. | |
| NOT - eliminates search term (or group of search terms) following it from | |
| other search term(s). | |
| Note: Always enter a space on either side of a logical operator. | |
| SELECT Examples: | |
| SELECT (BICMOS OR CMOS) AND SRAM | |
| or | |
| S (BICMOS OR CMOS) AND SRAM | |
| - This would generate something like this: | |
| 138 BICMOS <- records containing BICMOS only | |
| 1378 CMOS <- records containing CMOS only | |
| 681 SRAM <- records containing SRAM only | |
| S1 203 (BICMOS OR CMOS) AND SRAM <- this is what you | |
| ^^ wanted. | |
| || DIALOG names your select topic S1, S2... respectively as search its | |
| databases to make it easier to type. The contents of S1 are 203 | |
| found records containing the keywords BICMOS, CMOS, and SRAM. | |
| Sometimes S1 is referred to as S(tep) 1 | |
| PROXIMITY OPERATORS (Select command) | |
| (W) Requests terms be adjacent to each other and in order | |
| specified. -> S SOLAR(W)ENERGY | |
| (nW) Requests terms be within (n) words of each other and in order | |
| specified. -> S SOLAR(3W)ENERGY | |
| (N) Requests terms be adjacent but in any order. Useful for | |
| retrieving identical terms. -> S SOLAR(N)ENERGY | |
| (nN) Requests terms be within (n) words of each other and in any | |
| order. -> S SOLAR(3N)ENERGY | |
| (F) Requests terms be in same field of same record, in any order. | |
| -> S SOLAR(F)ENERGY | |
| (L) Requests terms be in same descriptor unit as defined by | |
| database. -> S SOLAR(L)ENERGY | |
| (S) Requests terms be in same Subfield unit as defined by | |
| database. -> S SOLAR(S)ENERGY | |
| (C) Equivalent to logic operator AND. | |
| -> S SOLAR(C)ENERGY | |
| PRIORITY OF EXECUTION | |
| Proximity operator, NOT, AND, OR | |
| Use parentheses to specify different order of execution, e.g. SELECT (SOLAR OR | |
| SUN) AND (ENERGY OR HEAT). Terms within parentheses are executed first. | |
| STOP WORDS (predefined) | |
| The following words may not be SELECTed as individual terms. The computer will | |
| retrieve a set with zero results. They may only be replaced with proximity | |
| operators, e.g. S GONE(2W)WIND | |
| AN FOR THE | |
| AND FROM TO | |
| BY OF WITH | |
| RESERVED WORDS AND SYMBOLS | |
| The following words and symbols must be enclosed in quotation marks whenever | |
| they are SELECTed as or within search terms, e.g., SELECT "OR"(W)GATE? | |
| AND = | |
| FROM * | |
| NOT + | |
| OR : | |
| STEPS / | |
| TRUNCATION | |
| OPEN: any number of characters following stem. | |
| SS EMPLOY? | |
| RESTRICTED: only one additional character following stem. | |
| SS HORSE? ? | |
| RESTRICTED: maximum number of additional characters equal to | |
| number of question marks entered. SS UNIVERS?? | |
| INTERNAL: allows character replaced by question mark to vary. One | |
| character per question mark. SS WOM?N | |
| BASIC INDEX FIELD SPECIFICATION (SUFFIX CODES) | |
| Suffix codes are used to restrict retrieval to specified basic index fields of | |
| a record. Specific fields and codes vary according to the database. | |
| Abstract /AB | |
| Descriptor /DE | |
| Full Descriptor(single word) /DF | |
| Identifier /ID | |
| Full Identifier(single word) /IF | |
| Title /TI | |
| Note /NT | |
| Section Heading /SH | |
| Examples: | |
| SELECT BUDGET?/TI | |
| SELECT POP(W)TOP(W)CAN?/TI,AB | |
| SELECT (DOLPHIN? OR PORPOISE?)/DE/ID | |
| ADDITIONAL INDEXES (PREFIX CODES) | |
| Prefix codes are used to search additional indexes. Specific fields and codes | |
| vary according to the database. | |
| Author AU= | |
| Company Name CO= | |
| Corporate Source CS= | |
| Document Type DT= | |
| Journal Name JN= | |
| Language LA= | |
| Publication Year PY= | |
| Update UD= | |
| Examples: | |
| SELECT AU=JOHNSON, ROBERT? | |
| SELECT LA=GERMAN | |
| SELECT CS=(MILAN(F)ITALY) | |
| RANGE SEARCHING | |
| A colon is used to indicate a range of sequential entries to be retrieved in a | |
| logical OR relationship. | |
| Examples: | |
| SELECT CC=64072:64078 | |
| SELECT ZP=662521:62526 | |
| LIMIT QUALIFIERS | |
| Limit qualifiers are used in SELECT statements to limit search terms or sets to | |
| given criteria. Specific qualifiers vary according to database. | |
| English language documents /ENG | |
| Major descriptor /MAJ | |
| Patents /PAT | |
| Human subject /HUM | |
| Accession number range /nnnnnn-nnnnnn | |
| Examples: | |
| SELECT TRANSISTORS/ENG,PAT | |
| SELECT S2/MAJ | |
| SELECT (STRESS OR TENSION)/234567-999999 | |
| Well that's it for basic searching. Now, how to view the record you have | |
| selected. | |
| Note: Indexes (prefix codes) often differ from database to | |
| database, often resulting in futile searches. One way to avoid this | |
| is to make a trip to the local Public or University Library and look | |
| up the blue sheets for the database you wish to query. Blue sheets | |
| are issued by dialog as a service to their users. Blue Sheets often | |
| contain helpful searching techniques ere to the database you are | |
| interested in. They will also contain a list of Indexes (prefix | |
| codes) unique to that database only. | |
| VIEWING SEARCH RESULTS | |
| COMMAND SUMMARY | |
| TYPE Provides continuous on-line display of results. | |
| T Specify set/format/range of items. If Item range is specified, | |
| use T to view next record. May also be used with specific | |
| accession number. | |
| Examples: T 12/3/1-22 <- set/format/range | |
| T 8/7 <- set/format | |
| T 6 <- view next.(6 in this case) | |
| T 438721 <- view record 438721 | |
| DISPLAY Provides display of results one screen at a time. Use | |
| D PAGE for subsequent screens. | |
| Specify set/format/range of items. If range not specified, use | |
| D to view next record. May also be used with specific | |
| accession number. | |
| Examples: D 11/6/1-44 <- set/format/range | |
| D 9/5 <- set/format | |
| D 7 <- view next.(7 in this case) | |
| D 637372/7 <- view record 637372/format 7 | |
| PRINT Requests that results be printed offline and mailed. Specify | |
| set/format/range of items. If item range not specified up to | |
| 50 records will be printed. Use PR to print another 50. | |
| Examples: PR 9/5/1-44 <- print set/format/range | |
| PR 6/7 <- print set/format (all) | |
| PR 14 <- print 14 only | |
| PR 734443/5 <- print 734443 format 5 only. | |
| PRINT TITLE xxx To specify a title(xxx) to appear on PRINTs. Title may | |
| contain up to 70 characters. No semicolon may be used. Must | |
| be entered in database before any other PRINT command is used. | |
| Cancelled by next BEGIN. | |
| Examples: PR TITLE GLOBULIN | |
| PR TITLE QUETZAL | |
| REPORT Extracts data from specified fields and produces tabular | |
| format for on-line output only. Specify set/range of | |
| items/fields. May be used with SORTED set to specify order of | |
| entries in table. Application is database-specific. | |
| TYPICAL FORMATS IN BIBLIOGRAPHIC FILES: | |
| Format Number Description | |
| 1 DIALOG Accession Number | |
| 2 Full Record except Abstract | |
| 3 Bibliographic Citation | |
| 5 Full Record | |
| 6 Title | |
| 7 Bibliographic Citation and Abstract | |
| 8 Title and Indexing | |
| NOTE: Again, the Formats differ from database to database. | |
| See database bluesheet for specific format descriptions. | |
| OTHER OUTPUT-RELATED COMMANDS: | |
| PRINT CANCEL Used alone, cancels preceding PRINT command. | |
| PR CANCEL Specify PRINT Transaction Number to cancel | |
| PRINT- any PRINT request entered in past two hours, | |
| PR- e.g. PRINT- P143 | |
| PRINT QUERY To view log of PRINT commands and cancellations. Add | |
| PR QUERY DETAIL to see date, time and costs. | |
| PRINT QUERY ACTIVE To view log of PRINT commands that may still be cancelled. | |
| PR QUERY ACTIVE Add DETAIL to see date, time, file and costs. | |
| SORT Sorts set of records on-line according to parameters | |
| indicated. Varies per database. Specify set | |
| number/range/field,sequence, e.g. SORT 4/1-55/AU,TI | |
| Sequence assumed ascending if not specified; use D to | |
| specify descending order. SORT parameters may be added to | |
| end of PRINT command for offline sorting, e.g. PRINT | |
| 9/5/ALL/SD,D | |
| SET SCREEN nn nn Sets size of screen for video display. | |
| SET H nn H (horizontal) given first in combined command. | |
| SET V nn V Default is 75 characters H, 40 lines V | |
| LOGOFF Disconnects user from DIALOG system. | |
| LOGOFF HOLD Disconnects user from DIALOG system, holds work for 10 | |
| minutes allowing RECONNECT. | |
| OTHER COMMANDS: | |
| DISPLAY SETS Lists all sets formed since last BEGIN command. | |
| DS May specify range of sets, e.g. DS 10-22. | |
| EXPLAIN Requests help messages for commands and file features. | |
| Enter ?EXPLAIN to see complete list. | |
| KEEP Places records indicated in special set 0. Specify | |
| K set number/records, or accession number. Cancelled by a | |
| BEGIN command. Also used in DIALORDER. | |
| LIMITALL Limits all subsequent sets to criteria specified. Varies | |
| per database. | |
| LIMITALL/ALL Cancels previous LIMITALL command. | |
| ?LIMIT n Requests list of limit qualifiers for database n. | |
| SEARCH*SAVE | |
| SAVE Stores strategy permanently until deleted. Serial number | |
| begins with S. | |
| SAVE TEMP Stores strategy for seven days; automatically deleted. | |
| Serial number begins with T. | |
| SAVE SDI Stores strategy and PRINT command(s) until deleted. PRINT | |
| command required. Automatically executes strategy against | |
| each new update to database in which entered. Serial | |
| number begins with D. | |
| MAPxx Creates a Search*Save of data extracted for field xx of | |
| MAPxx TEMP records already retrieved. | |
| MAPxx STEPS If STEPS is used, data is formatted into separate search | |
| statements in Search*Save. | |
| REVIEWING SEARCH*SAVES | |
| RECALL nnnnn Recalls Search*Save nnnnn, displaying all set-producing | |
| commands and comment lines, without executing the search. | |
| RECALL SAVE Displays serial numbers of all permanent SAVEs, date | |
| entered, and number of lines. | |
| RECALL TEMP Displays serial numbers of all temporary SAVEs, date | |
| entered, and number of lines. | |
| RECALL SDI Displays serial numbers of all SDIs, dates entered, | |
| databases in which stored, and number of lines. | |
| EXECUTING SEARCH*SAVES | |
| EXECUTE nnnnn Executes entire strategy. Only last line is assigned a | |
| EX nnnnn set number. | |
| EXECUTE STEPS nnnnn Executes entire strategy. Assigns set number to each | |
| EXS nnnnn search element. Preferred form. | |
| EXECUTE nnnnn/x-y Executes strategy nnnnn form command line x to command line | |
| y only. STEPS may also be used: EXS nnnnn/x-y | |
| EXECUTE nnnnn/USER a | |
| Executes strategy nnnnn originally entered by | |
| user a (a=user number). | |
| STEPS may also be used: EXS nnnnn/USER a | |
| EXECUTE nnnnn/x-y/USER a | |
| Executes strategy nnnnn from command line x to command line | |
| y, originally entered by user a. STEPS may also be used: | |
| EXS nnnnn/x-y/USER a | |
| DELETING SEARCH*SAVES | |
| RELEASE nnnnn Deletes search nnnnn from system. | |
| OTHER SEARCH*SAVE OPTIONS | |
| NAMING: A three to five alphanumerical name may be specified following the | |
| SAVE, SAVE TEMP, and SAVE SDI commands. | |
| Example: SAVE TEMP SOLAR | |
| COMMENTS: An informative comment may be stored in a SEARCH*SAVE by entering an | |
| asterisk in place of a command, followed by up to 240 characters of | |
| "comment." The line will be saved with any SEARCH*SAVE command, and | |
| will display in RECALL of the search. | |
| Example: * Search for R.J.Flappjack | |
| ON-LINE TEXT EDITOR | |
| Any Search*Save, with the exception of an SDI, may be edited from within any | |
| database. An SDI must be edited within the database in which the SDI is to be | |
| stored. | |
| EDIT To enter Editor and create new text. | |
| EDIT xxxxx Pulls Search*Save xxxxx into Editor for editing. | |
| LIST Displays text to be edited. | |
| L OPTIONS: | |
| LIST LIST 30-110 | |
| LIST ALL LIST 10,50,80 | |
| LIST /data/ Locates all lines containing data. | |
| INSERT Adds onto end of text. | |
| INSERT nn Inserts line nn into text. | |
| I To return to EDIT from INSERT, enter a period on a | |
| I nn blank line. | |
| DELETE To delete line(s) of text. | |
| D OPTIONS: | |
| DELETE 10-50 | |
| DELETE 10,30-50 | |
| DELETE ALL | |
| CHANGE To change text within a line. | |
| C Changes only first occurrence of old text in any given line. | |
| OPTIONS: | |
| CHANGE 60/old/new (where 60 is line number) | |
| CHANGE 60/old// (deletes old) | |
| C 60//new (inserts new at beginning of line) | |
| C 80.old.new (when text contains slash) | |
| C /old/new (new replaces old on all lines) | |
| C 20,40/old/new (nonsequential lines) | |
| C 30-50/old/new (range of lines) | |
| COPY Duplicates line# TO line# | |
| CO OPTIONS: | |
| COPY 100 to 255 | |
| COPY 100-150 TO 255 | |
| COPY 100,130 TO 255 | |
| MOVE Move line# TO line# | |
| M Options same as COPY. | |
| QUERY Produces message giving name of file, number of lines, last line | |
| Q number. | |
| RENUM Renumbers lines by tens unless otherwise specified. | |
| R OPTIONS: | |
| RENUM n (Renumbers by increments of n) | |
| QUIT Used to leave editor ignoring session. | |
| SAVE Used to create Search*Save strategy from edited file. | |
| SAVE TEMP An SDI must include a PRINT command. | |
| SAVE SDI | |
| Enjoy the DIALOG Information Network. I've found it most interesting. | |
| This service is a MUST if you are in college or if you just love to learn as | |
| uch as time permits. It is a proven research tool used by R&D and university | |
| facilities around the world, as well as a refined corporate intelligence | |
| information gathering tool kept hidden from the general public by sheer expense | |
| and "pseudo-complexity." With on-line databases like DIALOG available, there | |
| is no excuse (besides lack of time) for self-education. | |
| ***************************************************************** | |
| Brian Oblivion can be reached at Oblivion@ATDT.ORG. | |
| Additionally, he can be reached at Black Crawling Systems/VOiD Information | |
| Archives (for more information, e-mail Brian). RDT welcomes any questions or | |
| comments you may have. See you at SummerCon '92. | |
| _______________________________________________________________________________ | |