Dialog Techniques: Using DialIndex via Telnet or DialogClassic

Usage

• To find which databases have the greatest occurrence of the search terms, use DIALINDEX (File 411).
• This is a collection of the field indexes for most DIALOG databases.
  • Remember, though, that not all databases share the same set of fields and, therefore, indexes.
• DialIndex is roughly equivalent to the "Databases" search in the DialogWeb interface.

Steps in using DialIndex

• Look at the database catalogs or online information on databases (files) to determine which are likely to be appropriate to your search.
• Write down the numbers of the databases.
• To begin your search, type:
  • b 411 (begin DialIndex)
• Then select the files to be scanned (Set Files = sf)
  • sf file#,file#,file#
  • Example: sf 1,28,149
• To view banner information on the selected files, type:
  • show files
• Type the search expression.
  • Example: s internet and web
• This brings up a series of files, each prefixed by a number: Example: n1, n2
• Type rf (rank files) to rank the list of databases according to how many times the search terms occur in the databases.
• Select the databases that you want to search by typing the Begin Databases command " b ", followed by the numbers preceeding the databases separated by commas:
  • Example: b n1, n7, n9
• Now you can commence your searching of the databases.:

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