Managing Import Filters
The Import Filters Dialogue Window
The Import Filters Dialogue Window is used to manage the import filters for Biblioscape, and is available from the context menus within the Reference or Folders module.
It is not possible to access the Import Filters Dialogue Window from the Internet module. Equally it is not possible to associate an import filter with an Internet Resource from the Import Filters Dialogue Window, that has to be done from within the Internet module.
The Import Filters Dialogue Window is accessed from the Reference or Folders module File menu.
CTRL+ALT+R or CTRL+ALT+F then File|Import Filters or SHIFT+CTRL+M from within the references module to open the main Import Filters List dialogue.
A brief introduction to this dialogue window is necessary:-
The Main Import Filter List
The left side of the main filter list presents a display of the currently loaded import filters. It is possible to filter the displayed list by defined user criteria but when first opened all filters are listed. There is a scrollbar on the right hand side of that list. To the right of that scrollbar is the Sub-Filters list and management area. The buttons beneath each display area relate only to the display immediately above. e.g. The “New” button third from the left relates to a main filter. The “New” button third from the right relates to a sub-filter of the selected main filter.
In the illustration above in the main filter list the “Biblioscape Tag File” is selected, as a consequence the sub-filters associated with that filter are displayed in the sub-filter list. With the Main Import Filters window open try changing the selection of the main filter and notice the changes in the associated sub-filters.
The lower part of the Import Filters dialogue window contains two tabbed text areas.
- Comments is intended to contain information relating to that filter. i.e. How to use the filter; issues relating to how it works.
- Example should contain an example of the record display the filter works with.
Immediately underneath the title bar are a set of functions to assist in the maintenance and management of import filters. These are listed below.
Facilitates searches of import filters by various factors. The input box is designed to accept some simple query terms which appear to be compiled as part of an SQL query to conduct a search of the filters, displaying the results in the filters list.
The Search “Based On” drop down menu items allows filters to be listed based on the text content of the “Based on” field of an existing filter.
The Search “Category” searches the category field contents of the existing import filters.
The Search “Comments” searches the comments field contents of the existing import filters.
The Search “Favorite” auto completes and displays those import filters marked as favorites.
The Search “Import Filters” searches the import filters name field contents of the existing import filters.
The Search “Last update” drop down menu item produces a list of filters which meet the criteria entered. The input box accepts the logical operators (“<“ “>“ “=“) as the initial character(s) of the query field.
The Last Update field of the Import Filters database table is held as an integer value. The date should be entered in the format Year Month Day - 20050425. The effectiveness of any < or > type search is then maintained, provided the search factors include the month digit and date digit and if all filters updated since the beginning of the stated year are required.
i.e. To conduct a search for filters updated after the year 2003 select “Last update” from the drop down list and enter >20040000 in the input box (without any spaces) and select “Go”. For any filters updated during May 2004 enter =20040500. To identify filters updated during a particular year conduct a search from the beginning or end of that year and sort the Last Update column.
Most of the Search selections allow for empty search factors so a search on the Import filter selection, without any search factors would display all of the filters currently loaded into Biblioscape. The search factor box is not case sensitive.
Searches may be conducted on partial details, so a search using the Import filter selection for “AG” would return all titles containing “AG”. i.e. “Biblioscape Tag File”
The “Help” Button opens the Biblioscape help file at the import filters help pages.
The “OK” Button closes the Import Filters dialogue window accepting any changes made. No cancel exists for this dialogue window as the changes seem to be committed at the database level as alterations occur; if the window X button is used to close this dialogue window any changes made are still recorded.
Unfortunately there is no method for the user to re-size this window. Resizing drag handles or minimise and maximise buttons would be useful at some visual display levels.
The main import filter buttons
“Mark Favorites” button does just that, it places a tick in the Favorites field of the selected filter, or removes the tick if one already exists.
“Select All” selects all the filters currently held within the main filters list. This includes those not visible within the window frame. If the favorites button at the top of the Imports Filters dialogue window were selected and then “Select All” the only filters to be selected would be those favourites contained in the list.
“New” opens the “Define Import Filter Type” dialogue box.
“BaseOn” creates a new filter based upon the currently selected filter. Try this now. Select the “Biblioscape Tag File” in the Import Filters list window and then select the “BaseOn” button. When the “Input Box” opens type in “AA” and select “OK”. A new filter will be created with the title “AA” containing the same filter and sub-filter details as the “Biblioscape Tag File”.
Edit opens the “Define Import Filter Type” dialogue box allowing editing of the currently selected filter. Select the “AA” import filter and select “Edit”, the “Define Import Filter Type” dialogue box opens ready for the main filter criteria to be edited. For now select “Cancel” to exit that dialogue.
Delete deletes the currently selected filter. Select the “AA” import filter and select “Delete” to delete that filter.
From the “Import Filters” dialogue window, select the “Library of Congress CNIDR Z390 Gateway” filter then the “Export” button. When the “Save as” dialogue box opens navigate to the C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\Biblioscape Tutorial\attachments\Import Filters folder, name the filter “loc_Z390” and then save. This saved file will be useful as a back-up. Now delete the Library of Congress CNIDR Z390 Gateway filter.
Begin by obtaining a filter. Open the Biblioscape Outlook Bar Internet tab and select the Import filters icon. Alternatively select the URL link from the import filters dialogue window or CTRL+ALT+I, go to the Biblioscape home page and select the Resources, Import filters page link.
Scroll down to the Library of Congress CNIDR Z39.50 Gateway filter. Click on the download link saving that filter to the folder called “Import Filters” within the C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\Biblioscape Tutorial\attachments\Import Filters folder. Even though this filter has already been saved in this directory as loc_Z390, we will use the newly downloaded file to recreate the filter.
Open the Reference module CTRL+ALT+R
From the File menu select “Import Filters” opening the Import Filters dialogue
Now select the Import button. Find the C:\Documents and Settings\User Name\My Documents\Biblioscape Tutorial\attachments\Import Filters\loc_cnidr.bif file and select the open button. The downloaded filter has been imported and Library of Congress CNIDR Z39.50 Gateway once more appears in the import filters list. Close the main import filters dialogue.
Associating an import filter with a BiblioBrowser resource.
This task can only be achieved from within the Internet module.
This demonstration creates a new Internet Resource and associates a filter with it.
CTRL+ALT+I to open the Bibliobrowser.
Open the Library of Congress Z39.50 web page visited earlier using the Biblioscape web site resources link, and copy the Library of Congress Z39.50 URL into the clipboard, then with the BiblioBrowser resource module open
select the Organize button to open the “Bibliographic Source on the Web” dialogue window.
Note that as new resources are created in the Internet Resources list by using the “New” button, an initially blank new entry may appear in different positions within the list depending on, amongst other things, which column the list is sorted by. During the resource creation process be aware of this so that blank entries may be avoided when all resources are not visible in the list box viewable area.
A worthwhile exercise will be to spend a few moments becoming familiar with the “Bibliographic Source on the Web” dialogue functionality. Note that this window has drag re-sizing handles so either resize or maximise that dialogue window for this exercise.
Sort the columns by the “Subject” column in descending alphabetical order; select the “New” button, creating a blank entry which will appear at the top of the list. Now sort the list by the “Subject” column again to reverse the order and then select the “New” button once more, note where the new blank resources are displayed.
Sort the list by the “Tip” column in descending alphabetical order. (It will be necessary to scroll to the right to bring that column into the visible display area.) When done close the dialogue window.
Re-open the “Organize resources” and leaving the window at the default size scroll down the list. If the resources are the default install ones, one of the new blank entries should be visible within the lower part of the list, whilst the other is positioned at the bottom of the list and so not immediately obvious. Now select each of the blank entries in turn and then select the “Delete” button to remove them. Following on from that create three “New” blank resources. Notice how the blank entries are not consistently displayed in the same place.
It is important to remember how this can function if unused blank resources are to be avoided.
Now let’s move on by deleting two of the three blank entries and select the third, then in the URL field in the box on the right paste the Library of Congress Z39.50 URL held in the clipboard and complete the other entries as follows.
|
Field |
Entry |
|
Title |
Z39.50 Library of Congress |
|
Import Filter |
From the drop down selector box select “Library of Congress CNIDR Z39.50 Gateway” |
|
Tip
|
Full record view |
|
Organization |
Library of Congress |
|
Subject Field |
Book |
|
Access |
Free |
Close the “Bibliographic Source on the Web” window and the Z39.50 entry will be visible in the “Resources” under the book category or “Subject”.
An alternative method to manage Resources in the BiblioBrowser is to grab the bar divider between the Resources list and the BiblioBrowser and pull it to the right of the screen revealing the full details of the resource list. The list may then be edited (on a field by field basis), and added or deleted with a right mouse click. Remember that closing the Outlook bar (it may be opened again as required) provides more viewable screen space if necessary or convenient.
Test the new Resource and associated filter by double clicking the Z39.50 Internet Resource to re-open that web page, search for a reference and then use the Capture References button. Note the import filter is pre-selected when the page is opened using the associated resource.