Dialog Bluesheets

“Religion is the everlasting dialogue between humanity and God. Art is its soliloquy.” -- Franz Werfel (German Expressionist Poet, Playwright and Novelist. 1890-1945)

///////
Among librarians and other information professionals, the Dialog family of databases represents the gold standard for online research. The range of subjects covered by the Dialog databases is huge. The depth of content in each database is staggering. And the power of its search engine is extraordinary.

That said, because it is a fee-based database system, it is easy to run up big bills while achieving tiny results. That is why, in most organizations, access to Dialog is restricted to seasoned information professionals.

However, if your company subscribes to Dialog but does not employ a librarian, you can still search it effectively … if you are careful.

Dialog has addressed the problem in myriad ways. It offers menu-driven interfaces for the beginner. It offers a command line interface for the expert. And it provides lots of documentation.

Here is a brief on some of the documentation …

///////
DIALOG HELP
///////
Successful Searching with Dialog Command Language

In Successful Searching with Dialog Command Language you will find descriptions and examples of how to use all the commands available for use on Dialog. Command descriptions are presented in alphabetical order for easy access. Use the table of contents to move directly to topics of interest.

We have provided handy hyperlinks so you can easily go to related sections of the guide. For example, if you are viewing information on the COST command, you can quickly move to the related topic SET SUBACCOUNT.

Increase your search effectiveness—check any command from ADD to TYPE in this comprehensive system manual. Whether you're a novice or an experienced searcher, Successful Searching with Dialog Command Language is one useful reference you will want to consult often.

source: http://support.dialog.com/searchaids/success/
///////
Introduction to Dialog®
The Dialog service is the world's most comprehensive online information retrieval service and has been serving users since 1972. With over 600 databases from a broad range of disciplines, Dialog provides international access to information in a broad scope of subject areas. The volume of data available combined with the system's searching capabilities make Dialog the largest and most powerful online service of its type.

The Dialog content collection contains hundreds of databases comprised of millions of documents drawn from a multitude of sources. Dialog brings you scientific and technical literature; full-text trade journals, newspapers and newswires; details on millions of chemical substances; information on patents and trademarks issued worldwide; demographic data; and company financial statistics.

About the Dialog Command Language
A variety of interfaces are available for accessing Dialog. Web-based, fill-in-the-blanks products such as DialogSelect™ and DialogPRO are intended to meet the needs of knowledge workers who are not information professionals. Among information professionals, the Dialog Command Language, present in products such as DialogLink 5® and DialogClassic Web™, continues to be favored by professional researchers. It offers sophisticated search options, precision search and retrieval tools, and a host of unique features. With Dialog Command Language, the researcher has complete control over which databases are interrogated and how the search is executed; exactly what data elements are retrieved and how they are output.

Dialog Command Language is an integral feature in the following product interfaces. Use any to mine more than 600 databases containing comprehensive, authoritative sources of scientific, technical, medical, business, news and intellectual property information:

DialogLink 5 is a powerful Windows®-based software tool that greatly extents the functionality of Dialog Command Language, especially in the areas of search management and post-processing of search results. The most recent versions of DialogLink use DialogAPI technology to enable Web-based functionality lacking in the traditional DialogClassic, text-only interface. Examples of such features include:
output in XML, HTML, PDF and RTF
report output to native Microsoft to Word and Excel formats
graphical, template-based interface to many commands
enhanced functionality for DIALINDEX and Alerts
hyperlinking to electronic documents and journals
DialogClassic Web™ offers most of the sophisticated search capabilities of DialogLink 5 in a browser-based interface via the Web.
Dialog®Web offers two ways to search: via Guided Search and Command mode. Command mode supports Dialog Command Language delivering the power and precision of DialogClassic through a Web browser. Many command shortcuts are available via graphical icons and check-box selection.
DialogClassic offers a command-driven, text-only, line-oriented interface for search and retrieval at extraordinary speed. This is a fast and highly flexible interface for power searchers.

Dialog Without Command Language
Other Web-based interfaces are available for searching Dialog that exploit the features of HTML and Web scripting to simplify the search experience and do not use Dialog Command Language. The following have been created for researchers more familiar with Web search engines. Each of these interfaces represents an off-the-shelf solution built atop the core Dialog system. Each offers simple fill-in-the-blanks templates for search and retrieval.

DialogSelect™ allows you to get complete information without needing to know which sources to search or how to search them.
DialogWeb offers two ways to search: via Guided Search and Command mode. Use Guided Search mode for full access to the Dialog system through a flexible and easy-to-use Web-based interface that does not require knowledge of commands.
DialogPRO is a subscription-based service ideal for small business researchers.

More recently, new tools enable customers to exploit the power of Dialog Command Language by creating customized interfaces to the Dialog system.

Dialog API is an application tool that supports Web Services Description Language (WSDL) and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) for integrating Dialog content into compatible platforms.
Dialog Intranet Toolkit provides a suite of search forms for building a targeted information query and delivery service into an organization's intranet.
Custom Solutions provides an opportunity to deliver Dialog content to your own internal systems, or to have Thomson Scientific develop a solution tailored to your specific organizational needs.
source: http://support.dialog.com/searchaids/success/intro.shtml
///////
Dialog Command Language Search Basics
A search using Dialog Command Language can be as simple as typing a few words of text, or it can incorporate an array of search features and commands that can enhance both the search process and the final search results. Every search involves an interaction between you and the search engine — a “dialog.” This Basics section describes how to enter commands, put searches together using operators, display output and use special techniques for numeric and range searching.

source: http://support.dialog.com/searchaids/success/searching.shtml
///////
Dialog Bluesheets

Bluesheets are written guides for every database on the Dialog® service. They contain detailed instructions on search techniques for the special features of each database, including file description, subject coverage, date range, update frequency, sources of the data, and the origin of the information. On the Bluesheet you will also find a sample record that shows what you can expect to obtain when you perform a search in the database.

The most important part of the Bluesheet, however, is the Search Options section. Here you see the field labels that you can use to focus or narrow your search, as well as examples of how to use them online. Bluesheets on the Web are updated regularly and reflect the most current database information available.They also contain up-to-date rates information.

For additional help with finding the most relevant databases for your information needs, consult the Dialog Database Selection Guide.

A current list of Bluesheets can be viewed by

Database Name
An alphabetical listing of the hundreds of databases on the Dialog system.

Database Number
A numeric listing of Dialog databases.

Subject
Dialog databases grouped by subject, e.g., business, law & government, news, patents, humanities, etc.

///////
Bluesheets are written guides for every database on the Dialog® service. They contain detailed instructions on search techniques for the special features of each database, including file description, subject coverage, date range, update frequency, sources of the data, and the origin of the information. On the Bluesheet you will also find a sample record that shows what you can expect to obtain when you perform a search in the database.

The most important part of the Bluesheet, however, is the Search Options section. Here you see the field labels that you can use to focus or narrow your search, as well as examples of how to use them online. Bluesheets on the Web are updated regularly and reflect the most current database information available.They also contain up-to-date rates information.
source: http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/

///////
Ei Compendex®
File Description
The Ei Compendex® database is the machine-readable version of Engineering Index, which provides abstracted information from the world's significant engineering and technological literature. Ei Compendex provides worldwide coverage of more than 4,500 journals and selected government reports and books. Subjects include: civil, energy, environmental, geological, and biological engineering; electrical, electronics, and control engineering; chemical, mining, metals, and fuel engineering; mechanical, automotive, nuclear, and aerospace engineering; computers, robotics, and industrial robots. In addition to journal literature, there are more than 480,000 records of significant published proceedings of engineering and technical conferences formerly indexed in Ei Engineering Meetings®. The four files cover different time periods with File 8 being the most comprehensive (1884-present). ONTAP® Compendex, File 208, is available for ONline Training And Practice and contains records from 2002-2007.

SEARCH
SUFFIX DISPLAY
CODE FIELD NAME
INDEXING
SELECT EXAMPLES

None None All Basic Index Fields Word S BULK(W)VOLUME
/AB AB Abstract Word S SILICON(W)CARBIDE/AB
/DE DE Descriptor1 Word
& Phrase S GROWTH(W)KINETICS/DE
S GROWTH KINETICS/DE
/ID ID Identifier2 Word
& Phrase S CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC(W)FACES/ID
S CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC FACES/ID
/TI TI Title3 Word S SILICA(1W)SILICON(W)CARBIDE/TI

SEARCH
PREFIX DISPLAY
CODE FIELD NAME
INDEXING
SELECT EXAMPLES

AA= AA E.I. Compendex Number Phrase S AA=20080911114980
AU= AU Author Phrase S AU=PRESSER, VOLKER
None AZ DIALOG Accession Number
BN= BN International Standard Book Number (ISBN)4 Phrase S BN=978354060
CC= CC CAL Classification Code7 Phrase S CC=804.2
CC= CC CAL Classification Heading Word
& Phrase S CC=(INORGANIC(W)COMPOUNDS)
S CC=INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
CD= CD Conference Date Phrase S CD=20080407
CF= CF E.I. Conference Number Phrase S CF=72154
CL= CL Conference Location Word S CL=(SCHAUMBURG(W)IL)
CO= CO CODEN Phrase S CO=KERTA
CS= CS Corporate Source Word S CS=(INSTITUTE(1W)GEOSCIENCES(F)TUBINGEN)
CT= CT Conference Title5 Word S CT=(49TH(W)AIAA(W)ASME(W)ASCE(W)AHS))
CY= CY Conference Year Phrase S CY=2008
DT= DT Document Type Phrase S DT=ARTICLE
JN= JN Journal Name5 Phrase S JN=CRITICAL REVIEWS IN SOLID STATE?
LA= LA Language Phrase S LA=ENGLISH
PD= PD Publication Date Phrase S PD=20080229
PU= PU Publisher Word S PU=(TAYLOR(1W)FRANCIS)
PY= PY Publication Year Phrase S PY=2008
RN= RN IEEE Conference Proceeding Number Word S RN=IEEE 99-00031
RT= RT Record Type Phrase S RT=ABSTRACT
SL= SL Summary Language Phrase S SL=ENGLISH
SN= SN International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) Phrase S SN=1040-8436
S SN=10408436
SO= SO Source Information6 Word S SO=(CRITICAL(W)REVIEWS(F)MATERIALS)
SP= SP Conference Sponsor Word S SP=AIAA
TC= TC Treatment Code Phrase S TC=L
UD= None Update Phrase S UD=9999

source: http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0008.html
///////