Support : DataStar Search Aids : Alerts and Multifile Alerts

Dialog DataStar Alerts and Multifile Alerts

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Alerts

Keeping up to date with the latest information on a particular subject is made easy with DataStar Alerts. You will automatically receive search results every time the database is updated and on date intervals determined by you. You can request the result to be sent directly to your email address, printed and mailed to you, sent to your PrivateStar Database or to the Distribution Database.

Alerts are not possible in any practice files beginning with the letters TR or in the medical vocabulary databases like Medline’s MVOC or Embase’s EVOC. Refer to the DataStar DataSheets at http://ds.datastarweb.com/datasheets/ to find out whether or not Alerts are possible in your chosen database. If you enter the command ..ALERT in a database which does not allow Alerts, the following message will appear:

Sorry, ..Alert not possible in database 'XXXX'.

Setting up an Alert

Enter the command ..ALERT after defining the search.

PTSP 1_: ELECTRONIC ADJ INDUSTRY
RESULT 44894
PTSP 2_: GROWTH
RESULT 1113203
PTSP 3_: 1 SAME 2
RESULT 459
PTSP 4_: 3 and SWITZERLAND
RESULT 5
PTSP 5_: ..ALERT

Prompted Mode

The ..ALERT command refers to search statement number 4. After entering this command, you will be prompted for a delivery destination. The system offers the following delivery options: P/N/I/T/H/Z. However depending on your setup, not all destinations will be listed. For most customers only P/I/H/ will be listed.

Depending on the destination selected, some of the subsequent prompts will vary. For our examples that follow, the destination I for email is selected.

TYPE DESTINATION (P/N/I/T/H/Z) OR HELP
OR PRESS  FOR NORMAL DELIVERY
_: I
TYPE PARAGRAPH LABELS/FORMATS OR HELP
_: TI, SO, AU
or
_:ALL

Enter HELP if you are not sure which paragraphs or predefined formats are available for the current database. The system provides a list of paragraphs and formats. The default format is MEDIUM; the following paragraphs will be printed with the exception of database PTSP: AN,AU,IN,TI,TT,SO,CM,AB.

After selecting the paragraphs, enter an identification name for the Alert. A maximum of two lines can be used to enter a Name/Descriptor and will appear on each Alert header. The ID can appear on separate lines by entering a semicolon where the break should occur:

TYPE NAME/DESCRIPTOR OR HELP
_: SWISS GROWTH

As with ..PRINT, documents sent as Alerts usually arrive in reverse chronological order; most recent first. With SORT you can change this order so that they arrive in alphabetical order of: authors, sources, titles or any other paragraph of your choice. Up to two paragraphs can be selected.

TYPE SORT PARAGRAPH LABELS OR HELP OR PRESS  OR
TYPE 'N' IF NO SORT IS DESIRED.
_:YR,D

Type the paragraph labels separated by commas or press <RETURN> if no SORT is required. You can also change the chronological order, by sorting on the YR year paragraph and then specifying that the documents be in descending order D, latest first. When using the SORT feature, you must include in the Alert request the paragraph on which you wish to sort . Please check that the paragraph exists in the data-base you are searching in by entering ..PRINT HELP while in prompt mode.

An email address is requested when I for email destination has been selected.

TYPE INTERNET ADDRESS OR HELP OR TYPE 'N'
_:ANITA_TRUJILLO@HOTMAIL.COM

More than one recipient can be entered. Separate the email addresses with a comma followed by @ internet + email address. Up to 100 characters are permitted in this field.

TYPE INTERNET ADDRESS OR HELP OR TYPE 'N'
_: PETER_JOSS@HOTMAIL.COM,@INTERNET CARY_MCFERRY@YAHOO.COM

If P for DELIVERY had been selected, the following prompt would have appeared after the sort paragraph prompt:

TYPE PAGE-MODE OPTION (Y/S/N) OR HELP OR PRESS
<return> IF CONTINUOUS PRINTING IS DESIRED.
_:

DataStar usually prints documents nonstop and does not start a new page for a new document. Sometimes you get the first half of a document at the bottom of one page and the second half at the top of the next. You can alter this by specifying:

The next two options concern ERA, Electronic Redistribution and Archiving. This service provides you with a convenient way to comply with copyright laws within your organization. REDIST N, where N is the number of additional copies you will redis-tribute provides you with one original copy and grants you the right to make additional copies of your search results to redistribute within your organization and to legally store them on your LAN or in an internal database. REDIST in combination with ARCHIVE will grant the right to make copies from records electronically stored. If the ARCHIVE option is not available in a database, a system message will appear. If ERA is not required, press <RETURN>.

ENTER NUMBER OF COPIES REDISTRIBUTED OR HELP
_:
ENTER ARCHIVAL RIGHTS OR HELP
_:

If you intend to run the same Alert in more than one database, it might be helpful to group these Alerts in a common cluster (group). The cluster filters out any duplicate documents from your most recent Alert that were already sent and stored in the cluster. If you enter a cluster name, DataStar will assume that you wish to remove any duplicates from your Multifile Alert. (See Multifile Alerts later in the chapter.) Up to 16 characters can be entered for a cluster name. Press <RETURN> if a cluster name is not required.

TYPE CLUSTER NAME (UP TO 16 CHARACTERS)
OR PRESS <RETURN> IF NO CLUSTER NAME IS REQUIRED OR
TYPE HELP.
_:

Select how often the Alert will be run by choosing one of the frequency options D,W,B,M. These will vary depending on how often the database is updated. The update frequency is given together with a list of possible options:

TYPE (D,W,B,M) TO CHOOSE HOW OFTEN YOUR Alert WILL BE RUN
OR TYPE HELP OR PRESS <return> OR TYPE 'N' TO RECEIVE YOUR
Alert WITH EACH DATABASE UPDATE.
_: D

The search strategy will be sent with the Alert if Y is selected. It will be displayed at the top of the output. Even if there are not any new documents sent in the Alert, you will receive the search strategy and a message notifying you that no documents were printed. It is advisable to select Y for this option.

TYPE 'Y' OR PRESS <RETURN> FOR PRINTED SEARCH STRATEGY.
TYPE 'N' IF NO PRINTED SEARCH STRATEGY IS DESIRED OR HELP.
_: Y

An Alert will continue to run until it is cancelled. However, if you want the Alert to run for a limited amount of time, enter the year and the last month in which it is to be run, i.e. 200211 (YYYYMM); it will run until the last day of the month.

TYPE EXPIRATION DATE (YYYYMM) OR HELP OR PRESS <RETURN>
OR TYPE 'N' FOR UNLIMITED LIFE OF Alert.
_:

A confirmation of the Alert will finally be displayed along with the option to change or cancel it.

Alert BY = INTERNET / Q0159 / DATABASE = PTSP
PARA = ALL
ID = SWISS GROWTH
SORT = YR,D / CLUSTER = NONE / DEDUP = NO
FREQ = D
INT=ANITA_TRUJILLO@HOTMAIL.COM
SS = Y
EXP = 201012
Enter a Quick Command to change any option (e.g.: BY=P)
or type HELP or type 'N' to cancel or type 'Y' to
perform your request.
_: Y
Alert SAVED AS Q0159

Each Alert has its own query number- Q0159 for this example. You may need this number for later editing or executing.

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