RESOURCE CENTRE MANUAL
HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
straightforward to change field names and record structures. However, CDS-ISIS
is not always easy to use, especially in relation to database design and the need to
learn a formatting language for indexing and print/display formats. WINISIS has
solved some of the more difficult aspects of the old DOS version, such as
database design, but not the formatting language.
How easy to set up and develop CDS-ISIS for Windows is easier to design and
manage than the DOS version of CDS-ISIS, but initial and follow-up training and
support (see information about user groups below) is still recommended for
those without strong computer skills, and to understand the formatting language
used for designing print/display formats.
CDS-ISIS uses number-based field tags. This, along with the ability to subdivide
fields, enables it to use standard bibliographic database formats. For ease of use,
the numeric field tags are replaced by name labels for data entry, editing, and
searching.
Data entry assistance CDS-ISIS only offers half the data entry assistance
functions described in Section 6.8.5 (see table at end of this section).
Indexes (inverted files) CDS-ISIS can index fields by word or term (whole fields,
and subfields), and can use more than one type of indexing for any field at the
same time (such as word and term), enabling index terms to be viewed as both
words and phrases. Although CDS-ISIS only indexes the first 30 characters of
any term, important words or phrases in titles, abstracts and so on can also be
individually selected for indexing. It is also possible to search for terms that are
not indexed, using more complex command-based searching.
CDS-ISIS has one index for all fields of the database, although it is possible to
display separate listings for each field.
Searching CDS-ISIS offers all the standard search functions. It also offers the
ANY search function (any terms defined as linking with the search term will be
retrieved). This can be used to provide synonym search functions, but it is more
widely used to provide a ‘broader’ or ‘exploded’ search function. For example,
ANY Africa can retrieve records including the name of any African country;
ANY disease and ANY therapy can respectively retrieve all records relating to
different diseases, or different types of therapy.
Sorting Complex sort options are available, including sorting fields by an
alternative field when a sort field is not present, such as sorting by title when
there is no author.
Display, print and download formats CDS-ISIS can produce complex display and
print formats including the addition of text, punctuation and formatting. Added
text can be set to appear only if the field contains data. This makes it very
suitable for producing resource lists and directories. However, it takes time to
learn how to create good formats in CDS-ISIS, as the program uses a complex
formatting language. CDS-ISIS can also link to and display graphics files, and
SECTION 6: COMPUTERS, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND DATABASES
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