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• Vernon Cataloguing
• Retrieving Data

Vernon Cataloguing

Retrieving Data

Records can be retrieved from the system using one of two methods and once retrieved can be viewed on screen, edited, or reported on in various ways.

• Quick Search
• The Query Window

Quick Search

 

Quick Search allows you to easily find the records you want, where you want them. Just enter one of your most commonly used identifiers (e.g. accession number, name, classification, artist), in the data entry window without having to exit and perform a Query. Quick Searches can be performed either in the ′Quick Search′ field on the Toolbar or using the Search page in the Navigator pane, as well as any point where you can enter or search for a record.

If the system finds more than one object matching the data you entered it will present all matching objects. You can then select one or many, and once you′ve selected them you can view them in data entry screens or the ListManager.

The Query Window

 

There are many times, of course, when searching a small group of pre-defined fields will not find the desired results. In these situations you′ll want to use the Query Window, which allows you to construct sophisticated and controlled search arguments on any field.

Above: Vernons Query Window. The Query Window is accessible from anywhere in Vernon with a mouse click or keystroke. Search queries can incorporate any number of search criteria, gradually filtering or expanding your search until the results include precisely and only the objects you want.

No matter how sophisticated and layered your search arguments get, they are always constructed in a user-friendly window that follows a logical pattern of steps. Vernon Systems understands that you don′t always know exactly what you′re searching for.

So both the Quick Search and the Query Window have been designed to take whatever clues you′ve got to offer and to find the object anyway.

For example:

• Case sensitivity is not an issue in Vernon (you can enter text to search for in UPPER CASE or lower case or a cOMbinaTIOn of both)
• Text fields are word indexed. So you don't have to know the whole phrase or sentence - any words from the record in any order can be used to find it
• All Text Index. As well as specific indexes on major text fields (such as name/title, credit line, brief description) the system has (for all the major files) an 'All Text' index which indexes all the text fields in those files (including those indexed specifically). This allows you to search for records containing certain words in any text field in the record in one simple search
• Search Operators: Wildcard symbols for 'Starting With', 'Ending With', 'Containing', etc, can be used (e.g. if all you remember is that the artist had a name ending in 'ski'). Range searches are available e.g. for valuations between $100 and $999
• The Soundex facility allows you to retrieve objects that SOUND LIKE the search criterion you enter
• Person retrieval can be specific to a role or subrole (e.g. Artist/Maker and Engraver) or across all roles
• Date retrieval can be as vague or as precise as you wish, and entered in natural language - e.g. Late 19th Century, 1967-9, 1 Jan 1999 to 15 Feb 1999
• Null searches are supported (e.g. to find all objects without an accession number)
• Filters can be automatically applied to search results. For example, limiting searches to a particular department, or to only include the Accessioned items
• Cross-file Searching allows you to search on one file (e.g. Object) based on attributes in a related file (e.g. Person) ′ such as to find all the works by Female Aboriginal artists.

Additional to the searching on the indexes on the file you are querying are three special options:

• Retrieve with Select. This allows you to compose a statement in natural language to select on any field (including those not specifically indexed, such as a sundry note which is included in the All Text) which you want to search exclusively, e.g. 'Select object with Title_Notes containing 'misattributed'.
• Retrieve with List. Allows you to use a pre-selected named List in your Query as though it were a query argument.
• Results of Previous Search. Allows you to use results of a previous search with any other criteria.

Searches which are run regularly can be saved for re-use.

As you′ll read in the section on Reporting, you can also save Report Formats and save the results. That makes recurring activities much easier. Just re-run a saved query and send the results to a saved report format.