Using Search Commands in Dialog
BEGIN
There are several basic commands to search most Dialog databases using the Classic Dialog interface. The first one is the BEGIN command which I will use to enter the database(s) of my choice. Take a look at an example of the BEGIN command below.
| Command | Example | When to Use It |
|---|---|---|
| BEGIN B |
begin 4 b 4 b 4,8 current b medicine |
Use BEGIN with a
file number to specify the database(s) to be searched. Use CURRENT to restrict a search to the current year plus previous year in the database specified. |
In Lesson 2 we looked at the description of the Inspec database (File 2,3,4). It appears to have the kind of information we need for this topic. I choose Inspec File 4 because it covers the years 1983 – present.
At the question mark prompt, I type in the BEGIN command and add the CURRENT qualifier following. This allows me to search only the current year plus one back year and narrows the search at the beginning of the search. I then press the ENTER key to execute the search.
Enter an option number to view information or to connect to
an online service. Enter a BEGIN command plus a file number
to search a database
(e.g., B1 for ERIC).
?B 4 CURRENT
File 4:INSPEC 1983-1999/Jun W2
(c) 1999 Institution of Electrical Engineers
>>>CURRENT started
Go to the next page.
3-2
