Lesson 3: Using Search Commands in Dialog

Objectives

In this lesson, you will learn to:

Identify two of the Dialog basic search commands
Combine terms using logical operators
Search on word stems and words in a phrase
Conduct a subject search using Classic Dialog

Introduction

We are now ready to conduct the search to get Brian the information about sales for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Before we start, I better send Brian a note to let him know we should have the information for him in minutes!

Brian —
I should have the information on the video games this morning. I've already checked a few databases and apparently the word is out. I'll try to get as much on PlayStation and Xbox as I can, especially what their sales are.
Chris

In this lesson we will look briefly at the basic commands necessary to perform this search and use the commands in Classic Dialog to see results.

First, I will enter my Dialog User ID and password to logon to Classic Dialog. The results appear below.

	DIALOG INFORMATION SERVICES 
PLEASE LOGON:
 ******** HHHHHHHH SSSSSSSS?
### Status: Signing onto Dialog
 ********
ENTER PASSWORD:
 ******** HHHHHHHH SSSSSSSS? ********
Welcome to DIALOG
### Status: Connected

SYSTEM:HOME
Menu System II: D2 version 1.7.8 term=ASCII
                   *** DIALOG HOMEBASE(SM) Main Menu ***

 Information:
  1.  Announcements (new files, reloads, etc.)
  2.  Database, Rates, & Command Descriptions
  3.  Help in Choosing Databases for Your Topic
  4.  Customer Services (telephone assistance, training,
  	  seminars, etc.
  5.  Product Descriptions

 Connections:
  6.  DIALOG(R) Document Delivery
  7.  Data Star(R)

  (c) 1999  The Dialog Corporation plc   All rights reserved.

  /H = Help          /L = Logoff        /NOMENU = Command Mode

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).

?

Once I logon, we see the Dialog Homebase menu, which lists useful information for searching. There is no cost for this database. It contains announcements about new databases on Dialog, reloads of current databases, rates of databases, and customer assistance.

When I see the question mark (?) system prompt, I am ready to enter my first command.

Go to the next page.

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