Search Attributes for the Z39.50 Server

If a search request is missing an attribute, or if an attribute is set to 0, the Z39.50 server provides a default value. The Z39.50 server can provide a default value for all search attributes except the Use Field attribute. If a search request contains an unsupported attribute, the Z39.50 server attempts to perform the search using its default values. If the Z39.50 server is unable to perform the search, it sends a diagnostic message to the Z39.50 client. The Z39.50 server supports the diagnostic messages specified in the Bib-1 Diagnostics set. For information on these messages, consult the Bib-1 Diagnostics website at http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/agency/defns/bib1diag.html.

This page describes:

Attribute Checking

You can configure your Z39.50 server to enforce attribute checking. When the Z39.50 server enforces attribute checking, it accepts only search requests that contain supported search attributes.

Search Attributes

Use Field Attribute

The Z39.50 server maps Z39.50 Use Field attributes to specific Innovative index tags. Depending on the value of the Position attribute, the Z39.50 server can perform one of the following kinds of searches:

The following table illustrates this relationship.

Position Attribute Search Type
1 (First in field) Phrase Search
3 (Any position in field) Advanced Word Search

The following table shows the mapping for the three search types in combination with the Use Field attribute values supported by the server:

Use Field Attribute Mapping By Search Type
Z39.50 Use Field Attribute Phrase Index Mapping Standard Keyword Mapping Advanced Keyword Mapping
Personal name – 1 a w author segment
Corporate name – 2 a w author segment
Conference name – 3 a w author segment
Title – 4 t w title segment
Title series – 5 t w title segment
Title uniform – 6 t w title segment
ISBN – 7 i N/A N/A
ISSN – 8 i N/A N/A
LC card number – 9 l N/A N/A
Local number – 12 (see the Record Number Searches note below) . (Bibliographic record number) N/A N/A
Dewey classification – 13 c N/A N/A
LC call number – 16 c N/A N/A
NLM call number – 17 c N/A N/A
NAL call number – 18 c N/A N/A
MOS call number – 19 c N/A N/A
Subject heading – 21 Library's subject tag (usually d) w subject segment
MESH subject – 25 Library's subject tag (usually d) w subject segment
RVM subject heading – 28 Library's subject tag (usually d) w subject segment
Date of publication – 31 N/A N/A all segments
Title key – 33 t w title segment
Title collective – 34 t w title segment
Title parallel – 35 t w title segment
Title cover – 36 t w title segment
Title added title page – 37 t w title segment
Title caption – 38 t w title segment
Title running – 39 t w title segment
Title spine – 40 t w title segment
Title other variant – 41 t w title segment
Title former – 42 t w title segment
Title abbreviated – 43 t w title segment
Title expanded – 44 t w title segment
Subject subdivision – 47 Library's subject tag (usually d) w subject segment
Code – language – 54 N/A N/A all segments
Author – 1003 a w author segment
Identifier, standard – 1007 o N/A N/A
Any – 1016 t w all segments
Anywhere – 1035 t w all segments
Author-Title-Subject – 1036 t w all segments
Notes
  • Innovative can modify how the Z39.50 server maps phrase searches. If your library wants to map a Use Field attribute to a different index letter for phrase searches, please contact Innovative.
  • For record number searches, the Z39.50 client specifies the bibliographic record number without the check digit.
  • The Z39.50 server cannot provide a default value for the Use Field attribute. If the Use Field attribute is not included in the request or is set to 0, the Z39.50 server sends the Z39.50 client the appropriate diagnostic message.
  • By default, Use Field attributes that do not appear in this list are unsupported. If your library wants to map additional Z39.50 Use attributes, please contact Innovative.

Relation Attribute

The Z39.50 server supports only value 3 (Equal) for this attribute. If this attribute is not included in the request or is set to 0, the Z39.50 server defaults to 3 (Equal).

Position Attribute

The Z39.50 server supports values 1 (First in field) and 3 (Any position in field) for this attribute. If this attribute is not included in the request or is set to 0, the Z39.50 server defaults to 1 (First in field). Note that this attribute affects the index tag mapping for certain Use Field attributes (see the Use Field Attribute Mapping By Search Type table).

Structure Attribute

The Z39.50 server supports values 1 (Phrase), 2 (Word), and 6 (Word list) for this attribute. If this attribute is not included in the request or is set to 0, the Z39.50 server defaults to 1 (Phrase).

Truncation Attribute

The Z39.50 server supports values 1 (Right truncation) and 100 (No truncation) for this attribute. If this attribute is not included in the request or is set to 0, the Z39.50 server defaults to 1 (Right truncation).

Completeness Attribute

The Z39.50 server supports value 1 (Incomplete subfields). However, if attribute checking is not enforced, the Z39.50 server also accepts value 2 (Complete subfield) and 3 (Complete field). The Z39.50 server defaults to 1 (Incomplete subfields) if this attribute:

Core Searches

These search attribute values can be combined into the following core searches. Note that this list is not exhaustive.

Phrase Searches

Phrase Searching
Search Type Search Attributes Phrase Search Settings
Author or Creator
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Author – 1003
Equal – 3
First in field – 1
Phrase – 1
Right truncation – 1
Incomplete subfield – 1
Title
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Title – 4
Equal – 3
First in field – 1
Phrase – 1
Right truncation – 1
Incomplete subfield – 1
Subject
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Subject – 21
Equal – 3
First in field – 1
Phrase – 1
Right truncation – 1
Incomplete subfield – 1
Word or Any
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
ISBN
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
ISBN – 7
Equal – 3
First in field – 1
Phrase – 1
No truncation – 100
Incomplete subfield – 1
ISSN
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
ISSN – 8
Equal – 3
First in field – 1
Phrase – 1
No truncation – 100
Incomplete subfield – 1
Innovative Bibliographic
Record Number
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Record number – 12
Equal – 3
First in field – 1
Phrase – 1
No truncation – 100
Incomplete subfield – 1

Keyword Searches

The Advanced Keyword Searching feature is necessary to perform some keyword searches. The following table lists the attributes used by the Z39.50 server for common keyword searches. In addition, for each search, the table specifies whether the Advanced Keyword Search feature is required.

Keyword Searching
Search Attributes Keyword Search Settings Advanced Keyword Searching Required
Author or Creator
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Author – 1003
Equal – 3
Any position in field – 3
Word – 2
No truncation – 100
Incomplete subfield – 1
Yes
Title
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Title – 4
Equal – 3
Any position in field – 3
Word – 2
No truncation – 100
Incomplete subfield – 1
No. This search will search through the title segment of the index.
Subject
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Subject – 21
Equal – 3
Any position in field – 3
Word – 2
No truncation – 100
Incomplete subfield – 1
Yes
Word or Any
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
Any – 1016
Equal – 3
Any position in field – 3
Word – 2
No truncation – 100
Incomplete subfield – 1
No
ISBN
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
ISSN
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Innovative Bibliographic Record Number
1. Use Field:
2. Relation:
3. Position:
4. Structure:
5. Truncate:
6. Completeness:
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A