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:
- supported values for each search attribute. (For more information on these attributes and their values, consult the Bib-1 Attribute Set website at http://lcweb.loc.gov/z3950/agency/defns/bib1.html.)
- default values for each search attribute.
- INNOPAC index tags to which supported Use attribute values map.
- core searches formed by using supported search attributes.
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:
- If the Position attribute is set to 1 (First in Field), the server performs a phrase search.
- If the Position attribute is set to 3 (Any position in field), the server performs an Advanced Word Search.
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:
- is not included in the request, or
- is set to 0, or
- contains value 2 (Complete subfield) and attribute checking is not enforced, or
- contains value 3 (Complete field) and attribute checking is not enforced.
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: |
|
|
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 |
ISSN |
1. Use Field: |
2. Relation: |
3. Position: |
4. Structure: |
5. Truncate: |
6. Completeness: |
|
|
N/A |
Innovative Bibliographic Record Number |
1. Use Field: |
2. Relation: |
3. Position: |
4. Structure: |
5. Truncate: |
6. Completeness: |
|
|
N/A |