Spring 1986 meeting

Databases: STATUS, GENUS INDEX

A VERY BRIEF GUIDE TO STATUS

STATUS is an Information storage and retrieval package called by typing ISR on the computer. Within Status there are a number of different databases, which can all be accessed from any terminal.

Each database is divided into chapters. In Status each record is called an article. Each article is divided into Named Sections which may contain free text and/or Keyed Fields, and has an area designated as the title. Within a database, you can see the chapters by typing INDEX and the Named Sections and Keyed Fields by typing STRUCT (for structure).

Help on any command may be obtained from within Status by typing HELP command, eg HELP DISPLAY.

SEARCHING

1 . Status does not recognise any difference between capitals and lowercase letters; when searching you may use either.

2. To find an article or articles you want the basic commands are Q word? or SUBQ word?, where word is any word or phrase which will occur in the required articles. Q searches the Whole database while SUBQ dearths through articles already found by a prior Q or SUBQ command.

Examples:

Q Quercus?
SUBQ Mexico ?

3. More complicated searches may be done by using the characters ' + ' ( and ) '-' (but not) or ',' (or)

Examples:

Q Australia + New Zealand ?
Q Australia - New Zealand ?
Q Australia , New Zealand ?

DISPLAYING

4. To see the articles retrieved type D n, where n is a list of the articles to be displayed. Omitting n will display the current article (usually the first on the retrieved list). ALL will display them all.

Examples:

D
D ALL

5. The command T will display the title only; it is used in the same way as D.