Menu:Searching the archives can be done in many ways but is always done using the prompt on the main screen or the special Google at the bottom of that same main screen.
The system will search the archives using the following:
- Band/Artist Name
- Founding Date
- Ending Date
- Any Reformation Date
- RRCA Reference ID
- Diskery Reference Number
- Nationality of Origin (Locale)
- City of Origin (Locale)
- Genre
- Words/phrases used in the article itself (*)
- Key Search Words (**)
You may use any of these to search for an artist.
* Special search setting needed (see below).
** Key Search Words will only work if a database operator has entered them.
When you type into the input box and your search matches any of the above criteria then a hit will be recorded. If there is only one hit/entry that matches your request exactly then Diskery will send you directly to the artist page. If there is more than one hit then you will be presented with a menu table where you click on the name of the artist you want. The list is presented to you in alphabetical order, numbers and symbols first. Unlike most other systems, Diskery's design means it wants a direct hit each time, but this is not always possible.
When entering names: You need not enter the entire name, Diskery will search based on whatever you can remember. The search is also not case sensitive, so: "MEGADETH", "Megadeth" and "megadeth" are the same. (Remember you need not use quote marks in the search prompt!).
It is possible to enter scrambled letters, transposed letters or add an extra/leave some out into the search box. As long as you have most of the correct letters present. Diskery can usually find what you are looking for but if it gets zero results, it tries to re-arrange your letters to see if it can find a hit, if still nothing then it issues a not found message; it does this via the AISE (see separate article on this here in Help). For example: IKSS = KISS but ISK = SISKO ('ISK' being an unscrambled part of the name gets priority). Only names are searched for when unscrambling is attempted.
Because this list can become quite large, you can reduce the search results by providing an exact artist/band name or by using the Diskery Reference number. Since there can only be one Diskery number associated with any artist, the system has no choice but to find the exact match when you use the numbers! To use this feature and ensure that it does not mix up the name of an artist with numbers in their name, see below.
Please note that the 'RRCA ID' is no longer used; artists entered after May 2014 will not have an RRCA number!
The "Search Filter" drop-down menu:
This feature allows you to refine your search by placing pre-programmed additions or restrictions on the Diskery Search Engine:
Selection | Search Input | Resulting Output | Allows Wildcards? |
---|
Standard Search | Location, Dates, Diskery Reference, RRCA Reference, Key Search Words, Genre | List or exact match | YES |
ID (Reference Number) | Diskery Reference Number only | Only exact match | NO |
Genre | Genre type name | Only list | YES |
Not Active (R.I.P.) | None. Ignores anything entered in the search box | Only list. Displays list of extinct bands and musicians | NO |
Still Active | None. Ignores anything entered in the search box | Only list. Displays list of active bands bands and musicians (non-R.I.P.) | NO |
Custom Search | None. Ignores anything entered in the search box | Takes you to the Custom Search form | NO |
List All | None. Ignores anything entered in the search box | Only list. Displays a listing of all artists in the database | NO |
When the system responds it may give the response listed in this table or render an error message if there is no way it can make a match on your input.
If wanting to search within the artist Summary (a part of the article contents) - the database will only search for content entered by the database operator and not that generated by default of the AI.
That's it! But, if you really want to make Diskery earn its keep when you are using it, then read on...
Advanced Features on Main Search ScreenUsing the Wildcard Characters:The "Search Pattern" drop-down menu is wonderful, but advanced users will find it too simple. For this reason Diskery has 'Wildcard' characters that can be used to open up advanced search features. When used, these characters override the the "Search Pattern" drop-down menu.
To further increase the accuracy of your search, you may choose to use the reserved 'Wildcard' characters. These symbols are inserted in the search box along with your search pattern and serve to modify the search by changing how Diskery uses the database. To use them, leave the "Search Pattern" drop-down menu to the needed setting in the above table and then add them into your search pattern. Note: You cannot use them in scrambled text, however.
! | ! - Exclamation Forces Diskery to search the artist names in the database using an EXACT MATCH. You will not get a list but will either get the artist displayed directly on your screen or an error if they are not found. It is an all-or-nothing search. !Slayer If there is only one completely unique version of the name in the database (no variation or where the letter sequence of the name appears elsewhere) you will be taken directly to the artist, as in 'Megadeth' without the need to add the exclamations. The symbol MUST be the first character entered. |
?
| ? - Question Mark Use this character to say to Diskery "including an unknown character". S?R Returns all entries with 'S' at the start and 'R' somewhere else that are at least 4 characters long. The '?' can be used anywhere and as often as you like. If you enter them at the very end of your input the trailing ones will be removed (not needed/assumed). |
*
| * - Asterisk (star) Use this character to say to Diskery "what I typed and anything else". *Slayer Slayer* *Slayer* Returns all entries with 'Slayer' at the end or at the beginning or (last example) sandwiched between other text. If you enter them at the very end of your input the trailing ones will be removed (not needed/assumed). (NOTE: This variation is no longer needed and left for operators who still use it. Simply typing the search item will automatically assume this behavior.) This example will return anything with the letters 'S' and 'L' together followed by other random characters until it finds an 'r' and any characters there-after. The search engine would return names such as: Slayer SA Slayer Slaughter Slammer Satanic Slaughter etc... The asterisk and question mark can be used together.
Using the Asterisk (star - *) directly For compatibility to those of us who are old-school computer operators from days gone by - the asterisk has an exception. It can be used in the search box all alone. By entering it '*' all by itself (no quote marks), Diskery will regurgitate its entire database - list every entry in it. Likewise if you enter '*.*' for us old school CP/M, Unix and DOS gurus. They must be entered alone in the search box. Lists all entries in the database. The '*.*' or '*' must be used alone. Leaving the search box empty or typing the word 'ALL' has the same result. |
'ALL' | ALL The word 'ALL' is a reserved wildcard and serves the same purpose as using the asterisk alone. |
^ | ^ - Carat Direct Entry Entering a '^' (carat) as the first character in your search string will direct Diskery to search only by catalog numbers (both modern Diskery and old RRCA). It is often used as a shortcut through the database. So, for example: '^62' will result in a direct link to file number 62 (Dark Funeral); ^ERF00095 will give the same result. The '^' directive also has five reserved words associated with it: VER (^VER): Regurgitates the version identifier for the Diskery 'Lexicon' program itself. ^VER returns you only to the main search page, even if you are on an artist biography page. LAST (^LAST): Will direct Diskery to find the last record in the database. If the last record is a 'stubby' (a pointer to another record) then Diskery will follow the pointer back into the database to where it directs. FIRST (^FIRST): Directs Diskery to find the first record in the database. If the first record is a 'stubby' (a pointer to another record) then Diskery will follow the pointer into the database to where it directs. Entering '^FIRST' is the same as entering '^1'. RANDOM (^RANDOM): Selects a random artist from the database. HELP (^HELP): Presents the help directory. CUSTOM (^CUSTOM): Presents the Custom Search form. HOME (^HOME): Returns to the home page. There are other instructions but those are reserved for administrators. It is important to also note that in the Lex Reference Manual the 'Carat' is programmically referred to as "a GOTO with a forced terminus roughly similar to an exit() or die() instruction in other languages whereby it executes the query with in the parenthesis then drops the connection" meaning that once executed the program does not return to where it was - it terminates the query (has no memory of what you were doing before) so be aware that after use it will have no knowledge of your previous view (ie: what artists or page you last saw). To do so you must use your browser's 'back' button. The '^' must be the first character in the query! For example: ^62 Will load the file for the band Dark Funeral.The ^ Carat Direct Entry method available to the public is a stripped down version of that available in the operator's 'Terminal'. For help on that please access the terminal directly (not available to the public). |
When entering national names the Database will list bands under one type, so 'England' and 'UK' will be 'UK', as will 'USA', will be used instead of 'United States' and 'United States of America'.