Customize Index Keys |
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Index Keys (or key fields) will appear on the Fast Search dialog, and enable faster searching. Ibidem maintains the data specified in the Index Key tab of the Properties dialog in separate index files. Because a limited amount of information is included in these files, they can be searched more quickly. Each Index Key may include either a single field or one primary field plus additional linked fields.
To customize the index keys for an Ibidem database, click File, Properties to open the Properties dialog. Click on the Index Keys tab. The following settings and options are available:
Key Name The name of the indexed field or linked fields as it will appear on the Fast Search dialog.
Primary Key Field For linked fields, this is the first field in the group; for index keys with only one field, the primary key field is the field to be indexed.
Links Defines the Key as linked to other fields (Yes) or as a single field to be indexed (No). If additional fields are linked to the index key, Ibidem will search the linked fields as well as the primary key field. In the example shown in the screen shot above, a search for Author would find authors in the Anthology Contributor, Long Work Contributors and Short Work Contributors fields as well as the Author field.
Default Order Sets the order for the indexing as either Ascending (A-Z) or Descending (Z-A).
Lookup Creates an authority list (list of all data entered into that field) for this index key. The authority list can be accessed by clicking on the arrow to the right of the field in the Record View in the main Ibidem screen.
Char Defines the number of characters in the field to be included in the index. Index keys for fields of type number, year or date use a compressed format and cannot be edited. The number displayed for year or date is sufficient record four-digit years. For text fields the settings refer to the number of characters. You should include enough characters so that the full amount of information that you want to store for that field can be stored. Too many characters will increase the size of the index and result in marginally slower searches. Too few characters may result in searches that do not find all data.
Blk Size An internal setting for controlling storage of records with similar index keys. This setting should not normally be changed by the user, unless instructed to do so by a Nota Bene technical support person.
Key Type Displays the Field Type for the primary key selected for the index key. For more information on Field Types, see Customizing Fields.
Linked Key ID The ID for the index key in the ibidem.ini file.
Link Type Set the Link Type to 1st field to search only the first field, and to all fields to search all fields in the index key group.
ID Check boxes indicate fields included as linked fields.
Field Description Long name for the fields.
Edit Key Enables editing functions for a highlighted index key.
Add Key Displays a blank index key to be added.
Delete Key Removes a key from the index.
See also: Selecting Records (Fast Search)
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