ALIAS-AKA-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: GenConnect (Part 2 of 3)
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1999 01:51:25 -0500

Hello again, Alias & akas!

I would like to encourage each and every one of you with Internet access to
post your queries AND information to the Special Alias-aka GenConnect board
at rootsweb. This is the second of three parts explaining:

What is GenConnect? (Part I)
*Searching the GenConnect boards (Part II)
Posting to the GenConnect boards (Part III)

,
Patrice
Alias-aka-L, ListAssist &
ALIAS-AKA GenConnect Boards Admin.


GenConnect Part II
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HOW DO I SEARCH THE GENCONNECT BOARDS?

To search the boards there are several things you must consider. Each board
is set up by the admin for that board to display the posted messages for a
certain period of time. After that time the messages are still accessible
but are not displayed on the board since they have not been posted or
modified within the specified period of time. The easiest way to search the
board is to use the Searchbar on each board.

The Searchbar is the blue bar just below the words Message Index. There are
several selections you can make when using the bar so that you can see the
messages on the board in any way you would like to see them. Changing the
board display for yourself, or "customizing" your display, does not affect
how others see the board display.

Items to select on the Searchbar: KEYWORDS: The first item to select when
using the Searchbar is the "Keywords" box, and you can enter in this box
any word or words--names, email addresses, etc., or even strings of letters
(for example: if you are searching for a surname that has various spellings
but which always begins with MOR, type in these three letters), that you
wish to search for in the messages already posted to the board. The
Searchbar will do an EVERY WORD SEARCH of the messages on the board
including those that have been archived and no longer appear in the normal
board display. SEARCH (items to match): The next box is the "search" box
and you can choose between All, Any, and Wildcard with All indicating you
want to search for any messages on the board that contain ALL of the
keywords you have entered, ANY meaning you want to search for a match to
any of the Keywords you have entered, and Wildcard if you are looking for a
pattern which includes a certain string of letters (such as MOR mentioned
above). TIME PERIOD TO SEARCH: This box is for selecting the period of time
you wish to include in your search. This is self-explanatory--select the
period of time you wish to search, i.e. messages posted within the last
week, month, year, etc. STYLE OF DISPLAY: This box determines the "style"
in which the messages are displayed. The messages can be displayed in
chronological order, by thread (with replies listed together in outline
form below the messages they are in reply to), by thread reversed, or
compressed. The term "thread" refers to the topic or subject of the message.

Once you have completed the information above as to what you want to search
for, and how you want the search results to display on the board, click on
the "refresh" button and the board will be reconfigured based on your
selections.

If you would prefer to always see the board displayed in the configuration
you have selected you can put a check mark in the box to accept a "cookie"
so that these settings will be saved for you for when you return to this
board in the future. This only affects how you see the board--not how
others see it.

Two additional links included in the Searchbar are: Advanced Search and
Global Search.

Clicking on Advanced Search takes you to a "reconfiguration" page that
includes the capability of more selections for searching and displaying
messages on the board in addition to the options included in the Searchbar.
Select from the options any length of time, or specific period, for which
you wish the board to display the messages. Remember that where many
messages are in the archives it will take a lot of time for them all to
load on the page if you choose the longer time periods for display.
Experiment with the various display and search items included on this page.
Each time you are ready to view the board with your chosen options just
click on the button that says "view message index." Once you arrive at the
display that you like best--you can choose to have a "cookie" set the
display for this board so that YOU will always see the display in the
manner you have selected. Others will not be affected by the selections you
make--you are customizing the board for yourself.

Clicking on Global Search permits a search not only of the GenConnect board
you are currently visiting, but allows searching all of the GenConnect
system. Global Search can also be accessed by clicking on the link at the
GenConnect Logo at the top of each board. NOTE: Global Search only searches
on SURNAMES listed in the Surnames Box on the boards--it is not an every
word search.

Not found on the Searchbar, but included on each GenConnect board, are
links to the Surname Helper Search Engine. Surname Helper is capable of
searching not only all of GenConnect but many other records as well that
are registered with Surname Helper. To do a search of the entire suite of
GenConnect boards you are currently using, or any specific board within the
suite, click on the links that say: Surname List or Surname Helper located
near the top of the board just under the title of the board. To search ALL
of the Surname Helper records click on the Surname Helper logo near the
bottom of the board.

NOTE: Surname Helper only searches on SURNAMES listed in the Surnames Box
on the boards--it is not an every word search.

Copyright, 1999, Joan Young ~~used with permission

To be continued... tomorrow...

SPECIAL ALIAS-AKA board for posts and queries.
http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/Special/Alias-aka

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• GenConnect (Part 2 of 3) by <>