Re: Searching Radsafe

[tdc@ehssun.lbl.gov]

>Has anyone tried to search the Radsafe archives for topical information? 
>WHile it's simple to search individual digests (via the Edit menu,) I
>would like to find a way to search large numbers of digests.  Any Ideas?

Actually it is VERY easy to do - and I do it ALL the time - but not by
methods that fit the currently in vogue computer fashions!

I have a DOS computer program called Text Collector - which I believe can
still be gotten.

It allows me to define a "context" which for my mailer and RADSAFE I do as
the 8 = signs that separate each message in an ASCII archive of the
messages.

Once the context is defined (and it can be saved) I then give it boolean
combinations of strings as the search term.  It can search case sensitive
or not and even do "sounds like" matching.

It extracts any "contexts" that contains the search criteria.

It is quite fast.

GREP is similar - but not as simple to use (unless you are a definate UNIX
type).

There are a few shareware programs that are similar - but not as powerful
and maybe still a few competitors - one of which is MUCH faster - but
requires preindexing.

I have used it for YEARS.  In fact one main use is that I have gotten MOST
of the index for the HP Journal WITH ABSTRACTS and can search it with the
same flexibility and NOT be constrained to a limited search program or
keywords someone else decided were appropriate to the article.

Works great for me!

Ted de Castro
tdc@ehssun.lbl.gov
University of California Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Bldg 90 Rm 0026B
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 486-5256
(510) 486-6939 - FAX