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Using the Query Builder Tool
The CONTENTdm Query Builder wizard leads you through the process of defining CONTENTdm queries that can be integrated into Web pages. To access the Query Builder, type the URL of your CONTENTdm Server and /cgi-bin/qbuild.exe into your Web browser. We recommend that users of the Query Builder Tool have experience with HTML and building Web pages.
The Query Builder Tool generates HTML code for predefined collection queries based on settings you specify in a few simple steps. Copy and paste the HTML code into Web pages from which users will search your collection.
The Query Builder Tool also enables basic configuration of the default results and item display templates within CONTENTdm. If you are familiar with HTML, both of these templates may be customized or you may create your own templates.
Benefits of using the Query Builder Tool
- Create predefined custom queries into collections
- Customize results display to show titles only or image and titles and specify the number of results per page
- Customize item display pages
- Display image and item metadata appear on a single Web page
- Searchable metadata is hyperlinked automatically
Creating a Query
- In your Web browser address bar type your CONTENTdm Server URL followed by /cgi-bin/qbuild.exe. This opens the Query Builder wizard. To create multiple queries or different types of queries for a single Web page simply repeat the steps outlined below to generate the desired HTML code.
- Check the radio button next to the type of query you want to create.
- A simple hyperlink
- A pulldown list with a number of selectable queries
- A text box for entering search words
- A browse page that allows users to peruse all items in a collection
Click Next to proceed to Step 2 of the Query Builder wizard.
- Mark the check boxes next to the collections you wish to query. Your search query may apply to a single collection, multiple collections, or across all collections. Click Next to proceed to Step 3 in the Query Builder wizard.
- From the pulldown list, select a field to search. In the search words text box, type your search terms. Finally, specify whether the search should retrieve:
- all matching words using implied AND
- any matching words using implied OR
- perform an advanced search using Boolean operators that you specify
- Click Preview to test your query. The results template opens to display your search results. If your search produced no results, go back and modify your query. If you are satisfied with the results click Next to proceed to Step 4 of the Query Builder wizard where you will configure the results template layout.
Configuring the Results Display
- In Step 4 of the Query Builder wizard the path and file name of the two defaults are displayed in text boxes. If you have modified the default templates or created and saved custom templates to the server, enter the path and file names of the templates in the appropriate text box. For information on modifying the template code, see Modifying Query Builder Templates.
- Specify the display format by selecting Show thumbnails and titles or Show titles only. In each case you can further define the display by specifying the number of results returned on a single page.
To view the results page, click Preview. The results page display options with the CONTENTdm default templates are shown below.
Figure A - Titles and images
Figure B - Titles only
- If you are satisfied with your settings, click Next to generate the HTML code for your chosen configuration. Copy the code and paste it into your HTML pages where you want the query to appear.
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