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Custom Queries and Results leads you through the process of defining CONTENTdm queries that can be integrated into custom Web pages or CONTENTdm Web Templates.

To access CQR:

1. In your Web browser address bar, enter the URL or IP address of your CONTENTdm Server followed by /cgi-bin/custom.exe.
2. The CQR wizard opens, and you can begin configuring queries of the collection.
3. The end result is a string of HTML code that is pasted into the CONTENTdm Web Templates or your own custom templates to create predefined queries for end-users or to govern your default display templates.

Custom Queries and Results also enables basic configuration of the default results and item display templates within CONTENTdm. If you are familiar with HTML and Java script files, the latest version of the CONTENTdm Web Templates can be customized; or you can create your own Web templates.

Benefits of using Custom Queries and Results:

• Create a range of predefined custom queries into collections
• Customize different results displays (grid, bibliographic, thumbnail images with titles, and titles only)
• Customize item display pages
• Customize My Favorites
• Searchable metadata is hyperlinked automatically

Creating a Query

1. In your Web browser address bar type your CONTENTdm Server URL followed by /cgi-bin/custom.exe. This opens Custom Queries and Results. To create multiple queries or different types of queries on a single Web page simply repeat the steps outlined below to generate the desired HTML code.

2. Check the radio button next to the type of query you want to create.

   • A simple hyperlink
   • A pulldown list with several selectable queries that you create
   • A list of search words indexed from a field you specify
   • A text box for entering search words
   • A browse page that allows users to peruse all items in a collection

   In the example below, a simple hyperlink will be created. If you choose to create a different query, the screens you see may differ slightly from the example below. Click Next to proceed to Step 2.

   

3. Select the collection(s) you wish to query. Depending upon the type of query specified in Step 1, you may choose to search a single collection, multiple collections, or across all collections. Click Next to proceed to Step 3.

   

4. Specify fields to include in the search by typing search words in text boxes. 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.

   

5. Click Preview to test your query. A new Web browser page opens to display 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 to configure the layout.

Configuring the Results Display

6. Step 4 of Custom Queries and Results displays the path and file name of two of the default templates in text boxes. If you modify the default templates, the path and file name must remain the same. If you create your own custom templates, enter the path and file names of the templates in the appropriate text box. CONTENTdm Web Templates display search results four different ways.

   • Grid-displays up to five fields. Hyperlinked column headers indicate that search results can be sorted.
   • Bibliographic-displays text from up to five fields without images.
   • Thumbnail-displays thumbnail images and the item titles.
   • Titles only-displays only item titles. Hyperlinked column headers indicate that search results can be sorted.

   Specify your default view preferences using the pulldown lists and check boxes in Step 4. This establishes the view presented to end users.

   

   For information on modifying the template code, see Modifying CONTENTdm Web Templates.

7. Scroll further down the page in Step 4 to specify preferences for each results option.

   • From the Field Name pulldown list, choose up to five fields to display.
   • From the Display Options pulldown list, specify the amount of data to display in search results, including the option to display bolded search keywords in context.
   • From the Separator pulldown list, specify the delimiter between fields in the bibliographic results display.
   • In the Link to Item check boxes choose the fields that users can click to link to an item and metadata.
   • Specify the maximum number of results to display at one time on each result Web page.

   

   To view the results display, click Preview. A new Web page opens to display the templates with your settings. An example of each view option is shown below. To see the Grid, Bibliographic, Thumbnail, and Title views click the View navigation buttons in the template.

   
   Grid view

   
   Bibliographic view

   
   Thumbnail view

   
   Titles view

8. If you are satisfied with your settings, close the Preview window and click Next to generate the HTML code for specified configurations.

   

9. Copy the code and paste it into your own template files or the CONTENTdm Web Template pages where you want the query to appear.

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