Creating Connection Files

Before you begin actually creating or modifying a connection file, you must obtain the Z39.50 client configuration instructions for the database you want to access. Contact your librarian or information provider for this information.

Note: If the database is not available on a Z39.50 server, you will not be able to use EndNote’s Online Search feature to access it directly. Instead, use the Import feature to import references that have been downloaded to text files. See Importing Reference Data into EndNote.

Once you have the Z39.50 client configuration information in hand, follow these steps to create a new connection file:

Create the File and Enter the Basic Information
  1. From the Tools menu select Connection Files, and then select New Connection….
  2. A new window opens called "Untitled Connection" and displays the About this Connection panel. Enter any comments or descriptions here for your own use. (These comments do not affect how the connection functions.)
  3. Click on the Connection Settings option and enter the connection information. (See The Connection Settings.)
  4. Click on the Search Attributes option to modify the default search attributes, if necessary. (See Search Attributes in Connection Files and Using Search Attributes.)
  5. From the connection file's File menu, select Save As. Name the new connection file and save it. It will be saved in your personal Connections folder. To change the location your connection files are saved, see Folder Locations Preferences.
  6. (Optional) If you would like to add your new connection to your Favorites list, select Connection Files > Open Connection Manager from the Tools menu to open the Connection Manager. Locate your new connection file and mark the checkbox next to it to add it to your Favorites list. It will then appear in the Online Search group set.
Test the Connection and Searching
  1. From the Tools menu, select Online Search and select your new connection file, or select it from the Online Search group set if you have made it a Favorite. If the connection cannot be established, check the settings in the Connection Settings panel of the connection file, save your changes, and try again. If you still have trouble connecting, see Problems Connecting and Problems Finding the Host.
  2. If the connection was established, the Search panel should open automatically. Enter a simple search to see if the search attributes were correctly configured. If the Search does not work correctly or it returns an error, check the Search Attributes settings in the connection file. (If you modify the connection file at this point, you must save the connection file, then close the Retrieved References window and reconnect in order for your changes to take effect.)
Test the Filtering of Reference Data
  1. Once you are able to connect and search, retrieve a dozen or so references to test how accurately they are filtered into EndNote references. Double-click a retrieved reference to open it to verify that the data are in the correct fields.

    Note that if you are paying for the references you retrieve, these may not come through correctly, so it is best to retrieve only a few. All references retrieved are saved to a connection log file, so they are not lost and can be used for testing your filter changes without reconnecting to the online database. This log file is replaced the next time you open EndNote.
  2. If the reference data is not being correctly filtered into the appropriate fields in the EndNote references, you will need to compare the downloaded data to the filter templates in your connection file.

    Open the Connect.log file in a word processor to view the original format of the retrieved references. See The Connect Log File for information on locating the log file and importing its contents to test your filter without needing to reconnect to the online database.
  3. From the Tools menu, select Connection Files, and then select Edit [Your_Connection_File] to edit the newly created connection file. Look at the Templates panel of the connection file and compare the templates there to the reference data in the Connect.log file. Make changes as necessary. See Creating a Filter for MARC Records and Working with Filter Templates for information about modifying filters.