Using the Z39.50 Command-Line Syntax

Note: This topic is intended only for people who are familiar with Z39.50 terminology and have access to the Z39.50 client configuration information for their online databases. The advanced search strategies are documented here only for more technical EndNote users; this knowledge is not required for basic searching of online databases. These command-line searches do not work with PubMed or the Web of Science Core Collection connection files.

It is possible to set up a search of an online database that is not supported by the EndNote Search panel or the connection file you are using. For instance, if you know about the Z39.50 attributes supported by the online database, you can enter a Z39.50 search which EndNote passes directly to the server, without any translation. This lets you use searches that are not already supported by your connection file and is useful for testing various search attribute combinations when creating or modifying a connection file.

These advanced searches are entered directly into the search line just as you would enter a search term. EndNote ignores the search menu for that item when it detects that you have entered an advanced search. If other search terms are needed, enter them into the subsequent search lines and select the appropriate AND, OR, or NOT connectors (just like any other search).

An advanced search uses the following format:

\\search term&/ATTRIBUTE TYPE/ATTRIBUTE VALUE

The first two characters (\\) tell EndNote this is an advanced search of an online database. The next part, up to the ampersand (&), is the search term. The numbers of the Z39.50 attribute type and values follow. They are entered first with a slash and the number for the attribute type, then a slash, and the attribute’s value. Repeat that pattern for as many attributes as you want to specify. Not all attributes need to be included. See Using Search Attributes.

The following is a common search example that should work for most servers. This search, looking in Any Field and using the Contains operator, should find all references in which the title begins with "child."

\\child&/1/4/3/1/5/100

  • A Use attribute (1) of 4 has been specified, so the search will be restricted to the Title for this database.
  • A Position attribute (3) of 1 further narrows the search by having the search term be found as the first word in the field.
  • A Truncation attribute (5) of 100 specifies no truncation.

Note: Even if a search, such as the one above, is restricted to the Title field, you may see records downloaded that do not have the search term in the Title field of the record. This  is because the Title (4) Use attribute is not searching only the main Title field, but all fields considered titles, such as series titles. If the term is found in a field that is not included in your filter, you may not see the term appear in your record at all.

Tip for Modifying Search Attributes

If you wanted to test how variations of the search attribute settings would impact your search, here’s an easy way to do it— without having to edit your connection file.

  1. With the connection already established, select Show Connection Status from the Tools menu. Keep the view set to Status Messages.
  2. Start with a basic search using the Search panel (without the command-line syntax). For example, search for "child" in the Title field.
  3. Look in the Status window, and you will see which attributes are being used. For example:

Searching for: [child&/1/4/3/3/4/2/5/100|]
(The complexity of what you see will depend on the Search Attribute settings in the connection file. This example shows looking for the word "child" in the Title field, in any position in the field, as a word, with no truncation.)

  1. You can copy the search command out of the Status window, and paste it onto the Search panel (remember to add the "\\" prefix to identify it as a command-line search), then add or modify the attribute values as necessary.
  2. Click Search to try out your new combination of attributes.
  3. When you have found a combination of search attributes that does what you need, edit your connection file and make those changes to the Search Attributes panel.