Combined Result Sets and De-Duplication
Tom Miller, Open SiteSearch Documentation

Previous versions of SiteSearch displayed the results of a cross-database search as a group of individual result sets, one from each database. Patrons had to navigate each result set individually. Version 4.1.0 introduces two new features to enhance cross-database searches – combined result sets and de-duplication. Combined result sets A combined result set displays search results from one or more databases as a single continuous result set. The databases can be from a either a predefined topic or a user-defined topic. Each record in the result set retains its identification with the database from which it was retrieved. In the OBI, version 1, the search results summary includes the number of records from each database. A new SupportsMergeReads parameter in the [ZBase] section of <WebZ_root>/ini/servers/ZBase.ini enables or disables combined result set functionality in version 4.1.0. By default, SupportsMergeReads=true (enable combined result sets). De-duplication De-duplication implements Z39.50-1995 Amendment 2: Z39.50 Duplicate Detection Service. De-duplication utilizes WebZ's combined result set functionality. It allows WebZ to detect and then group, or cluster, duplicate records under a single representative record. WebZ supports de-duplication for a group of databases (topic) or a within a single database that contains duplicate records. For a group of databases, you specify the manner in which you want de-duplication to occur in a new [dedup] section of the group database configuration file. The [dedup] section includes a de-duplication key. A de-duplication key is similar to a database sort key. De-duplication keys use a new 4.1.0 feature, the ability to define custom sort keys. You also specify rules-based formats that support de-duplication in the [formats] section of the database configuration file for each database in the group.

4.1 Release Notes Back to Front Page More Release Notes Documentation for this topic