200 
Go. 
le 
lo 
e- 
f- 
*THAEND P=database name, G=possword 
*SP: SPOT image 
*SP: strip adjustment 
*end 
The result of the process is the subject phrase 
"SPOT image’ is added to the Thesaurus and the 
subject phrase ’strip adjustment’ is deleted from 
the thesaurus in the database. 
4 THE FUNCTIONS OF SMADB 
4.1 Search terms 
The aim of a computerized SMADB is to provide 
information quickly and accurately for users 
According to both factors of the users requirements 
and the condition of the computer, the search terms 
or channels of the SMADB are as following: 
Subject phrase(SP): A term in the SMADB Thesaurus; 
Free word: A key word outside the SMADB Thesaurus; 
Classification code(CC): A classification code at 
branches; 
Author's name (AU); 
Publication name (PU); 
Publication data(PD); 
Title(TI); 
Information number. 
4.2 Search methods 
4.2.1 Subject phrases search Nowadays, the use of 
subject phrases to search for information is the 
main method in a computerized information system. 
An SMADB Thesaurus is compiled according to the 
pattern of ’' INSPEC Thesaurus’ and ’List of descrip- 
tor for surveying and mapping in Chinese’ for the 
SMADB. It is the main tool for accessing and sear- 
ching for information, producing a subject index 
within the SMA. The process of this method is that 
the subject phrase may be chosen by the user from 
the Thesaurus in accordance with the content of his 
researching problem. Then the SMADB is scanned by 
the subject phrase chosen to search out the parti- 
cular papers in which the user is interested. 
4.2.2 Non-subject phrase search 
The method is that the database is scanned through 
the author’s name, publication name, a publication 
date or a free word which indicates the subject of 
the researching problem of the user, to enable the 
user to find any related papers. 
4.2.3 Combination search by a logical operator 
The searching requirements of a user are often very 
complicated. A single search term could not indicate 
the requirements. For this reason, several search 
terms which are related to the researching problem 
of the user must be combined to form an expression 
of search logic. The database is scanned by the 
expression, which enable the user to acquire more 
appropriate papers. 
The use of the logical operator could combine many 
search terms in order to constitute an operating 
formula of search logic. The SMADB provides three 
kinds of logical operators for users. They are 
logical 'AND', logical 'OR', and logical negation 
"AND NOT’. 
Logical AND means that every paper searched for 
must contain both contents of two terms linked with 
AND; 
Logical OR means that the paper searched for may 
contain content of one of the terms linked with OR; 
Logical negation AND NOT means that the paper sear- 
ched for must be the content of the first term 
109 
linked with AND NOT but not second term. 
The subject phrase, free word, author’s name, publi- 
cation name, publication date etc. can be combined 
by the logical operators and multiply parentheses 
to make up a complicated formula of search query. 
This formula can accurately indicate searching 
requirements of the user. 
4.2.4 Masking search The SMADB allows that the 
characters '&&' are prefixed, appended or both the 
word fragment by the user, looking like a search 
word. For example, the ’'photo&&’ is used as a search 
word to scan the database for some papers 
presenting photography,  photomosaic ,  photomap, 
photogrammetry or photoplan etc. ; the '&&sat' for 
several papers about  seasat or landsat etc.; the 
'&&graph&&' for many papers describing cartography, 
geography, photography etc.. 
This search method could expand the user search 
range and save time on the computer. It not only 
may be used by the user in the above three cases 
but it could also be used in the method described 
in the following passage. 
4.2.5 Searching in abstract Ihis is a further 
search after the papers have been found by the 
above methods in order to acquire more accurate 
information, that is to say, the abstract of those 
papers is scanned by any word or sentence after the 
user has searched out some papers using the above 
methods. This search could delete several papers not 
fully related to the researching problem of user,so 
that the user finally acquires the most appropriate 
or important papers. 
  
4.2.6 Output of the retrieval results 
The retrieval results can be provided in two kinds 
of form. One is to display the results on screen, 
e.g. the number of retrieved papers, and their 
sequential number, and all fields of a record are 
displayed. If the results are not desirable, users 
can go back to retrieval mode, and select new 
related subject phrases on the displayed Thesaurus 
to extend the domain of searching. Up till users 
are satisfied with results.Another is to print the 
results, e.g. first the user write the results on 
the disk files, and then print out the results with 
the system commands. 
4.2.7 Storing searching strategy The SMADB can 
store all searching commands of the user in the 
initialized file to provide selective dissemination 
of information on-line for the user. 
  
4.3 Searching process 
The SMADB provides two languages of searching for 
the user. One is Germany GOLEM command, another is 
English CCS commands. They are all easy to operate 
by the user, and both processes are the same. 
  
[open the database | 
  
  
enter search commands, the words of 
searching term and logical operators 
  
  
  
  
interactive query and display aus 
documents 
terminate dialogue 
[print the retrieval result | 
    
  
  
5 AUTOMATICALLY GENERATING SURVEYING 
AND MAPPING ABSTRACTS BY AGSMA