Surveying and Mapping Abstracts (SMA), which be 
produced automatically by  AGSMA subroutine, is a 
text abstracts compilation. It can provide for 
readers to search for various kinds of technical 
papers in the international surveying and mapping 
field.As a retrieval reference book and an advanced 
information products, SMA can provide user with 
excellent service of searching for scientific and 
technical literature on surveying and mapping dis- 
ciplines. It would be very useful for many profe- 
ssionals in the course of accomplishing to improve 
surveying and mapping productivity and industry 
innovation in 90's. 
Each SMA is composed of two parts: 
(1) Abstracts section Abstracts are arranged 
according to surveying and mapping disciplines. It 
contain information number,title, author, source of 
literature and abstract. 
(2) Indices section It includes subject index, 
key word index and author index, which all be rela- 
ted to abstracts section. 
Subject index and key word index are arranged in 
alphabetic order of subject phrases and key word. 
It is the best approach for user to search for. 
Users can search for the interested literature on 
the basis of selecting correct subject phrases or 
key words, which are related to users’ problems. 
Author index is arranged in alphabetic order of 
author's name. It contain all authors of each papers 
which are stored in the database. 
The information can also be outputed to a floppy 
disk on IBM-PC. 
6 SMADB THESAURUS 
The SMADB Thesaurus is compiled according to a 
pattern of ’ INSPEC Thesaurus’ and ’'List of descrip- 
tor for surveying and mapping in Chinese'.It is the 
main tool for indexing, accessing of literature and 
searching in the SMADB The Thesaurus now contains 
approximately 3000, of which some 2500 are preferred 
terms (i.e. subject phrase) and 500 are cross refe- 
rence terms (i.e.  non-subject phrase). The subject 
phrase are used in indexing all documents added 
to the SMADB. The changes and additions to the 
Thesaurus will arise from the requirements of 
literature in the branches such as Photogrammetry, 
Engineering surveying, Cartography and so on covered 
by SMADB. 
Arrangement of the Thesaurus has two parts: 
(1) Alphabetical display of terms 
This is the main part of the Thesaurus,listing in a 
single alphabetical order all terms both 'preferred' 
and 'cross reference'. A capital letter is used to 
indicate 'subject phrase', and 'non-subject phrase' 
are shown in small letter e.g. 
Basic topographic map......... subject phrase 
Close range photography....... subject phrase 
UF nontopographic photography 
BT Photography 
RT Close range photogrammetry 
nontopographic photography...non-subject phrase 
US Close range photography 
Photogrammetry 
NT Aerial photogrammetry 
110 
Analytical photogrammetry 
Close range photogrammetry 
Digital photogrammetry 
Dynamic photogrammetry 
Ground photogrammetry 
Holographic photogrammetry 
Space photogrammetry 
Underwater photogrammetry 
Under each subject phrase are term's relationships. 
These show other terms which are related to the 
given term in the Thesaurus. 
where US ( use) and UF (use for) are replacement 
relationships. 
NT is narrower i.e. more specific term. 
BT is broader i.e. more general term. 
RT is related term. 
Where alternative terms, synonyms or alternative 
spellings exist for a given term,only one form will 
be chosen and reference made from the alternative. 
This is done by the US (use) reference. For each 
case where a US (use) reference is made, the 
preferred terms will show any non-preferred terms 
to which reference is made.This is done by means of 
the UF (used for). 
(2) Category index:All subject phrases in the SMADB 
thesaurus are divided into seven classifications 
according to surveying and mapping discipline cate- 
gory, that is, 1. General; 2. Elementary surveying, 
Topographic surveying; 3. Geodetic survey; 
4. Photogrammetry and Remote Seining; 5.Engineering 
Survey; 6. Cadastral survey and, 7. Cartography. 
Subject phrases in each classification are arranged 
in principle according to surveying and mapping 
disciplines category and two levels extension of 
the subject phrases subordinate relationship. For 
example, the subject phrases in photogrammetry and 
remote sensing classification as below. 
Aerotriangulation 
NT Analytical aerotriangulation 
On line aerotriangulation 
Analytical aerotriangulation 
NT Strip aerotriangulation 
Block aerotriangulation 
A subject phrase can appear in more than one branch, 
but the subject phrase is only located in one main 
branch. (see-xxxx) is used to indicate the subject 
phrase of one branch to the main branch, such as 
subject phrases in 3.Geodetic survey classification. 
Control survey 
NT Horizontal control survey 
Topographic control survey (see-02) 
Vertical control survey 
Photo control survey (see-04) 
Engineering control survey (see-05) 
CONCLUSION 
From the point of view of the existing information 
retrieval systems in the world, Surveying and Map- 
ping Abstracts Database (SMADB) is an unique com- 
puterized retrieval system of the literature on all 
disciplines of surveying and mapping at present. 
The system have been improved continually through 
past several years of work, furthermore, it is à 
practical system basically. However, there are some 
shortcoming in the system as a result of our condi- 
tions (financial resource etc.).We hope that inter- 
national partner would be found to improve the sys- 
tem farther, to enlarge the scopes of surveying and