“A Visual Toolkit For Information Retrieval”

1. “A Visual Toolkit For Information Retrieval” Authors: Antony Corfield, Matthew Dovey, Richard Mawby & Colin Tatham Presented by Antony Corfield & Richard Mawby Oxford University

2. Presentation will consist of: • Introduction & Overview • Technical Description • Contacts & Information Oxford University

3. Background • JISC/DNER • Funding the two-year project under the DNER Programme. • Z39.50 • “A computer-to-computer communication protocol designed to support searching and retrieval of information – - full-text documents, bibliographic data, images and multimedia – - in a distributed network environment. Based on client/server architecture and operating over the internet..” • Quote taken from William Moen, the ANSI/NISO Z39.50 Protocol [www.cni.org/pub/NISO/docs/Z39.50-brochure] Oxford University

4. Background (Continued) • JAVA • This programming language ensures suitability for eventual audience as software is platform independent. Oxford University

5. Aims Aims • Easy to use • Visual • Open Source • Encouraging ongoing development & maintenance of the software. Components enabling users to build portals without dealing with intricate technical aspects. Oxford University

6. Components Components • JAFER has two basic components • ZClient • ZServer • Software based on Client/Server • architecture. • Written in Java and uses XML. • Components used separately or in • various combinations. Oxford University

7. ZClient Uses • Reading List Generator • Using Z39.50 a web page reading list can be built. • Servlet • A link from a reading list to a record indicating the location of an item. • JSP (Java Server Pages) • Create dynamic web pages from Z39.50 sources. Oxford University

8. Collaborations • RSLP (Research Support Libraries Programme) Book History And Design Project • RSLP Mapping Asia Project • HUMBUL Humanities Hub (a part of RDN - Research Discovery Network) • Oxford University Refugee Studies Centre • GFIS (Global Forest Information Service) Oxford University

9. Collaborations (Continued) • (USGS) US Geological Survey • Microsoft • EU One-2 Project • JISC & NSF (National Science Foundation) Project - OMRAS (Online Music Recognition And Searching) • Possibly: Join-Up Programme & ILRT (Institute for Learning and Research Technology) Oxford University

10. JAFER Toolkit Project • Software Developers • Antony Corfield • Colin Tatham • Topics • Design & Technologies • Visual Configuration Oxford University

11. Toolkit – Basic Components • ZClient • Development of Portals for Access to Z39.50 Information Sources • ZServer • Provides Access to Non-Z39.50 Information Sources Oxford University

12. JAVA • Portable – “Write Once, Run Anywhere” • Flexible – Object Oriented Approach • JavaBeans – Component Architecture allows Visual Configuration of Properties • Java Server Pages (JSP) – simple technology for building HTML pages with Dynamic Content Oxford University

13. XML • Handles information in a way that is easy to Read, Process and Generate • Can be Transformed using Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) • Shares common goals of JAVA JAVA + XML = portable CODE, portable DATA Oxford University

14. ZClient Architecture Oxford University

15. XML query • Based on ‘Search’ mechanism developed by Global Information Locator Service (GILS) • Boolean Queries (Z39.50 type 101) represented as XML • Search Z39.50 Attributes can be defined by Default Search Profile e.g. Bath Profile Oxford University

16. Query example <query><boolean> <and> <constraintModel> <constraint> ATTRIBUTES <semantic>4</semantic> title <position>3</position> any position </constraint> <model>Macbeth</model> search term </constraintModel> …. Oxford University

17. Query example (cont.) …. <constraintModel> <constraint> ATTRIBUTES <semantic>1003</semantic> author <relation>3</relation> equals </constraint> <model>Shakespeare</model> search term </constraintModel> </and> </boolean></query> Oxford University

18. Records – XML Serializers • XML Generated from retrieved Records • MARC to XML conforms to Open Archives Initiative (OAI) schema for MARC records • GRS to XML conforms to GILS schema for GRS1 records Oxford University

19. MARC to XML example MARC 21 Field 260 260##$aNew York, N.Y. : $bElsevier, $c1984. <varfield id=”260” i1=”” i2=””> <subfield label=”a”>New York, N.Y. :</subfield> <subfield label=”b”>Elsevier,</subfield> <subfield label=”c”>1984</subfield> </ varfield > Oxford University

20. XSL Transformations • Stylesheet used to Transform ‘raw’ XML to a form tailored to the user’s needs e.g. <publisher>New York, N.Y. : Elsevier, 1984 </publisher> Oxford University

21. JSP – Providing Dynamic Content • Specify & Submit Query query.submit ( query.and ( “Macbeth”, “use title”, “Shakespeare”, “use author” )) • Save Query saveCurrentQuery ( “query.xml” ) Oxford University

22. JSP – Providing Dynamic Content • Display Results setRecordCursor (n); record = getCurrentRecord () record.get( “title” ).getValue () record.get( “author” ).get( “name” ).getValue () Oxford University

23. Configuration of ZClient • Visual Configuration • Builder Tools (developers) • Graphical User Interface (simple) • XML Configuration • XML file in Web Server (administrators) Oxford University

24. Visual Configuration – Builder Tools • ZClient is a Java Bean • Java Beans have Properties which can be configured by using Visual Builder Tools • ZClient Bean properties include • Host or Target, Password etc. • Preferred Record Format, XML generation Oxford University

25. Configuration - JBuilder Oxford University

26. Visual Configuration using GUI • Simple, does not require Builder Tools • Bean Properties set using Tabbed Panes in User Interface Oxford University

27. Configuration via GUI Oxford University

28. Configuration via GUI Oxford University

29. XML Configuration • Properties set by specifying parameters • e.g. web.xml file in Tomcat servlet container <init-param> <param-name>target</param-name> <param-value>library.ox.ac.uk</param-value> </init-param> Oxford University

30. ZServer • Component Architecture • Configuration of Components provides different functions • Access to non-Z39.50 Information Sources • Distributed Searches (re-uses ZClient components) Oxford University

31. Access to non-Z39.50 DataBase ZServer DB Client Host (target) Oxford University

32. Distributed Searches Z39.50 ZServer + ZClient Non - Z39.50 Host Client Oxford University

33. ZServer Components • ZServer • Manages Connections • Query Translation • Record Generation • Handler • Maps Attributes to DataBase Tables • Appropriate DataBase Driver ZServer Handler Oxford University

34. ZServer - Visual Configuration • Server configuration • IP Address & Port binding • IP Validation & User Authentication e.g. ATHENS • Data Source configuration • Attribute mapping to Tables • Mapping between Tables and Record Fields Oxford University

35. Server Configuration Oxford University

36. Attribute Configuration Oxford University

37. Downloads – org.jafer package • ZClient • Stable builds available as self-expanding Web Application Archive (WAR file) • Java code (Open Source) for developers • ZServer • Available from November 2001 Oxford University

38. Project Director Matthew.Dovey@las.ox.ac.uk Project Administrator Richard.Mawby@las.ox.ac.uk Project Developers Antony.Corfield@las.ox.ac.uk Colin.Tatham@las.ox.ac.uk Development Website www.jafer.org/ Downloads Join mailing lists General Website www.lib.ox.ac.uk/jafer/ Contacts & Information Oxford University