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Searching by habitat, ecology and RDB status

BugsCEP includes an advanced filter system that allows you to select subsets of the main species index that fulfil specified criteria. Results can be exported as reports or MS Excel files.

  1. Click [Search by Habitat etc...] on the main toolbar.
    BugsCEP remembers setting between search sessions, and will ask you whether you wish to continue from the previous session... it will ask you to reconfirm if you click [No]
  2. The search interface may seem a little complicated at first - the figure below should help to explain it - move the mouse over the image for explanations.

Quite complex queries can be created, but they must be built up linearly - that is to say each set of criteria is applied to the list individually. BugsCEP maintains a log of your actions (as shown above), so you can always retrace your steps. This log is exported on reports.

  1. Use the Criteria Type Tabs to choose the type of information you want to search for.
  2. Select criteria by choosing them in the list on the left and clicking the [Add Class to Selected Criteria] button. For text searches you can type the required word, or select from a previously saved search term. If you add multiple classes/words they will be logically treated as x OR y.
  3. Click an Action Button:
    • [Search full Bugs Index] - essentially resets the search
    • [Narrow the Search... to ONLY species that meet the criteria]
    • [Broaden the Search... to include species that meet the criteria] - as well as the current list
    • [Narrow the Search... to EXCLUDE species that meet the criteria] - from the current list

    • [Undo last search] - remove the effects of the previous search action (only once)
    • [Reset Explorer] - return the form to its initial state, with the full BugsCEP index ready for searching
  4. The results of the Action Button will be reflected in changes in the Current Search Results, and the logic of the action displayed in the Search Event Log.

Exporting the results

  1. To see the data for the species in the Current Search Results click the [Create Search Results Reports/Export] button - and choose the type of report from the Report Generator popup.
    • The first four report types will generate a preview, which can be printed or exported to MS Word (or Excel).
    • Choosing to 'Export as Bugs Countsheet' leads to a filename request and then saves the file in MS Excel format.

    If required, results exported to Excel can be imported into BugsCEP as countsheet files after creating a site. You can then run MCR or BugStats on the species list.

Note that the Search Event Log is not exported in Excel files, so please export 'Just the Names' to Word as well if need this.

  1. To see which sites contain species from the Current Search Results click the [Report sites with any of these species]. This will generate a preview of a report containing summary data for each site where any of the species are present. The latter will be listed with the site, and the Search Event Log and site references included at the end of the report. (See below for an extract)

 

Although searching appears simple you should always carefully consider the LOGIC of your actions when interpreting the resulting species lists. A good practice is to retrace the exported log and make sure you thoroughly understand it. This is essential when using the list in further analyses.

 

Searching by dates

This facility is still under development. It will allow you to list all sites, samples and species that are known from within specified age criteria (e.g. 14000BP>Age>10000BP, Age< 2000BP). It will be linked to the 'Search by habitat' system to enable comprehensive palaeoecological searching.

 

* References

Girling, M. A. (1976). Fossil Coleoptera from the Somerset Levels : the Abbot's Way. Somerset Levels Papers, 2, 28-33.

Koch, K. (1970). Subfossile Käferreste aus römerzeitlichen und mittelalterlichen Ausgrabungen im Rheinland. Entomologische Blätter für Biologie und Systematik der Käfer, 66, 41-56.

 

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Last edited:
October 15, 2006