Setting Up a Z39.50 Configuration File

To let users search a Z39.50 library, you must create a configuration (.zcf) file specifically for that library. Horizon includes a default configuration file that you can copy and modify. This file is called “default.zcf” and is located in the main Horizon directory. You should rename the file so that you can identify it easily with the library it configures. (If you let borrowers access Z39.50 libraries through a PAC, you may want to use the same name for these configuration files that you used when you configured your PAC.)

This configuration file includes information that is required to log in to the remote Z-server. It also includes searching attributes of the remote Z39.50 library.

The Z39.50 protocol uses search attributes to define search types. You need to make sure that each use, structure, and truncation attribute used by the Z-server corresponds to the local Horizon database prefixes used by your library. (For example, if you want to let users search the Library of Congress and they support Title Keyword searches, you need to find out what use attribute represents this search and match it with the keyword [field] search prefix you use to represent Title Keyword searches in your library.)

The configuration file includes these three sections that you can change:

Z_ATOMS. This section contains the necessary information to let your system access the remote Z-server.
USER_ATOMS. This section contains the user name and password required to log into the remote Z-server.
SEARCHES. This section contains the information that lets you match Z39.50 search attributes with the keyword (field) and browse search prefixes defined for your location Horizon database with the corresponding use attributes for the remote Z39.50 database.

(The file also includes an “OIDS” section that you cannot change.)

Before you begin, contact the remote Z39.50 library for which you are setting up a configuration file. You need the following information about their server and database:

Socket (port number). Determine the socket (port number) the remote Z39.50 server listens on for search requests.
Database. Determine the name of the database to access from the Z39.50 library. This name must be exact, including case.
IP Address. Determine the IP address of the Z-server for the remote Z39.50 library.
User Name and Password. If required, determine the user name and password required to access the Z39.50 database.
Use Attributes. Determine the use attributes defined by the remote Z39.50 library for keyword and browse searches. Then determine the corresponding keyword and browse search prefixes defined in your local Horizon database.
Structure. Determine the structure values defined by the remote Z39.50 library.
Truncation. Determine the truncation values defined by the remote Z39.50 library.

Some Internet sites for individual libraries provide this information. There are also sites that compile this information such as:

http://www.indexdata.dk/targettest/

http://calstate.edu/uias/Z3950Hosts.shtml

These sites may give information you need for your configuration file.

To set up a Z39.50 configuration file

1 Find the “default.zcf” file located in the main Horizon folder, and copy it.
2 Rename the new file to a name that will help you remember which library this configuration file is for.

Be sure to leave the extension “.zcf” intact.

3 In a text editor, open the new file you created.

Important: Do not change the order of any of the sections in the configuration file. This can corrupt the configuration file. However, you can add parameters to these sections as long as they conform to the same standards.

4 Review the Z_ATOMS section of the “.zcf” file you created:

ZCF {

Z_ATOMS {

SOCKET = 210;
TIMEOUT = 90;
PRESENTCOUNT = 10;
SMALLSETUB = 0;
MEDIUMSETPN = 0;
LARGESETLB = 1;
I2TITLESORT = 1;
SEARCHLIMIT = 500;
PREFMESSAGESIZE = 1024;
MAXRECORDSIZE = 1048576;
DATABASE = thedatabasename;
DEFAULTOP = and;
SITE = "Dynix Z Server";
DESCRIPTION = "Dynix Z Server";
IPADDRESS = "123.123.123.123";
IMPLEMENTATIONID = "Dynix";
IMPLEMENTATIONNAME = "Z3950";

5 Use this table to edit the Z_ATOMS section:

Replace this

With this

SOCKET = 210

Replace “210” with the socket or port number that the remote Z-server listens on for search requests.

DATABASE = thedatabasename

Replace “thedatabasename” with the name of the remote database you want to access.

IPADDRESS = “123.123.123.123”

Replace “123.123.123.123” with the IP address of the remote Z-server you want to access. Include the quotations marks.

6 If the Z-server requires a user name and password, enter the user name and password in the USERID and PASS fields.
7 Review the “SEARCHES” section of the configuration file you created. If necessary, use this table to edit the prefixes in the SEARCHES section:

Prefixes

Description

gw (general keyword)
ti (title browse)
au (author browse)
su (subject browse)
tw (title keyword)
aw (author keyword)
sw (subject keyword)

Use the prefixes that you defined for your keyword (field) and browse searches. If you need to modify these prefixes to match your standard, do not include the period ( . ) or underscore ( _ ) characters.

Important: If necessary, delete or add search parameters to the SEARCHES section. Do not delete or change the order of any other part of the “.zcf” file.

8 Use this table to edit these fields for each prefix you include in the SEARCHES section:

Replace this

With this

SEARCH_DESC = “General Keyword”

Replace “General Keyword” with a logical description of this search that you will remember. Include the quotation marks.

SEARCH_SCAN = FALSE

Do one of these options:

If the search type is a browse search, this value should be TRUE.
If the search type is a keyword search, this value should be FALSE.

USE = 1035

Replace “1035” with the use attribute for this search type. (Contact the Z39.50 library for these values.)

STRUCTURE = 2

Replace “2” with the structure value from the Z-server for this search type. Structure determines whether or not it is phrase, key, or word search. (Contact the Z39.50 library for these values.)

TRUNCATION = 100

Replace “100” with the truncation value from the Z-server for this search type. Truncation determines whether or not users can search by entering only a portion of a complete search term.

Most Z-servers support the “100” value, which means no truncation is allowed, and the “1” value, which means users can right-truncate their search terms. (Contact the Z39.50 library for these values.)

9 Repeat step 8 for each prefix you want to edit or create.
10 Save and exit the file.

 


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