User manual – Searching dataset
Conducting a cartographic search…
Conducting a search by data type…
Conducting a multi-criteria search...
Conducting a search for new references...
Expanding or narrowing your search
Before starting the search…
This manual provides users with general guidelines for searching for data and accessing detailed information on this data (metadata) and for downloading the data itself, if it has been made available.
Different search modes are available from the main MDweb menu, Data search section. From the most interactive to the most complex, they are:
- Cartographic search
- By data type
- New references
- Multi-criteria search
The following sections provide details on conducting these different types of searches.
Conducting a
cartographic search…
In a cartographic search, you are shown an interactive map and you can specify the geographic zone or geographic entity to which the search will be limited to. Several navigation and search tools are available to you on this page via the buttons on the top right of the map.
Navigation and search tools
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Search: Allows you to launch a search over an entity or by defining a rectangular area using the mouse (activated by default) |
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Information: Information on the selected entity |
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Pan: Moves the map. |
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Zoom +: Zooms in. |
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Zoom -: Zooms out. |
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Initial view: Returns to the original view |
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Zoom previous |
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Zoom next |
Buttons and the functions associated with the map’s table of contents
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Activate/deactivate display of the information layer |
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Move down the information layer to a lower level |
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Move up the information layer to a higher level |
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Display the information layer’s legend |
Conducting a search by data type…
A search by data type is conducted for the data type selected from
the drop-down sub-menu: Data search >
By data type.
Conducting a multi-criteria search...
The multi-criteria data search allows you to compose a search criteria based on a maximum of four criteria:
- On what? This is a search criteria based on keywords. An auto-complete feature dynamically suggests a list of keywords as you type (1). Before exiting the On what? form, Validate the chosen keyword (2). You can specify several keywords. For each additional keyword you want to specify, repeat the operation.
For an advanced keyword search, use the
thesaurus navigator by clicking the 
button. You can then browse
any of the available thesauri and select the desired keyword.
- When? This
allows you to specify as search criteria the data creation date. Use the
calendar pop-up 
to enter the From and To
dates in DD-MM-YYYY format. Other acceptable formats are MM-YYYY or YYYY.
Before exiting the When? form, Validate
the chosen date or period.
- Where? This allows you to limit the search to a chosen spatial extent of the data. This form allows you to define the geographic extent over which your search will be conducted. An interactive map and navigation tools (see Navigation and search tools, above) will allow you to specify the four coordinates necessary to define the geographic extent. Before exiting the Where? form, Validate the chosen extent.
- What data type? This allows you to limit your search to one or more specific data types. This form allows you to define the data type(s) for which you want to search. Before exiting the What data type? form, Validate the selected data type. You can repeat the operation to include additional data types.
- Submitting the multi-criteria search: After having specified and validated your search criteria, Submit the search.
Conducting a search for new references...
To search within the new references in the catalog(s): Data search > New references. The search is conducted over the references recently added to the catalog(s) to which the search relates.
Expanding or narrowing your search
Depending on the type of search you conducted, the MDweb search engine may offer you the possibility of filtering or reformulating the search criteria.
Filtering cartographic-search results
In case of a cartographic search, and depending on the number of results obtained, the MDweb search engine may allow you to filter the results using the Filter results button. The new search will be limited to data that is strictly included in the selected spatial extent.
Narrowing or expanding keyword-search results
In case of search using keyword (On what? tab), and depending on the number of results obtained, the MDweb search engine will allow you to reformulate your search by selecting keywords that are either more specific or more general in nature. Select the keywords and Submit. The search is re-conducted with the new keywords.
In case the
proposed keyword it of type spatial, you will be allowed to reformulate
the search criteria by activating the cartographic client. You will thus be
able to conduct the search by specifying the geographic entity and the keyword
selected earlier. To bring up the interactive map, click the 
button.
Reading the results
The results are displayed by groups of 15 results per page. The data’s essential information is displayed in a box:
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Data title et link to have more details on dataset |
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A thumbnail of dataset and a link to have more details on dataset |
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Name of the catalog in which this data is listed |
Contacts
IRD / ESPACE unit (US 140)
500, rue Jean François Breton, 34093 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
TEL: +33 (0)4 67 54 87 02
J.C Desconnets jcd@teledetection.fr
Site of the MDweb project: www.mdweb-project.org
Online demonstration: demo16.mdweb-project.org