Help - Command Search Screen

Help - Index


Using the Command Search requires the use of Common Command Language (CCL), as well as a familiarity with the codes used for the various database indexes. If you are familiar with the codes used in CCL you can create a search using both Guide Me and the codes you are familiar with. To be able to edit the search, untick the Guide me box, click in the box and edit as necessary. Retick the Guide me box to use the drop down lists again.


A 'Guide Me' box is available to assist if you are less familiar with CCL and index codes. To use the Guide Me function, you need to tick on the Guide Me box, located under the Find input box.

When you click on the Guide Me checkbox, the four boxes below are highlighted. Note: You can not edit the constructed query whilst this checkbox is selected.

By clicking the Add button, your query is automatically added to the Find input box and is displayed in the Common Command Language. To see your results, you will need to click on SEARCH, situated on the right-hand side of the screen.

If you wish to compile a more complex query by adding more queries to the Find input box, you will need to repeat the process described above. A new search query will be added to the original query and is connected by the chosen Boolean Operator. You can find Boolean Operators, directly under the Guide Me box. The Boolean Operators are listed in the drop down options box and include "and" "or" and "not".

The Undo/Redo buttons located down the bottom of the screen can be used to remove or re-add items from the search query. The Clear button will clear the entire query.

To construct a search in Command Search without using Guide Me, you must input the query directly into the Find input box. The query syntax is as follows:
INDEX search term

Example: TI = water pollution

INDEX search term AND/OR/NOT INDEX search term
Example: NW park AND DAT > 1994
INDEX search term N/W search term (same index)

Example: TW = paul W simon

As well as proximity operators N(ear) and W(ith), ! and % are used to indicate adjacency or proximity in Command Search.

Note that index codes (eg TI), Boolean Operators (AND, OR, NOT) and Proximity Operators (N(ear), W(ith)) must be input in upper case. Search terms can be input in either upper or lower case, with the exception of codes (e.g. language codes) which must be input in the case used in the MARC (Librarians view) record.

Phrases containing AND, OR, NOT must be enclosed in quotes.

Both W(ith) and ! specify the order in which the two terms occur:
Example: Paul W Simon or Paul ! Simon

Both N(ear) and % specify any order:
Example: Simon N Paul or Simon % Paul

Both ! and % can be combined with a number to specify the number of characters within which two terms occur:
Example: paul !3 simon or wales %10 new

A range of error messages may be displayed in Command Search that would not occur in Advanced search. These messages relate to the syntax of the search query (see section below on Error Messages)

The Libraries Australia Manual contains a complete list of index codes, and a guide to using CCL in the Libraries Australia Command Search.
The left-hand side of the screen displays the databases that you are searching in. To select databases, you will need to click on the Select Databases button.

Using Command Search for ISSN and ISBN

When using Command Search to search Australian Library Collections for ISBNs and ISSNs, the numbers must be enclosed in double quotes (‘’ “ ). When using Guide Me you will have to put them yourself, as the system does not insert them.

Example: BN = “099315209” OR SN = “0022247X”

When using other databases or searching with other identifiers (numbers) in Command Search, double quotes are not used.

Related Links

Error Messages