Experience with SRU/SRW/CQL?

[Fred Boer]

Hello:

I am working on a process to automate searches (within Access) of web hosted
databases, specifically library databases, such as the Library of Congress,
to download cataloguing data into my library application. I have discovered
the SRU (Search/Retrieve via URL) protocol. It uses something called CQL
(Common Query Language). Has anyone had any experience using either of
these? An example of a working SRU is reproduced below; paste it into an
address bar to see how it works...

I think I can make this work with the following process:

1. User enters ISBN.
2. VBA code generates SRU with user ISBN.
3. Load the web browser control with the generated SRU
4. Scrape the text from the resulting web page
5. Parse and insert into form

Along the same lines...:

In professional library software, I have seen similar functionality, but
using commercial sites, such as Amazon.com. For example, the user enters an
ISBN, and book information is retrieved from Amazon - anybody know how that
works? The search urls seem similar to the example below...

Example:

http://z3950.loc.gov:7090/voyager?v...y=0672321017&maximumRecords=1&recordSchema=dc

Thanks!
Fred Boer

 

[Mike Labosh]

CQL?

Are you referring to the database language called "SQL" that many people
pronounce "See-Quill", as in the second version of the same movie? Like
Matrix 2 was the Sequel of Matrix 1?

--


Peace & happy computing,

Mike Labosh, MCSD MCT
Owner, vbSensei.Com

"Escriba coda ergo sum." -- vbSensei

 

[Fred Boer]

Hi Mike:

Good guess, but no... The terms are described here:

http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/

http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/cql/

Cheers!
Fred Boer

 

[Mike Labosh]

Good guess, but no... The terms are described here:

http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/

http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/cql/

Wow. I cannot imagine why the government doesn't just use languages that
everyone knows!

I have been writing code since 1979, and I have never even heard of this
stuff.
--


Peace & happy computing,

Mike Labosh, MCSD MCT
Owner, vbSensei.Com

"Escriba coda ergo sum." -- vbSensei

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

In professional library software, I have seen similar functionality, but
using commercial sites, such as Amazon.com. For example, the user enters
an ISBN, and book information is retrieved from Amazon - anybody know how
that works? The search urls seem similar to the example below...

Do any of the above services, or the one you want expose their data as a web
service?

I would suggest you use the "soap" ad-in for ms-access, as that lets you use
any web service within your ms-access code.

It really is the best + most easy way to interface to a site like ebay etc.
(assuming these web sites have web services...).

You can check out the soap ad-in here:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/previous/xp/webservices/toolkit.asp

Take well note of how the Excel sheet looks up the tempature for a
particular city.

 

[Fred Boer]

Dear Albert:

Thanks for the information. I will take a look at it! I've put a lot of time
over the last few days into researching ways to automate the
search/retrieval of cataloguing data from places like the Library of
Congress, and am awash in acronyms (Z93.50, VBZoom, SOAP, SRU/SRW/CQL, and
more!). It is all a bit overwhelming, I must say!

Perhaps what you are suggesting will prove helpful!

Cheers!
Fred

P.S. Edmonton isn't out of it yet!! Have faith!

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Perhaps what you are suggesting will prove helpful!

Do be aware that my suggestion is ONLY of use if the web site in question
has what is called "web services" exposed. This .net concept is exactly like
when you set a references to word, or outlook from ms-access. When you setup
a reference from ms-access to word, or outlook, you are using what is called
object automaton (or, often referred to as "com"). Once you set the
reference to outlook (or word), then in your access code, you can use the
features of outlook (or word) in your code. A web service is EXACTLY the
same idea, and you can use the features of the web site system in your code.
This of course only works when you have a web site that exposes web
services.

P.S. Edmonton isn't out of it yet!! Have faith!

Yes...they just scored a short handed goal in overtime...so, back to
Edmonton for game 6!!!

 

[Fred Boer]

Dear Albert:

Thanks. It does appear that this might be a dead end but it is still nice to
learn about it!

Cheers!
Fred

Go Edmonton!!!