1. INTRODUCTION
The Directorate General Communication works under the authority of the President and Vice President Margot Wallstrom. Its mission is to:
• inform the media and citizens of the activities of the Commission and to communicate the objectives and goals of its policies and actions;
• inform the Commission of the evolution of opinion in the Member States.
In order to accomplish its mission, DG COMM runs successfully a number of information dissemination services. One of these services, related with the collecting, processing and publishing of Press Releases is RAPID service.
The RAPID database contains all the Press Releases of the Commission since 1985, the great majority of them in at least two languages. It also contains Press Releases of some of the other European institutions, particularly the Council of the Union. Press releases of the Commission are available in at least English and French (the working languages of the Commission Press Room), while many of the Press Releases are available in all EC languages.
The main goal of RAPID service is to provide users with the most flexible way of searching and retrieving the documents in different formats. All documents within RAPID are publicly available without using a personal username. However, users may obtain and use a personal username in order to personalize their working environment within RAPID (e.g. language used for Web site GUI or Press Releases), to subscribe to Press Releases and receive notifications via email.
This document provides the comprehensive description of the RAPID functionality, from the usage point of view. Each functionality is described in detail, using a step-by-step approach.2. GLOSSARY
3. USER MANUAL
The main task of the RAPID is to provide the content of the RAPID database to the Internet audience, through a user-friendly, Web application. It is responsible for delivering the enhanced information to the public through a powerful and easy-to-use Web site, allowing full text search, subscription for notifications, personalized views, etc. More specifically, the RAPID implements the following functionality:
• searching through the RAPID database for Press Releases, using pre-defined queries (Midday Express, recent Press Releases, topic Press Releases) and user-defined queries
• displaying and downloading of Press Releases
• registering of users to RAPID service, in order to personalize their working environment under RAPID
• delivering on daily basis of Press Releases, which are defined using search queries, to the Subscribed Users, through email
• providing access to some Web site accompanying information, like What’s New and About information, as well as, some related documentation (e.g. user manual)
3.1 SEARCH PRESS RELEASES
This option allows searching for Press Releases and retrieving their content.
In order to search for Press Releases, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Search inside the header of any RAPID page. The Search Page is presented (Figure 3-1).
2. Specify search criteria:
a. Select the Press Release Type using the list Type.
b. Specify the date range for the Event Date:
i. Specify the date range:
1. Select the radio button From.
2. Enter the range starting date in the field From Date. It is also possible to browse for date, using the Calendar Window (Figure 3-2), which is opened by clicking Browse From Date
. The field may be cleared by clicking Clear From Date
.
3. Enter the range ending date in the field To Date. It is also possible to browse for date, using the Calendar Window (Figure 3-2), which is opened by clicking Browse To Date
ii. Select searching through the complete database by selecting the radio button Search complete database.
c. Enter the Press Release Reference in the field Reference.
d. Specify the text search criteria:
i. Enter the text to be searched in the field Text.
ii. Select the text matching criterion using the drop-down list Text Matching (Any Term, All Terms, Exact Match).
iii. Select searching for text only in Press Release titles by checking the check box Title Only.
e. Specify the keywords to be used for search:
i. Enter the comma separated list of keywords in the field Keywords.
ii. Select keywords using the keywords browsing functionality (section 3.3).
f. Select the Query or Advanced Query to be used for search using the drop-down list Queries.
3. Specify the results display options
a. Select the criterion for sorting of found Press Releases:
i. Select descending sorting by Event Date of Press Releases by selecting the radio button Reverse Date Order.
ii. Select sorting by Press Release Type by selecting the radio button Document Type.
b. Select the number of Press Releases to be shown per Search Result Page using the drop-down list Show X results at a time.
4. Click Search. The Press Releases that comply with the defined set of search criteria are displayed on the Search Result Page (Figure 3-3).
Figure 3-3: Search Result Page (Upper and Lower Part)
5. Browse through Press Releases using links to particular pages
, as well as, buttons Next
, Skip Next
, Previous
and Skip Previous
.
6. Display Press Releases:
a. Select the radio button HTML.
b. Select one or more Press Releases by checking the check box on the left of the Press Release.
c. Select additional information to be shown for Press Release using the list Add information about (keywords, owner, Creation Date, Event Date, etc).
d. Click Selected Documents. Selected Press Releases are shown on the Press Releases Page (Figure 3-4).
7. Display a linguistic version of the Press Release in PDF format by clicking on the appropriate PDF link.
8. Display a linguistic version of the Press Release in DOC format by clicking on the appropriate DOC link.
Figure 3-4: Press Releases Page
9. Download Press Releases in DOC format:
a. Select the radio button DOC Zipped File.
b. Select one or more Press Releases by checking the check box on the left of the Press Release.
c. Click Selected Documents. The File Download Window is displayed (Figure 3-5). The zip file contains the linguistic versions (according to the language preferences) of selected Press Releases in DOC format.
Figure 3-5: File Download Window
d. Click Save to complete the operation or Cancel otherwise.
10. Download Press Releases in PDF format:
a. Select the radio button PDF Zipped File.
b. Select one or more Press Releases by checking the check box on the left of the Press Release.
c. Click Selected Documents. The File Download Window is displayed (Figure 3-5). The zip file contains the linguistic versions (according to the language preferences) of selected Press Releases in PDF format.
d. Click Save to complete the operation or Cancel otherwise.
3.2 DISPLAY MIDDAY EXPRESS
This option allows displaying the latest Midday Express document and browsing through history of Midday Express documents.
In order to display and browse Midday Express, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Midday Express in the header of any RAPID page. The latest Midday Express document is presented on the Midday Express Page (Figure 3-6).
Figure 3-6: Midday Express Page
2. Display the previous available Midday Express by clicking the link Previous Edition.
3. Display the next available Midday Express by clicking the link Next Edition.
4. Display any available Midday Express:
a. Click Browse Midday Express Date
b. Select the date. The Midday Express for selected date is displayed.
3.3 DISPLAY RECENT PRESS RELEASES
This option allows displaying the recent Press Releases, i.e. the Press Releases from last 7 days.
In order to display recent Press Releases, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Recent Press Releases inside the header of any RAPID page. The Press Releases from last 7 days are presented on the Recent Press Releases Page (Figure 3-7), sorted descending by Event Date. There are only 2 differences between this and Search Result Page:
a. On the Recent Press Releases Page there are no links and buttons for browsing pages, since all recent Press Releases are shown in one page.
b. On the Recent Press Releases Page there is a drop-down list Sort by.
Figure 3-7: Recent Press Releases Page (Upper and Lower Part)
2. Select the criterion for sorting recent Press Releases using the drop-down list Sort by:
a. Select sort by Date to display recent Press Releases sorted descending by Event Date.
b. Select sort by Document Type to display recent Press Releases sorted ascending by Press Releases Type.
c. Select sort by Topic to display recent Press Releases sorted ascending by first assigned keyword.
3.4 DISPLAY TOPIC PRESS RELEASES
This option allows displaying the Press Releases, using pre-defined topic queries.
In order to display topic Press Releases, the following steps should be considered:1. Select the topic using the drop-down list Select a topic. The Press Releases that comply with search criteria defined by selected topic are displayed on the Search Result Page (Figure 3-3). See section 3.1
3.5 SELECT KEYWORDS
This option allows selecting the keywords to be used for searching of Press Releases.
In order to select keywords, the following steps should be considered:1. Click Select on the Search Page (Figure 3-1). The Keywords Page is popped-up (Figure 3-8).
2. Search for keywords:
a. Enter in the field Keyword or description the keyword or keyword description to be used for searching of keywords. Each keyword (e.g. COMCONS) has description in several languages, at least in English and French (e.g. COMMISSION/COUNCIL and COMMISSION/CONSEIL).
b. Select the search scope:
i. Select the radio button By Keyword to search through keywords themselves.
ii. Select the radio button By Description to search through description of keywords in any language.
iii. Select the radio button By GUI Language Description to search through description of keywords in the current GUI language (English or French).
c. Click Search. The description of keywords that comply with the defined set of search criteria are displayed inside the tree Found Keywords.
3. Select keywords:
a. Select a keyword in the tree Found Keywords and click Add. The selected keyword is added inside the list Selected Keywords.
b. Double-click a keyword in the tree Found Keywords. The double-clicked keyword is added inside the list Selected Keywords.
4. Deselect keywords:
a. Select a keyword in the list Selected Keywords and click Remove. The selected keyword is removed from the list Selected Keywords.
b. Double-click a keyword in the list Selected Keywords. The double-clicked keyword is removed from the list Selected Keywords.
5. Click OK to complete the operation or Cancel just to return to the Search Page.
3.6 CHANGE GUI LANGUAGE
This option allows selecting the GUI language, between English and French.
In order to change the GUI language, the following steps should be considered:1. Select the GUI language topic using the drop-down list GUI Language. The Search Page in selected language is displayed.
3.7 DISPLAY DOCUMENTATION
This option allows accessing the RAPID documentation.
In order to access the RAPID documentation, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Documentation inside the menu of any RAPID page. The Documentation Page is presented, with links to several RAPID documents (e.g. User Manual). Any document can be accessed by clicking the appropriate link.
3.8 DISPLAY WHAT’S NEW INFORMATION
This option allows accessing the What’s New information about RAPID.
In order to access the What’s New information, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link What’s New inside the menu of any RAPID page. The What’s New Page is presented, with What’s New information about RAPID.
3.9 DISPLAY ABOUT INFORMATION
This option allows accessing the about information of RAPID.
In order to access the about information, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link About inside the menu of any RAPID page. The About Page is presented, with about information of RAPID.
3.10 REGISTER
This option allows registering to the freely disseminated databases of the EC Web server, including RAPID service.
In order to register, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Register inside the menu of any RAPID page. The Register Page is presented (Figure 3-9). Perform the registration following the presented information.
2. You will receive by email your username and password. If you have any problem with the created user account, please contact directly DIGIT-DROITS-ACCES@ec.europa.eu.
Figure 3-9: Europa Register Page
3.11 LOGIN
This option allows to login to the RAPID Web site as registered user, thus having possibility to personalize working environment within RAPID, to use personalized searches, to subscribe to Press Releases and receive notifications via email or SMS, etc.
In order to login, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Login inside the menu of any RAPID page. The Login Page is presented (Figure 3-10).
2. Enter the username in the field Username.
3. Enter the password in the field Password.
4. Click Login. In case of successful login the Search Page with menu for logged-in user is presented (Figure 3-11), otherwise appropriate error message is presented.
Figure 3-11: RAPID Menu – At Left for Logged-in, At Right for Anonymous User
3.12 LOGOUT
This option allows to logout from the RAPID Web site.
In order to logout, the following steps should be considered:1. Click Logout inside the menu of any RAPID page. The Search Page with menu for anonymous user is presented.
3.13 SET PREFERENCES
This option allows personalizing working environment within RAPID (e.g. language used for Web site GUI or Press Releases), subscribing to Press Releases, thus receiving notifications via email or SMS messages, etc.
In order to set preferences, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Preferences inside the menu of any RAPID page (as logged-in user). The Preferences Page is presented (Figure 3-12).
2. Set language preferences:
a. Select the GUI language using the drop-down list GUI Language.
b. Set language preferences for Press Releases:
i. Select a language by clicking at appropriate field in the list of supported languages (EC languages in which Press Releases may be available). The field becomes blue.
ii. Click the button Increase priority
, in order to increase the language priority.
iii. Click the button Decrease priority
, in order to decrease the language priority.
3. Set preferences for push configuration (receiving all or part of the daily additions to the RAPID database, as email or SMS messages):
a. Select queries to be executed on daily additions to the RAPID database in order to find Press Releases to be sent. Queries are selected using 3 drop-down lists Queries to Be Executed, i.e. up to 3 queries may be selected. The result of each Query would be sent as separate email message.
b. Enter in the field Email the email address to be used for sending of email messages.
c. Select receiving of email messages by checking the check box Send Email.
d. Enter in the field Mobile Phone the mobile phone number to be used for sending of SMS messages.
e. Select receiving of SMS messages by checking the check box Send SMS. The SMS system will start running during 2004, and not at the migration date. You will be informed later when this functionality will start running. For the time being, you are not obliged to enter your mobile phone number.
f. Select the format of Press Releases to be received through email:
i. Select receiving just titles of Press Releases by selecting the radio button Titles Only.
ii. Select receiving of Press Releases in HTML format by selecting the radio button HTML.
iii. Select receiving of Press Releases in DOC format by selecting the radio button DOC.
iv. Select receiving of Press Releases in PDF format by selecting the radio button PDF.
g. Select if received Press Releases in DOC or PDF format should be zipped or not, using the radio buttons Compression (DOC/PDF).
4. Set display preferences:
a. Select the kind of information that is shown for each Press Release on the Search Result Page, using the Search Result List radio buttons, Titles Only or All Info (Figure 3-13 and Figure 3-14).
Figure 3-13: Layout of a Press Release on the Search Result Page for Titles Only
Figure 3-14: Layout of a Press Release on the Search Result Page for All Info
b. Select the kind of information that is shown for each Press Release on the Press Releases Page, using the Document Header radio buttons, Titles Only or All Info.
5. Click Save to complete the operation or Do Not Save and Exit to return to the Search Page.
3.14 MANAGE QUERIES
This option allows creating, deleting, changing and executing the Queries.
In order to manage Queries, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Queries inside the menu of any RAPID page (logged-in as registered user). The Queries Page is presented (Figure 3-15).
2. Load User Query:
a. Select the radio button User Queries.
b. Select a Query using the drop-down list User Queries.
c. Click Load Selected Query. The Query is loaded to the Edit Query part of the page.
3. Delete User Query:
a. Select the radio button User Queries.
b. Select a Query using the drop-down list User Queries.
c. Click Delete Selected Query. The Delete Confirmation Window is displayed.
Figure 3-16: Delete Confirmation Window
d. Click OK to complete the operation or Cancel otherwise.
4. Load Standard Query:
a. Select the radio button Standard Queries.
b. Select a Query using the drop-down list Standard Queries.
c. Click Load Selected Query. The Query is loaded to the Edit Query part of the page.
5. Delete Standard Query. Registered users can not delete Standard Queries.
6. Save Query:
a. Enter the Query name in the field Name.
b. Define Query:
i. Define Query element:
1. Select the RAPID variable using the 1st drop-down list (Press Release Identifier, Press Release Type, Event Date, Creation Date, Modification Date, Press Release title, Press Release text, and keywords).
2. Select the database operator using the 2nd drop-down list (CONTAINS, =, >, <, >=, <=, <>).
3. Enter the matching criterion in the 3rd field.
ii. Select logical operator to combine Query elements using the drop-down list (AND, OR, AND NOT, OR NOT).
iii. Select complete Queries to combine using the drop-down list (Query).
c. Click Save. The defined Query is validated and saved accordingly.
7. Execute Query:
a. Define Query in the Edit Query part of the page.
b. Click Execute. The Press Releases that comply with the defined set of search criteria are displayed on the Search Result Page (Figure 3-3).
3.15 MANAGE ADVANCED QUERIES
This option allows creating, deleting, changing and executing the Advanced Queries.
In order to manage Advanced Queries, the following steps should be considered:1. Click the link Advanced Queries inside the menu of any RAPID page (logged-in as registered user). The Advanced Queries Page is presented (Figure 3-17).
2. Load User Advanced Query:
a. Select the radio button User Queries.
b. Select an Advanced Query using the drop-down list User Queries.
c. Click Load Selected Query. The Advanced Query is loaded to the Edit Query part of the page.
3. Delete User Advanced Query:
a. Select the radio button User Queries.
b. Select an Advanced Query using the drop-down list User Queries.
c. Click Delete Selected Query. The Delete Confirmation Window is displayed (Figure 3-16).
d. Click OK to complete the operation or Cancel otherwise.
Figure 3-17: Advanced Queries Page for Registered Users
4. Load Standard Advanced Query:
a. Select the radio button Standard Queries.
b. Select an Advanced Query using the drop-down list Standard Queries.
c. Click Load Selected Query. The Advanced Query is loaded to the Edit Query part of the page.
5. Delete Standard Advanced Query. Registered users can not delete Standard Advanced Queries.
6. Save Advanced Query:
a. Enter the Advanced Query name in the field Name.
b. Enter the Advanced Query definition in the field Definition. See section 3.15.1
c. Select if the query should be Free-Text Advanced Query using the check box free text search. See section 3.15.2
d. Click Save. The defined Advanced Query is validated and saved accordingly.
7. Execute Advanced Query:
a. Enter the Advanced Query definition in the field Definition. See section 3.15.1
b. Select if the query should be Free-Text Advanced Query using the check box free text search. See section 3.15.2
c. Click Execute. The Press Releases that comply with the defined set of search criteria are displayed on the Search Result Page (Figure 3-3).
3.15.1 Format of Advanced Queries
The Advanced Queries gives to users more opportunities in querying RAPID database, allowing querying almost any database field related to the Press Release.
The RAPID database has three different types of fields and it is important to distinguish between them in using Advanced Queries: dates, strings and CLOB (string) fields indexed with the ORACLE TEXT CONTEXT kind of indexes.3.15.1.1 Date Fields
The date fields are in the date format and they can be recognized as fields containing the term DATE in their names:
• CREATION_DATE – Creation Date
• EVENT_DATE – Event Date
• MODIFICATION_DATE – Modification Date
• MODIFICATION_DATE_XX – Modification Date of a Press Release linguistic version in XX language (EN, FR, DE...)
In using the date fields the following syntax rules may be followed:• absolute: DD-MM-YYYY (day-month-year)
• relative: sysdate – 90
Available operators for querying of date fields are =, >, >=, < and <=. The date fields can but don’t have to be enclosed in single quotes.
Examples:
CREATION_DATE > 01-01-2001
EVENT_DATE > 01-01-2003 and EVENT_DATE <=’01-01-2004’
MODIFICATION_DATE_EN>sysdate-903.15.1.2 String Fields
The string fields are in the string format:
• TYPE_ID – Press Release Type (IP, MEX, DOC...)
• IDENTIFIER – Press Release Identifier (03/96)
• LANGUAGE_ID – linguistic version of a Press Release (EN, FR, DE...)
• KEYWORDS – keywords assigned to a Press Release
Available operators for querying of string fields are CONTAINS and = for all fields except LANGUAGE_ID which can be queried with = only. Search criteria can, but don’t have to be enclosed in single quotes.
Examples:
TYPE_ID=ip and IDENTIFIER contains 03
KEYWORDS = botswana and LANGUAGE_ID=en
KEYWORDS contains ‘botsw’ and IDENTIFIER contains ’03/’.3.15.1.3 CLOB Fields
The CLOB fields are in the CLOB (string) format and only their content can be queried:
• TITLE – title of a Press Release in any language
• TITLE_XX – title of a Press Release in XX language (EN, FR, DE...)
• TEXT – content of a Press Release in any language
• TEXT_XX – content of a Press Release in XX language (EN, FR, DE...)
Correct operator for querying of CLOB fields is CONTAINS. Search criteria can but don’t have to be enclosed in single quotes.
Examples:
TEXT contains commission
TITLE_EN contains ‘union’ or TITLE_PT contains EU
With CLOB fields some ORACLE TEXT CONTAINS query operators may be used for free text search:• Any term – search for Press Releases that contain any of terms; for example text contains eu|commission
• All terms – search for Press Releases that contain all terms; for example text contains eu&commission
There is a restriction when querying CLOB fields if user wants to search for the exact match of a term that contain some of logical operators AND or OR (e.g. text contains Serbia and Montenegro). In these cases operator must be enclosed in brace, for example text contains Serbia {and} Montenegro.3.15.2 Format of Free Text Advanced Queries
Additionally to the functionality provided by Advanced Queries, the Free Text Advanced Queries enable using ORACLE TEXT functions for free text search in querying the RAPID database. The Free Text Advanced Queries have much more strict syntax then Advanced Queries, since they have to follow the Oracle SQL syntax, but they offer complete freedom in querying the database. Actually, the Free Text Advanced Queries are treated as a part of WHERE clause in the SQL statement. The most important syntax restrictions are the following:
• column names have to be specified as they are in RAPID database, the most important column for free text search being the column HTML (same as TEXT for Advanced Queries)
• every string has to be enclosed with single quotes
• date fields has to follow exact Oracle date format or Oracle SQL date mask function to_date may be used (e.g. to_date(’01-01-2004’, ‘dd-mm-yyyy’)); it is also possible to use relative date format with sysdate variable
The following CONTAINS query operators may be used inside the Free Text Advanced Queries:• ACCUM (,) – search for documents that contain at least one occurrence of any of the query terms; for example contains(html, ‘european,commission’)>0
• AND (&) – search for documents that contain at least one occurrence of each of the query terms; for example contains(html, ‘european&commission’)>0
• EQUIV (=) – specify an acceptable substitution for a word in a query; for example contains(html, ‘european=commission’)>0
• Fuzzy (?) – expand queries to include words that are spelled similarly to the specified term; this type of expansion is helpful for finding more accurate results when there are frequent misspellings in the documents in the database; for example
contains(html, ‘?eur’)>0• NOT (~) – search for documents that contain one query term and not the other; for example contains(html, ‘european~commission’)>0
• OR (|) – search for documents that contain at least one occurrence of any of the query terms; for example contains(html, ‘european|commission’)>0
• SOUNDEX (!) – expand queries to include words that have similar sounds; that is, words that sound like other words; this function allows comparison of words that are spelled differently, but sound alike in English; for example contains(html, ‘!commission’)>0
• STEM ($) – search for terms that have the same linguistic root as the query term and it supports the following languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Dutch; for example contains(html, ‘$commit’)>0
4. CONTACT INFORMATION
Please do not hesitate to contact Press RAPID Database press-rapid-database@ec.europa.eu for problems concerning Press Releases or availability.
