Search

The search form is displayed when you first enter the VSM Portal Demonstrator. To display the form at any other time, click the Search option in the menu.

To search across all collections and for all media types (images, film clips and sound)

• Type a word or phrase into the text box and click the search button

Your most recent search is always saved in the form, so you can refine your search without having to enter the search terms again.

You can use a simple search syntax to specify your search in detail. Examples can be displayed by clicking:

• Display example searches

To limit your search to specific media type(s)

• Use the checkboxes labeled Images (still images), Film clips (moving pictures) and Sound (audio clips).

To search specific collections

• Click Choose which collections to search
  and select the collections you wish to search from the list.

Click the link for information about each collection.

Search history

After you have run several searches, your earlier searches are saved in a Search History, which you can access by clicking:

• Display previous searches

Note this link does not appear until you have run at least two searches.

Search Results

The results of your most recent search are displayed when you run a search. To display your search results at any other time, click the My Search Results option in the menu.

Collection List

Search results are classified by collection.

Only collections that contain matching records are listed. The collections with the most relevant records appear first. The following information is provided:

Collection name and media type

The name of the collection. The icons indicate the media type or types provided by that collection: for images, for film clips and for sound.
Click on the collection name to see the records that match your search.

Description and permitted use.

A description of the collection and brief guide to the use you are allowed to make of the content (linked to the collection web site, which you should consult for terms and conditions). Remember that you are responsible for ensuring that you comply with the terms and conditions if you use an item.

Keywords

Keywords automatically generated from the matching records, giving an indication of the subWhenject area covered by the records. If you click on a keyword, all matching records in the collection will be displayed, with the keyword highlighted in the descriptive text.

Number of matching records.

The number of records in the collection matched your search; click this link to view the records. A large number of records does not necessarily indicate that the collection is the most useful.

Viewing records

When you choose a collection a brief description of each matching record is displayed. For each record this information is provided:

Thumbnail image

A small image representing the record; not all records have thumbnail images.
Click on the thumbnail to see the record in more detail.

Title and media type

The title of the record and an icon indicating the media type: for images, for film clips and for sound.
Click on the title to see the record in more detail.

Save in MyVSM

Click this link to save the record in My VSM.

A maximumum of nine records are displayed on each page; navigate between pages of results using the next page and previous page buttons. Change the page number in the box and press the return key to jump straight to any page.

Viewing a record in detail

When you choose a record it is displayed alone on a page, with all available information.

Title and attribution

The title of the record, with the names of the people and/or organizations to whom the item has been attributed.

Thumbnail image

A small image representing the record; not all records have thumbnail images.

Link to item on the collection web site.

A link giving access the item on the collection web site. In some cases:

• A subscription may be required.
• The link may display the collection home page, in which case you will have to search again to find the item.

Link to terms and conditions on the collection web site.

Remember you are responsible for ensuring that you comply with the terms and conditions of use for every item. Use this link to consult the collection web site for terms and conditions; this link is intended to take you to a relevant web page, but you should not assume that all relevant information occurs on this page. If you are not certain how you may use the item, you should contact the collection provider.

Metadata

All available metadata (descriptive information) are listed here. This varies in scope and detail between collections.

Persistent URL (for bookmarks and links)

Use this URL if you wish to bookmark the record in your browser, or provide link from another web page. Do not copy or save the URL that appears in the location bar of your browser.

Save in MyVSM

Click this link to save the record in My VSM.

Email this record

This link allows you to email the information about this record to yourself or to others who may be interested.

Find other images that look like this one (experimental)

Click this link to search for images that are similar in appearance to the thumbnail for this record. This search is based on visual properties (colour, shape and texture) and not the subject matter.

Comments

Comments made in the Forum regarding this record. You may respond to these comments, or leave the first comment if this record has none.

Navigate between records using the next page and previous page buttons. Change the record number in the box and press the return key to jump straight to any record.

My VSM

My VSM is displayed when save a record, or when you click on the My VSM option in the menu. You will be asked to log in so that we can identify you, and save information for your next visit. You do not need any special subscription to use this feature.

My VSM allows you to keep selected records of interest, and add notes for your own reference. These records will be available to you the next time you visit . To help you organize your saved records, you can place them into separate folders, which you may name as you wish.

To add a record to My VSM

While browsing Search Results click:

• Save this record in My VSM

This displays a form which will let you choose

• a title for the saved record
  (defaults to the collection name plus record title)
• the folder to save the record in
  (defaults to the last folder you used, or the General folder)
• any extra notes you would like to save (these are for your own use, and cannot be seen by other users)

To view record(s) you saved earlier

• Click on a saved record to view it
• Click on a folder name to view all records in the folder

To edit a record you saved earlier

• Click edit
  and edit the title or notes for the record, move it between folders, or delete it.

Forum

This help information under preparation

Accessibility Statement

EDINA has a policy of working towards maximum accessibility for all users to all services that we provide. In addition to using clear, simple and effective design principles throughout, we incorporate certain features that are specifically intended to enhance accessibility. This statement describes these features.

In the event that you discover any part of the user interface that does not match this statement, please email edina@ed.ac.uk and we will attempt to rectify the matter at the earliest opportunity.

Contents:

• Compliance with appropriate standards
• Use of images
• Use of tables
• Opening new browser windows
• Labeling and mark up of HTML forms and links
• Pages reloaded with updated content
• Session control
• Navigation
• Access keys

Compliance with appropriate standards

1. All web pages within the user interface are compliant with XHTML 1.0 Strict and have been passed by the W3C Validator, with the exception of several instances of one violation. This is the use of the onload attribute in certain IMG elements; this uses Javascript to acquire the size of images and perform alignment (which cannot be achieved with CSS) and there is no loss of functionality in user agents which do not support it.
2. Where Javascript is used, it complies with this standard, and browser vendors' extensions are not used.
3. All functions of the service are available without Javascript; Java is not used; no "plugins" are required.
4. Layout and cosmetic effects are implemented with CSS. The page layout is designed to be logical in browsers that do not support CSS, or in which CSS is disabled.

Use of images

1. Where an image is used to display text, matching alt text is provided
2. Where images are used for "buttons" or icons that function as user interface controls, alt text equivalent to the button label is included; where the images are context sensitive, context sensitive alt text is provided
3. Certain images are used as form controls that resemble common user interface widgets with which many users are familiar, such left ot right facing arrows and + and - symbols. These do not include word that can be replicated as alt text, so a functional description is provided as alt text.
4. Images used for form controls are designed to be large enough to be easy to click on using a mouse or other pointing device; the smallest size used is 16x13 pixels.
5. Images that are purely decorative or used to control layout have a blank alt attributes

Use of tables

1. Tables are used only for data, and not for cosmetic layout. Summary attributes are used.

Opening new browser windows

1. Certain features such as help will open a new browser window. There is a warning in the title attribute of any link that opens a new window. All new windows also carry a warning at the top for non visual browsers.
2. New browser windows are opened using Javascript, if it is enabled. All these links will function without Javascript, but a new window is not opened; in this case you will need to use the browser back button to return to the previous page within the user interface. A warning to this effect is displayed at the top of the page.

Labeling and mark up of HTML forms and links

1. Text is used to label controls in forms. In graphical browsers the position of this label text is intended to make it clear to which control it refers. To provide the same clarity in non-graphical browsers, the label text is marked up using a <label> tag that logically associates the text with the control; please note that this is an approved technique, but the effectiveness depends on the capabilities of your browser.
2. Some labels are concealed from graphical browsers using CSS. This is done to reduce "clutter", where the graphical layout makes the label redundant.
3. Controls in forms that do not have an explicit label have a title attribute that indicates their function, intended to indicate to the user the use of that control and the effect of clicking on it.
4. Certain controls are grouped together. In graphical browsers this is intended to indicate that these controls purpose have functions related to a common task. To provide the same clarity in non-graphical browsers, such groups of controls are marked up using a <fieldset> tag, each of which has a <legend> tag that logically relates descriptive text with that group of controls; please note that this is an approved technique, but the effectiveness depends on the capabilities of your browser.
5. Links are provided with title attributes wherever we felt this would be helpful to ensure clarity, particularly for users of non-visual browsers Typically this would be used where functions are made apparent partly by visual effects, e.g. a button with an arrow symbol, or a link that opens a new window.

Pages reloaded with updated content

1. Pages within the user interface will be reloaded when you click a link or submit a form that causes the page content to change. Some examples of this are:
   1. Navigating between pages of search results
   2. Displaying or hiding advanced options on the search page (e.g. the list of collections which are searched
   3. Clicking on the '+' and '-' symbols that display or hide information
2. When these pages are reloaded, an anchor in the relevant part of the page is used. For example, when loading the next page of search results, an anchor is used that is placed at the beginning of the results on the next page, which should cause the browser to display content starting from that point. With non-visual browsers this should avoid the need to scan through the reloaded page to find the relevant section, but please note this is dependant on your browser behaviour.
3. In certain circumstances Javascript is used to display or hide information or manipulate form inputs without the need for reloading the entire page. If you should find this confusing, you may disable Javascript without losing any functionality.

Session control

1. Sessions will time out after 15 minutes of non-activity. If you click on anything is the user interface after this time, you will be returned to the starting page, with a message at indicating that your session timed out.

Navigation

1. The title of each web page (from the HTML header) is specific to each page within the user interface
2. The banner at the head of each page provides a link back to the starting page.

Access keys

Access keys are provided for frequently used options in the user interface. An access key can be used in most browsers by pressing ALT+the key (Macintosh users should press CONTROL+ the key).

Access Keys used within the service

Access key	Associated legend/label
s	'Search' menu option
r	'My Search Results' menu option (only after a search has been run)
m	'My VSM' menu option
f	'Forum' menu option
a	'About' menu option
h	'Help' menu option
l	'Log out' menu option (only when logged in)
n	Next page of search results (only one pages displaying results)
p	Previous page of search results (only one pages displaying results)