Save for STN AnaVist Wizard
Searching in STN AnaVist
Visualizing results in STN AnaVist
The Research Landscape
Data grouping and cleanup
Detailed and Summary Reports
Printing and saving
Saving a copy of a project
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Save for STN AnaVist Wizard
- From which databases can I save answers in STN Express, Version 8.0 and higher, for import into STN AnaVist?
You can use the Save for STN AnaVist Wizard in STN Express, Version 8.0 and higher, to save answers for import into STN AnaVist from:
- CA/CAplus family of databases
- CASREACT;*
- MARPAT*
- PCTFULL
- USPATFULL
- USPAT2
- (H)ANAVIST database cluster [(H)CAplus, PCTFULL, USPATFULL, USPAT2]
- (H)CASLINK database cluster* [(H)CAplus, MARPAT, REGISTRY]
* The corresponding CAplus record will be retrieved in STN AnaVist.
- Is highlighting retained when I import answers into STN AnaVist that have been saved in STN Express?
No. Highlighting is not retained. Hit term highlighting is not available in STN AnaVist.
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Searching in STN AnaVist
- What databases are searched when I use the Concept search feature in STN AnaVist?
Queries created in STN AnaVist are searched in the following databases:
- CAplus
- USPATFULL (which includes USPAT2)
- PCTFULL
- Can I restrict my search results to just one of the three databases that STN AnaVist searches?
No. STN AnaVist search queries always run in all of the STN AnaVist databases.
- What kind of search terms can I enter as concepts in STN AnaVist?
You can enter subject keywords or phrases and/or CAS Registry Numbers.
- I want to restrict my search results by Publication Year, Document Type, i.e., patents, non-patents, or Priority Application Year. How can I do this?
Use filters after you create your initial results set.
- What parts of the document records are searched when I use the STN AnaVist search feature?
The terms are searched in the Basic Index, which includes terms from the following parts of the document records:
| Database |
Parts of document record searched |
| CAplus |
Title, abstract, supplementary terms, and indexing (including CAS Registry Numbers) |
| USPATFULL |
Title, abstract, claims, detailed description, summary text, and drawing description |
| PCTFULL |
Title, abstract, claims, and detailed description (English terms only) |
- What does the CLOSE operator mean in the STN AnaVist search feature?
In CAplus, CLOSE functions as the (XA) operator does on STN, which means that terms must be in the same sentence and any number of words apart in any order. In CAplus records, a sentence is defined as the same title, abstract sentence, keyword phrase, or an individual index entry.
For USPATFULL and PCTFULL records with full text, the CLOSE operator functions in the same way as the (25A) operator on STN.
- Can I use truncation symbols or masking characters on search terms in the STN AnaVist search feature?
Yes. You can use the following symbols:
| Symbol |
Represents |
How many times it can be used with a search term |
| ? or * |
Any number of characters |
Once at the beginning of a search term and once at the end of a search term |
| # |
0 or 1 character |
Multiple times |
| ! |
Exactly 1 character |
Multiple times |
- Can I combine different truncation and masking characters in the same search term?
Yes. The same limitations on the allowed combinations that are present in STN also apply in STN AnaVist.
- Are my STN AnaVist concept search queries saved?
No. STN AnaVist concept search queries are not saved. However, they do appear in the properties associated with any visualization that resulted from that search and are recorded in the Chronological Session Log section of the Session Summary.
- Will my hit terms be highlighted when I search using the STN AnaVist search feature?
No. STN AnaVist does not support hit term highlighting.
- I did a concept search in CAplus, USPATFULL, USPAT2, and PCTFULL on STN and then entered the same terms in the STN AnaVist search feature and got different results. Why?
Concept searching in STN AnaVist uses a dictionary of synonyms for embellishing query terms that are not truncated. As a result, you may retrieve more answers with a search in STN AnaVist.
- I did a search in STN AnaVist on a truncated term and retrieved fewer answers on the truncated term than I did when I searched the term without truncation. Why?
All non-truncated terms/phrases are checked against a synonym dictionary to look for additional synonyms with which the query is embellished.
- I found a record using STN Express that did not appear in my answer set when I did the same search in STN AnaVist. Why?
Records that are searched when using STN AnaVist must meet certain requirements for analysis and visualization, e.g., records from PCTFULL that do not contain titles will not be searched. Therefore, a record may periodically be found through an STN Express search and not through an STN AnaVist search.
- I found a record from USPATFULL in an STN AnaVist search that I could not find in the USPATALL collection on STN. Why?
The USPATFULL collection on STN AnaVist contains all versions of a patent document (A1, A2, B1, etc.) instead of just the first and last version of a patent as is done on STN.
- What happens when I enter a non-truncated phrase that is not in the synonym dictionary?
STN AnaVist breaks the phrase into individual words and checks each of the words in the synonym dictionary. Each term from the phrase (and any additional synonyms from the synonym dictionary) is searched with CLOSE proximity.
- Are duplicate answers removed from the results of an STN AnaVist search?
No. STN AnaVist does not yet support duplicate processing. As an alternative, you may conduct your search on STN Express, use the STN duplicate detection feature to eliminate duplicates, and then import the de-duplicated answer set into STN AnaVist.
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Visualizing results in STN AnaVist
- How long does it take to visualize a results set?
The time it takes for a visualization to complete depends on several factors, including how many documents there are to be visualized and what else the system is doing when the visualization initiates. The larger the document set to be visualized, the longer the visualization will take.
- When working with the visualization results, are there any activities that may take longer than expected to complete?
In general, visualization activities happen fairly quickly. Some requests, however, may take longer to complete:
- Displaying the FULL view for an answer with a very large number of CAplus index terms
- Displaying a very long patent document
- Opening the list of cluster concepts for term grouping if the result set contains a large number of documents, i.e., several thousand answers
- Displaying all entries for a chart or matrix when the total number of entries is in the thousands
- How can I share the interactive visualization workspace with a colleague (or a customer that does not have an STN login ID)?
STN AnaVist, Version 1.1, provides you with two ways to share your visualization results with others in your organization:
- How large can the .avx file containing the saved visualization project be? Can the e-mail attachment be large?
The .avx file is only a link to the saved visualization project. The e-mail message the recipient will receive will be very small. All visualizations are maintained on the CAS server. The project key contains only what is needed to access a particular visualization.
- How do I open a visualization project that is sent to me?
There are several ways to open the visualization project that you receive. If the project is provided:
As an e-mail attachment:
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Double-click on the project key, i.e., the attached file. This will automatically launch STN AnaVist and open the project or;
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Drag the project key into the already open STN AnaVist client.
In any other electronic medium, e.g., external drive or shared file location, double-click on the project key. This will automatically launch STN AnaVist and open the project.
Alternatively, you can log on to STN AnaVist first, then select File > Open and find the project of interest.
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The Research Landscape (cluster/contour map)
- Did CAS develop the clustering algorithm that creates the Research Landscape in STN AnaVist?
CAS licensed visualization software developed by Sandia National Laboratories as the base software for generating the Research Landscape in STN AnaVist. CAS then significantly enhanced the Sandia software to improve visualization results, utilizing the expertise of our database building staff and scientists.
- I need more details on how the clustering algorithm was improved by CAS. What type of clustering method does it use? How do I know this is a good algorithm?
STN AnaVist uses force-directed placement for the text clustering. Force-directed placement is a fast clustering method, most notably with larger answer sets.
CAS enhanced the base visualization software using:
- CAS vocabulary to standardize the clustering concepts
- A stopword list to improve cluster results for sci-tech searches
These enhancements allow for the software to produce more scientifically relevant clusters that are focused on scientific and intellectual property information.
Two articles that explain more about the clustering method used in STN AnaVist are available:
- A couple of the clustering concepts in my research landscape seem odd to me. They could be mistakes or just misnomers, but I am not sure which. What can I do?
Use the Term Editor to change the name of any clustering concept. You can also report suspected anomalies by using the Contact Us button within STN AnaVist. The list of clustering concept terms is continually updated.
- Can I use my own customized dictionary to standardize concepts?
No, not at this time.
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Data grouping and cleanup
- Why do names in the Key Organizations/Assignees chart not correspond to what I see in the bibliographic data for the associated documents?
Before creating charts containing the Key Organizations/Assignees, the data is standardized and grouped using an improved version of the CAS Company Name Thesaurus. The names appearing in the chart are the standardized names to which a number of variations may be mapped.
- Why are some researcher names different in the Key Researchers chart than they are in the bibliographic data for the associated documents?
Before creating charts containing the Key Researcher data, the names are grouped under a standard representation whenever possible.
- The Technology Indicator terms seem to be associated only with CAplus documents, but I often dont see the exact term in the CAplus document. Why?
The terms used to create the Technology Indicators chart come only from controlled indexing in the CAplus documents. The terms are harmonized to the current index terms where possible, to avoid data scattering.
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Detailed and Summary Reports
- Can I edit the Detailed Report and the Summary Report?
Both the Detailed Report and the Summary Report are available as either .rtf or .pdf documents. Both can be modified with an appropriate editor.
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Printing and saving
- How can I print all documents in a visualization project?
To print all documents in a visualization project:
- On the Tools menu, select Manage Documents > Highlight All Documents.
- On the Tools menu, select Manage Documents > Replace Flagged with Highlighted.
- Click on the Flagged tab in the Documents window. Click the Print icon and select the desired print options.
- How can I print just the documents under the Highlighted tab of the Documents window?
To print just the highlighted documents:
- On the Tools menu, select Manage Documents > Replace Flagged with Highlighted.
- Click on the Flagged tab in the Documents window. Click the Print icon and select the desired print options.
- Can I print the entire set of documents resulting from an import from STN Express or a concept search in STN AnaVist before I do the visualization?
No. An entire results set can only be printed after it has been visualized. Prior to visualization, individual documents can be printed from the detailed view of that result.
- How can I save an entire or just the highlighted set of documents for a visualization project?
Saving documents in STN AnaVist is similar to printing. To save an entire set or just the highlighted set, follow the procedure above for printing, except click the Save icon instead of the Print icon. As with printing, an entire set of documents can be saved only after it has been visualized.
- What formats can be used to save documents?
Document sets can be saved in either Rich Text Format or Adobe PDF.
- What is the difference between the PNG and JPEG image formats available for saving an image of the landscape?
The PNG format is much more compact and provides a better image than the JPEG format.
- I saved the results of a large list of Technology Indicators in comma delimited (.csv) format for use in Microsoft Excel, but not all of the data was imported into Microsoft Excel. Why?
There is a limit on the number of columns Microsoft Excel can handle. Imported data is truncated when that limit is reached.
- Can I make my own charts with the visualization data?
Yes. You can save the labels and counts from the charts created by visualizing data in STN AnaVist in comma delimited (.csv) format for use in Microsoft Excel.
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Saving a copy of a project
- Why would I want to have both types of login IDs?
You can use your STN Login ID for Shared Projects to make copies of your projects, particularly the ones which you have extensively customized, and save them.
- When I save a visualization project, does it save all of the edits I have made?
Yes. When the saved project is opened by you or a colleague, you will see the highlighting, additional charts, and edited terms, just as you saved them.
- How do I create multiple versions of a visualization project?
Select File > Save Copy of <Project>. The project will be saved as an .avx file. Then go to File > Open to open the .avx file you saved within STN AnaVist.
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Updated: 1/14/2008 1:56:05 PM
