CDRom Indexed Searches?
3 messages in this thread
To All CDRom Users:
Anyone have any experience with "Thinker" with regard to indexing CDRom
files, inorder to streamline searching for specific words or phrases in
sentences or paragraphs. I realize that PD search engines are available, I
just wonder if something similar to ZyIndex (for the dreaded PC platform)
is available, so that an index file could be generated once and all
searching could thereafter be done much more quickly. I'm not sure if this
is the function of Thinker, but from a recent cursory review in Amazing, it
seems that it "might" be.
Any comments out there (here?)??
-RSL-
Roy,
I have been a very satisfied user of Thinker since its first release. The
latest version (2.1.4) has special CDROM capabilities added, however, I
have not tried them out yet, as I don't have an appropriate disc yet (I've
only had my CDROM for a few weeks).
Using Thinker to generate an index (as I understand your wants) will
require an external file. This file could easily be larger than a floppy –
CDROMS are big. Having the work file on floppy would also slow down the
system if you do much hypertext jumping.
Creating the index file would also require a lot of work. This would
probably be most easily accomplished using Arexx, but would still require
operator control. If you want to try this, I would be happy to offer help
in accomplishing it.
The bottom line here is that though what you are asking is probably
possible, you are better off starting with a CDROM which starts out as a
Thinker application. However, I heartily recomend getting Thinker anyway
as the best idea processor I have ever found. I know of no other way of
archieving CIS threads so that they are cohesive.
-Homer
Flying on Auto
Homer,
Thanks for the reply. I assumed that an external index file would be
required, but thought that if it was placed on my hard disk the access time
would be limited more by the software and the CDRom than by the access time
of a hard drive. I was hoping that the latest version of Thinker has some
automated indexing capability. I would be very interested in what way the
newest version has "CDROM capabilities added". I realize that the best
option would be a CDROM built as a Thinker file, but Amiga based CDROMs are
few and far between, and I don't even recall any being offered with a
Thinker engine. As an example I have a large collection of classical books
on a single disc from Walnut Creek (highly recommended) that are in generic
ASCII format. Searching for phrases is a relatively slow process. PC-types
have indexing programs like ZyIndex that compile indexes once and use this
file for speedy and complex phrase searches. I think that the Amiga needs
such a program, and was hoping that Thinker might be evolving into
something like it!
The bottom line is whether Thinker can do it automatically, or whether a
person would have to dedicate a large partion of their time to writing the
required index by hand <UGH>.
I would appreciate your thoughts on the above.
-RSL-