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Comment: Published by Scroll Versions from space DraftMASTDOCS and version 1.3
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Component Overview

The 'Core Search Parameters' section contains the most common search parameters for the selected data collection, which can vary between the different collections. This page overviews the types of search components and how to specify parameter constraints.

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 Parameter Constraint Syntax

Learn how to specify constraints on search parameters depending on the nature of the input. The following specifications apply for the core search parameters and Additional Search Parameters in the search form.

Tip

Hovering over each filter box shows tooltips on how to use search conditions.


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Parameter Constraints: String Fields

How to specify constraints for search components that accept strings: search conditions, valid formats, and some examples.

Search OperationFormatExampleNote
Exact matchabc

Type an exact string into string field boxes such as Dataset ID, Principal Investigator, or Spectral Element ('Names of Filters/Gratings').


This example shows an exact match search for a combination filter set (i.e., a combination of filters delimited by a semicolon ';') used for observations. This is specific to the Filters/Gratings component.

There are many more string field input columns in the Additional Search Parameters section. See more columns by clicking the 'Column Name' filter box.

Info

The Target Descrip column uses "substrings", which means that any text you enter will automatically have wildcards added in front and in back of it, e.g. "jup" is treated as "*jup*", and thus will find descriptions that include "Jupiter" in them.

Wildcard

*ab*c

Strings that include one or more asterisks (*) correspond to a wildcard, where zero or more additional characters can exist between the non-wildcard characters. Asterisks can be placed anywhere in each input string.

Note

Wildcard search does not support type-ahead functionality.

Multiple

abc, def


ab*, def


abc, de*, fg*

Search by multiple strings delimited by a comma (,) which acts as the logical operator 'OR'.  This type of search includes all observations associated with one or more of the input strings in the Search Results Page. Any number of strings delimited by a comma will work.

Note

Make sure not to confuse comma (,) with semicolon (;) for a 'Multiple' search.  

Exclude

!abc


!ab*c


!abc,!def


!ab*,!cd*

An exclamation character (!) in front of a string excludes entries associated with the input string. This 'Exclude' operation can be combined with the 'Multiple' or 'Wildcard' operations, but is applied to the proceeding string only when using a 'Multiple' string search (strings separated by commas).

Info

Example: '!G130M,!G160M,G*' will search for all observations that include a grating that begins with 'G', but excludes any that include the G130M or G160M gratings.  Entering '!G130M,G160M' will apply the logical 'NOT' only to the G130M string, and thus return all observations that include the G160M grating and excludes the G130M grating.

Type aheadcharacter or character string

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Start typing a character or characters in each string field search box. The MissionMAST form The form offers a type-ahead operation in some text boxes, which allows scrolling through a suggested list. Once a string of characters is entered, a list of all available observations that match the input string is displayed. Scroll with the mouse or the scroll bar displayed on the right of the type-ahead menu to browse the options and click to select.

Note

Not all string fields offer this type-ahead search functionality. None of the fields within the 'Additional Columns' section.


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Parameter Constraints: Numeric Fields

How to specify constraints for search components that accept numeric data types (integer, float): search conditions, valid formats, and some examples.

Search OperationFormatExampleNote
Exact Number

any number


Type a number (or = a number) on a search condition field to retrieve observations matched with the exact value of the search parameter.

The first example returns observations whose exposure time is exactly 1000 seconds, the second example returns observations with exposure time equal to exactly 14660 seconds.

= any number

Comparison

> number


>= number


< number


<= number

Type a number with simple arithmetic operations (<, >, <=, or >=) to filter the search parameters.

Only observations whose spectral resolving power is larger than or equal to 20000 are returned in this example, where the condition of '>= 20000' is used.

Rangenum1 .. num2

Use the special character expression of two periods (..) between two numeric values (numbers) to specify a range.

This example (in the RA condition box entering 15.0567..17.6709 and in the Dec condition box entering -10.00..5.56) returns only observations whose targets are located between Right Ascension 15.0567 <= RA (degrees) <= 17.6709 AND Declination -10.00 <= Dec (degrees) <= 5.56.


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Parameter Constraints: DateTime Fields

How to specify constraints for search components that accept dates or times: search conditions, valid formats, and some examples.

Search OperationFormatExampleNote
Exact date/time

yyyy-mm-dd


yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss

Each condition for Date and Time can be directly typed using a valid format. However, it is not required to add Time constraints to initiate searches.

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Another option to filter the Date/Time constraint is using the built-in date calendar and the time clock, as seen in the video clip.

Comparison

> yyyy-mm-dd


>= yyyy-mm-dd


< yyyy-mm-dd


<= yyyy-mm-dd

Type dates with simple arithmetic operations (<, >, <=, or >=) to filter the search. This example returns all observations released on and before October 21, 1999 (1999-10-21).

Range

yyyy-mm-dd
.. yyyy-mm-dd


yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss .. yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss

Use the special character expression (..) between two dates to set the date range. Observations archived between 2010-05-10 and 2010-06-30 will be returned with this example condition.

Core Search Parameter Components


Data Types

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By default, the 'Data Types' is set to 'ALL'. Check the check box for a preferred data type: 'SPECTRUM' or 'IMAGE'.

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Observation Type

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The 'Observations' selector can choose 'SCIENCE' and/or 'CALIBRATION'. The default setting is to search only 'SCIENCE'.

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Instrument Selector

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 This video clip demonstrates how to select different instruments to include in searches. 

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Some data collections contain datasets from a wide range of instruments, for example, the various HST instruments. Mission Search can include results from across all available instruments or a subset of them. By default, all available instruments are selected. Hovering the mouse over each instrument will show the full name of the instrument.

Depending on the 'Data Types' selection, such as 'SPECTRUM' only or 'IMAGE' only, the list of available instruments will also change (an instrument that only takes images will not be shown if only 'SPECTRUM' data types are selected, for example).  To select a single instrument, click the 'none' () button and then select the desired instrument to include.

Info

Some instruments produce neither images nor spectra: the Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS, which produce astrometric, usually interferometric, data) and the High Speed Photometer (HSP, which produced photometric data). These instruments will only appear if 'ALL' is selected in the Data Types area.

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Dataset ID

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The 'Dataset ID' is a unique dataset name (for HST it is 9-characters long, e.g., J8BA7JCAQ or O4140Q020, where the first character indicates the instrument used; L=COS; I=WFC3; J=ACS; N=NICMOS; O=STIS; U=WFPC2; W=WFPC; X=FOC; Y=FOS; Z=GHRS; F=FGS; V=HSP).

This component is a String field, so 'Exact Match', 'Wildcard', 'Exclude', and search by 'Multiple' entries are allowed. If known, type the exact dataset ID into this field's box. If the exact dataset ID is not known, conduct a wildcard search or type a string to enable a type-ahead menu. It will show a list of dataset IDs that contain that text. Browse through the suggested list to find the right one by scrolling the mouse or use the scroll bar on the right of the menu, and then click to select.

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The 'Proposal ID' component allows search by proposal ID number(s) assigned to observation(s). Note that for some data collections, this might refer to Proposal ID or Guest Investigator ID.

This component is a Numeric field, so it allows an exact match, conditional search (for example, >= 14657) or a range search (for example, 12500 .. 12600). Type the Proposal ID with a preferred numeric search operation.

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Principal Investigator

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Example of an exact match, already selected.


Example of a type-ahead search result for PI surnames that start with 'WH'.

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This component is a String field. Type an exact surname or a character string to enable a type-ahead menu. Once the type-ahead menu pops out, scroll through the surname list and select a name. 'Wildcard' search, 'Exclude' search, and search by 'Multiple' entries are allowed, but will not work with the type-ahead drop-down list.

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Exposure Time

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The 'Exposure Time' component, a Numeric field, allows querying for observations based on exposure durations, in seconds. Type a number, conditional operation, or a range.

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Spectral Element

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The 'Spectral Element' refers to filters, gratings, both, or combination filter sets such as 'POL120UV;F330W' depending on the data collection.

Since there are many options for searching based on the filter/grating list, we expand the description with more examples below. This component is a String Field, so there are various ways to constrain the search. Below are some examples of how to use these constraints. Experiment with other options for further constraining the search.

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Examples for Spectral Element Component

OperationExamplesNote
Exact match

G130M

Type an exact name of the filter, grating, or the combination filter set to retrieve only observations associated with the input string.

Tip

Combination filter sets are delimited by a semicolon (;). Remember that combination sets are single strings.

MIRRORA
POL120UV;F330W
F2ND;CLEAR2;F1ND;F372M
Wildcard

G*M

This example retrieves observations that used grating names starting with 'G' and ending with 'M' such as 'G150M' or 'G220M'.

F81*

Since a combination filter set is considered as a single string, the input wildcard characters 'F81*' retrieve all observations associated with the filter 'F814W' and the other ones such as 'F814W;POLQN18 and 'F814W;F791W'.

MultipleG130M, F550W

The 'Multiple' operator (',') acts as the logical operator 'OR'. Thus this example retrieves observations used the grating 'G130M' or the filter 'F550W'.


F550W,POL60UV;PR200L

This example retrieves observations used the filter 'F550W' or the combination filter set 'POL60UV;PR200L'.

Warning

Be sure to use the 'Multiple' operator, comma (,) not a semicolon (;) used for appending filters for combination filter set names.

Exclude!F550W

This operation excludes any observations using the filter 'F550W'.

G*,!G140L

This search retrieves observations using all grating options ('G*) except the grating 'G140L'.

Type ahead
Note
titleType ahead limitation

Note that this only shows a list of single spectral elements and not combination filter sets.

Observed Date

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The 'Observed Date' Component is a DateTime field.

To constrain data by Date and/or Time, use the format: yyyy-mm-dd in the 'Obs Start Date' field and hh:mm:ss in the 'Time' field. Note the 'Time' field is not required.

Shortcuts are available in these fields. Entering just a year in the 'Obs Start Date' field will default to January 1st of the year, e.g., entering just '2001' is the same as entering '2001-01-01'. Entering just a year and month will default to the 1st of that month, e.g., entering just '2001-04' is the same as entering '2001-04-01'. Entering partial times will fill in the rest with zeroes, e.g., entering '15' in the 'Time' field is the same as entering '15:00:00', and entering '11:30' is the same as entering '11:30:00'.

In addition to directly typing in an exact date/time, this component offers a built-in calendar and clock to set the parameters.

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Release Date

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This component is also a DateTime field. See the Observed Date component for tips on how to use this component.
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For Further Reading...