YYCC-NNNNNNN
where YY is the YEAR of application,
CC is the COUNTRY CODE, and
NNNNNNN is the _seven digit_ serial number.
The booklet further says that "if you have less than seven digits,
backfill with zeros from the dash for each missing digit".
Following this recommendation, I reviewed the application number
index of the database (using the Dialindex, file 411), looking for
the entry
78GB-0007259
only to realize that this format apparently does not apply to
British applications. So I looked to my old manual "Derwent: WPI on
Dialog Training" (5th printing, August 1987 revision) to find that
British applications at that time were apparently indexed in the
following two formats:
1. Derwent format: YYCC-NNNNNN
where NNNNNN is a _six_ digit serial number ("padded" with
leading zeroes, when necessary), and
2. Dialog format: CC YYNNN...
where NNN... is a serial number of undetermined (?)
length (i.e., which does not require backfilling
with zeroes to any predetermined length).
So I went back to the index, this time looking for either
78GB-007259
or
GB 787259
Again, it appeared that the first of those two formats no longer
applied to British applications. I found, however, an entry under
the second format, which proved to be the record I was looking for.
I have to admit (as will be clear from the above) that I have
never diligently followed possible changes to application number
format and indexing policies which may have been introduced by
Derwent (or Dialog) during the last ten years or so, so that this
experience raised two questions in my mind:
1. How universally applicable is the application number format
YYCC-NNNNNNN recommended for searching on Dialog by Derwent
(seven digit serial number, backfilled with zeroes, when
necessary)?
2. If there is no one-for-all format, what is the best place to
find out the right format(s) for a given country, other than a
trial and error review of online indices (or, possibly,
reviewing some old searches to find a correct format in an
actual record)?
Sorry if these are trivial questions, but could somebody, please,
enlighten me on these points? Many thanks for any input.
--
Kazimierz T. Kaminski, Ph.D.
Patent Agent ae943@freenet.carleton.ca
InfoSciTech *** Information Consultants tel: (613) 824-9076
Scientific * Technical * Patent Information fax: (613) 824-9562