Database Searching of MEDLAB-L

Note that you get the first few lines of each post to help decide if you want the entire message. Only the first 100 hits are retrieved. To get more, you will need to determine the date of the last retrieved message and repeat the search adding the SINCE option (see below).

Below are examples of some common searches that you may want to try.

Search commands, like all other commands, should be sent to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu

For more information: Searching listserv lists (Jared Weinberger)


1. Retrieving missed mail

To catch up on missed mail (e.g., after having set "nomail" while on holidays), search using the wildcard * symbol. This will give you all mail for the dates searched.

EXAMPLES:

Send this command to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu

search * in MEDLAB-L from 96/11/16 to 96/11/17

Listserv will respond with something like this (plus lines from each post, which I have not included in the examples):

-> S * IN medlab-l from 96/11/16 to 96/11/17
-> 7 matches.

Item # Date Time Recs Subject
------ ---- ---- ---- -------
006938 96/11/16 09:43 14 ML/I'm here!
006939 96/11/16 09:48 11
006940 96/11/16 09:37 29 Re: ML/I'm here!
006941 96/11/16 12:15 27 New Member
006942 96/11/16 22:17 14 Re: Bart Humor
006943 96/11/17 01:48 27 AFB smears
006944 96/11/17 19:49 13 Unsubscribe.

To order a copy of ALL the postings, send the following command:

GETPOST MEDLAB-L 6938-6944

Note that each line must start with GETPOST MEDLAB-L

To order only those in which you are interested, send this command:

GETPOST MEDLAB-L 6941 6943

SINCE OPTION: You could also send a search such as this:

search * in MEDLAB-L since 99/11/06

which would retrieve all mail since November 6, 1999.


2. Retrieving mail from a particular subscriber

Suppose that you have a favorite subscriber or you recall that a particular subscriber answered a question that you forgot to save at the time. To see all messages ever sent by that person, the search needs to contain the subscriber's name as it appears in the e-mail address. For example, to search for messages that I have sent, you would need to search for pletendr.

EXAMPLE:

Send this command to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu

search * in MEDLAB-L where sender contains uthman

Listserv will respond with something like this:

-> search * in MEDLAB-L where sender contains uthman
-> 325 matches.

Item # Date Time Recs Subject
------ ---- ---- ---- -------
000027 94/06/07 11:45 15 StarMed
000352 94/11/09 15:54 10 Diff-safe blood dispenser
..rest deleted...

To order a copy of selected postings, send this command:

GETPOST MEDLAB-L 27 352 1503 

3. Retrieving mail on a topic

Searching the archives using keywords allows you to find information on selected topics. If you do not get the messages that you hoped for, change the keywords and try again. Note that it is possible to use "and/or/near" terms and also to combine several types of searches, e.g., by keyword and name, by sender and date, etc.

EXAMPLES:

TOPICS USING AND/OR/NEAR: Send this command to listserv@listserv.buffalo.edu

to retrieve all posts with EITHER transfusion OR reaction. If you want to receive posts with both keywords in the text, use AND instead of OR.

To retrieve posts that contain "transfusion reaction" as a single term, send either of these commands:

TOPIC + SENDER: If you are interested in specific topics sent only by a specific subscriber, you can do a search that specifies the topic and sender:

TOPIC/SENDER + DATE: If you are interested in certain topics or posts by a particular subscriber only after a given date, you can do a search that specifies these parameters:

will retrieve all posts with BOTH p24 AND HIV sent SINCE April 1, 1997.

will retrieve all posts by Akio Hasegawa SINCE December 1, 1998.

Back to Usage Guidelines

Pat's UA HOME