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Contents of this Section:
Connecting Directly to Databases via the Internet
What is a "connection file"?
A connection file is a piece of software that allows you to search a database over the Internet, without leaving EndNote. You can then select references from the database and import them directly into your EndNote library.
Connection files only work with databases which support a particular search protocol called Z39.50, so not all databases can be searched using a connection file.
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Use your web browser to display the UQ Library EndNote Connections page.
Browse through the list to find a database which is relevant to your research.
In the Other Information column, check to see if you need a username and password to access this database. If so, obtain these now. The information in that column will also advise you of any restrictions in the use of the connection file.
Click on the Download Link to download the connection file. Save it in your EndNote Connections folder. The default location of the connections folder is:
C:\Documents and Settings\[UserName]\My Documents\EndNote\Connections (on Windows XP) or
C:\Users\[UserName]\Documents\EndNote\Connections (on Windows Vista).
In the top left-hand corner of the library window, click on the Online Search Mode button. This is the third of the three mode buttons:
Now click on the Online Search button  on the main toolbar. A list of available connection files will appear:
Browse down the list of databases until you find the connection file which you downloaded. All connection files from the UQ Library EndNote Connections page have filenames beginning with uq_…
Highlight the file, then click the Choose button, and EndNote will use your Internet connection to access the database. You must have a connection to the Internet currently open in order to use the EndNote Connect function.
You may be asked to enter a user ID and password. If so, enter these now.
When the connection to the database is successfully established, EndNote opens an Online Search dialogue in the Tab Pane of the library window:
Enter a search term in the first search box. If required, you can go down to the next line, select the appropriate Boolean operator, and enter a further search term.
Now click on the Search button and you will see a dialogue box stating the number of references which match your search:
To retrieve the first ten references, change the figure in the second box to 10. Then click on the OK button and the references will be displayed in the library window, although the references have not yet been added to your library:
You can double-click on any of these references to open them and view the full details.
Select the references that you would like to transfer to your library by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on the required references.
Click on References on the menu bar, and select Copy References To. You will be able to select New Library, Choose Library or any library which is already open.
If you wish to search the database again, go back down to the Tab Pane and enter the new search.
When you have finished searching, click on the Local Library Mode button to return to your library:
When you eventually close your library, EndNote will ask you Are you sure you want to discard all online references? You have already transferred into your library the references that you wanted to keep, so you can click on the OK button.
More on connection files …
In addition to the connection files which you can download from the UQ Library EndNote website, you can use many of the connection files supplied with the EndNote software. Databases such as PubMed and library catalogues are freely accessible without a password.
From your home computer, with a dial-up connection to the UQ Network, you will only be able to use connection files for PubMed, Web of Science and the UQ Library catalogue. If you use a commercial internet service provider, you will probably be able to use a wider range of connection files. However some connection files can only be used from computers on campus.
Boolean operators are processed strictly in the order of input. So if you are looking for material on "Forestry in Indonesia and Malaysia", you must construct your search as "Indonesia OR Malaysia AND forestry". If you input the search "forestry AND Indonesia OR Malaysia" you will retrieve every record on the database which includes the term "Malaysia".
As with filters, the connection files do not always import data accurately. All references should be checked after import.
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