Re: create lists for publication date before 1900

["David Jones" <DJones@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>>> MWhite@xxxxxxxxxx 08/16/00 12:27PM >>>
	We are trying to determine our holdings for titles that have a 
publication date before 1900.
<<<

Ah, yes, it's Regular Expression time! The greatest (and at times most aggravating search tool) is just what you are looking for. For more info, see R2000 record #12217.

This is the string you want:

260|c matches .*1[0-8][0-9]+.*

which will find anything with an early imprint (unless of course you have 9th century manuscripts...), but will unfortunately, also find items that have a 20th century and an earlier imprint (c1989, 1899) and ranges (1888-1940).

Or, you could enter:

260|c matches .*1[0-8][0-9]+?*

to eliminate the bogus ranges, but that would also eliminate valid ranges in earlier times (1785-1886), items with really questionable dates (18??), etc.

You may not find absolutely everything, and you may find some questionable materials, but that should at least get you started in the right direction.

Innovative's regular expressions are not completely standard, but they are close enough to work with. For more info on regular expressions than should be legally allowed, the best source I know of is:

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/regex/ 

Beware, they can become a sickness. You have been memed.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
David Jones                         
Library Systems Manager III         
Orradre Library                      
mailto:djones@xxxxxxxxxx
phone: 408-551-7167
fax:   408-551-1805
http://www.scu.edu/library/


Santa Clara University               
500 El Camino Real                   
Santa Clara CA 95053-0500            "Insert pithy quote here"





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