EIMS Online Help
EIMS is designed for both the casual and sophisticated user, and is case-insensitive.
An inexperienced user can generally find what he is looking for by using
the boxes on the search page, but a skilled user can often get the same
results more quickly -- and more importantly, with better results. See
our search tips for helpful information on how to format the most accurate
query for the best search results.
Step 1: Type in the terms for the fields on which you would like to search.
Step 2: You may enter any part of the text string into the search field
to restrict your search to only find information containing those word(s)
and the search will find it for you.
Step 3: When you're finished, press "Search", or "Reset" to start over.
Tips: Using Wildcards in Your Search
Searching All Directory Entries
Using Wildcard Characters in Text Strings
EIMS provides wildcard characters that can represent one or more characters
in a search term. By combining a portion of a term with one or more wildcard
characters, you can retrieve some or all of the records that contain a
variation of the term. There are two kinds of wildcard characters you can
use in a search term.
An underscore (_) in the pattern matches exactly one character in the
value while a percent sign (%) in the pattern matches a variable number
of characters in the pattern (0 to infinity).
Example 1:"hasti_gs" in the search field, will yield the following
Example 2:"ha%" in the search field will yield will yield the following
Example 3: "ha%s" in the search field will yield the following matches:
has (in text strings)
Example 4:"ha%l" in the search field will yield the following matches:
In addition, it is not necessary to use the percent sign (%) in a search
if you are looking for all words that begin with a particular letter or
series of letters.
Example 5:"h" in the search field will yield the same results as
"h%", which is all words containing the letter "h".
Searching All Directory Entries
You may search for any Directory Entry by selecting criteria elements in
one or more of the following selection criteria categories:
Please refer to the section Using Wild Card Characters
in Text String to learn more about using wild card characters in your
text string search.
Type of Information
You may use any combination of selection criteria. If you use combination
of selection criteria (e.g. type of information and time), only those directory
entry(ies) that meet BOTH criteria will be found. You may
select multiple criteria elements for Type of Information, Geographic Area,
and/or Organization. You may select multiple criteria elements in
your search as follows:
The number of Directory Entries found is displayed at the bottom of the
To select criteria elements that are not listed consecutively:
Click one of the criteria elements with the mouse.
Holding the CNTL key down, use the mouse to click additional criteria elements
that you want included in the search.
Click the Search button. Only the criteria elements specifically selected
will be included in your search.
To select criteria elements that are listed consecutively:
Click the first criteria element that you want included in your search.
Holding the SHIFT key down, click the last criteria element that you want
included in your search.
Click the Search button. All criteria elements listed in between these
two will be highlighted and included in your search.
EIMS Directory Entries Information
A successful search will return information about the selected Directory
Entry(s) including a sequence number, metadata object type, the directory
entry name and a partial abstract. Using the mouse to select the directory
entry name will display greater detail about that directory entry.
The navigational sidebar at the left of the EIMS Directory screens is
used to maneuver through the EIMS web application. The sidebar displays
a number of options under the headings of Search, Directory, Catalog, and
Two options are grouped under the Search heading: New Search
and Choose Directory Entry Title.
The New Searchoption allows the user to go back to the Directory
Entry Search form and BEGIN a new search of the EIMS database.
The Choose Directory Entry Title option displays a complete, alphabetical
listing of Directory Entries in the EIMS database. The user may select
from the list to view more information about the chosen directory entry.
Three options are grouped under the Directory heading: Description,
Keywords, and Directory Contact.
The Directory Entry Descriptiondisplays general directory entry
The Keyword option displays both general and geographic keywords
related to the selected directory entry.
The Directory Contactoption contains information about individuals
associated with the selected directory entry. Fields displayed include
Directory Entry Contact Name, Organization, Address, Contact Function Phone
No, Fax No, and Email address.
Six options are grouped under the Catalogheading: Objectives,
Method, References, Related Entries, Acronyms, and Data Elements.
Objectives:The Objectives for collecting the data / or objective
of the program that collected the data, the Objective Type, Background
Information and Parameter summary.
Methods: The methods employed to prepare and process the data, the
Method Id, Type, Purpose and Method Deviations like Deviation Brief, and
References: Any published documentation relevant to the data collected,
which may be helpful in the use, analyze and interpretation of the data
Related Dir. Entries: Details about other related directory entries,
and the Relationship Reason.
Acronyms: Acronyms used in the Directory Entry.
Data Elements: Information about specific parameters that are measured
and stored. These data elements may be individual measurements of physical
properties such as water temperature, length of a fish, or counts of fish
in a net, or the percentage of sand in a sediment sample. This also displays
specific details about the data element such as Max Length, Decimal Digits,
Description, Data type, Low range, High Range, Reason, and reported information
like Reported Max Length, Reported Decimal Digits, Reported Low Range,
reported High Range.
Use the Manipulationsbutton to see more information about the Manipulation
Description, Computer Language, Version, Platform, Source File, and Source
Use the Examplesbutton to see Manipulation Example Brief, and Manipulation
Use the QAbutton to view the QA Date, Actual Measurement Quality,
and the Confidence Level.
Use the QA Objectivesbutton to see QA Date, QA Objective Type and
Use the QA Methodsbutton to get information about the QA methods,
like method Name, ID, Type, and Purpose.
Use the QA Data Issuesbutton to see the Data Issue Brief and Data
Use the QA Source Errorsbutton to see the Error Brief and Error
Use the QA Referencesbutton to see the QA Reference Brief and QA
Three options are grouped under the Distributionheading: Download,
View, Data Center Information, and Data Center Contacts.
The Download option displays the available formats of the data,
the Directory URL Address or FTP site where the data, the Connection Type
and the Size in KB of the data object, if applicable.
Viewdisplays a limited number of records or observations in the
data object to assist the data user in understanding the structure and
composition of the data object.
The Data Center Infobutton displays the Directory Entry Name, Data
Center Name, Organization, Organizational Group, Address, Phone Number,
Fax Number, and Email Address.
Choose theData Center Contactoption to see more information about
the Data Center Contact, including Name, Contact Function, Phone, and Email
ABSTRACT: The directory entry abstract.
ACRONYM :Provides definitions of terms and acronyms contained in
the documentation for a directory entry that are unfamiliar to some potential
users of the data set, project, model, or document.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Additional information about the contact may be
ADDRESS 1: First line of the address (i.e., Environmental Research
ADDRESS 2: Second line of the address (i.e., Environmental Protection
ADDRESS 3: Third line of the address (i.e., 239 Maple Street).
ADDRESS 4: Fourth line of the address (i.e., Suite 220).
AVAILABILITY CODE: A code that defines the accessibility to specific
groups of users.
CITY: City of the mailing address.
COMMENTS: Any miscellaneous comments about the directory entry.
DATA ELEMENTS: Provide quality control and assurance information,
as well as documentation for any manipulations of the data subsequent to
acquisition and preparation.
DATA EXAMPLE:Displays a small number of records or observations
in a data set to assist in understanding the structure and composition
of the data set.
DATA SET FORMAT DESC: Describes electronic format of Data Set (i.e.,
ASCII, SAS, DB2, WordPerfect, etc.).
DATA USE AND CONSTRAINT: Free-form field that tracks information
about data quality and appropriate data use.
DIRECTORY ENTRY ID: The unique identifier for the directory entry.
DIRECTORY URL ADDRESS: The address on the Web server where additional
information about the directory entry may be found. In some cases, this
address may point to the actual data. Users may copy the URL address to
a Web browser to conduct the search.
EMAIL ADDITIONAL INFO : Any additional information for using the
EMAIL ADDRESS: EMAIL address for contact.
ENTRY DATE: The date the entry was incorporated into EMAP.
FAX NUMBER: Phone number for facsimile documents.
FIRST NAME: First name of the contact person (i.e., Richard).
FORMATS: Provide information about the available formats of a data
set, project, model, or document.
GENERAL KEYWORD: Describes the contents of a directory entry and
is used to help locate directory entry of interest.
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: An indirect spatial reference used to uniquely
describe a location without using coordinates, usually by a feature such
as a political entity (county, state), a road, geological province,
or hydrologic unit.
LAST NAME: Last name of the contact person (i.e., Jones).
MAXIMUM LATITUDE: Northernmost latitude represented by sample points
in directory entry.
MAXIMUM LONGITUDE: Easternmost longitude for sample points in the
METHODS: Provides descriptions of the acquisition and preparation
methods employed to create a data set.
MIDDLE INITIAL: Middle initial of contact person (i.e., T).
MINIMUM LATITUDE: Southernmost latitude for sample points in the
MINIMUM LONGITUDE: Westernmost longitude for sample points in the
OBJECTIVES: Provide general information concerning why the particular
study was completed.
ORGANIZATION: The principal government agency, corporation, or private
group responsible for the directory entry. An organization may be specified
in four levels.
PERSON ID: System generated value to uniquely identify a person.
PERSONS: Identifies the individuals associated with a directory
PERSON PREFIX: Prefix of the Contact (MR, MRS, MS, etc.).
PERSON ROLE: The role of a person in respect to the related
object (e.g., member with respect to an organization, owner with respect
to a directory entry).
PHONE NUMBER: Telephone number.
REFERENCES: Provide a list of any published documentation relevant
to the data collected. Documentation may include manufacturer's instruction
manuals, government technical manuals, user's guides, etc.
RELATED DIR ENTRY: Provides the names of directory entries which
contain similar or related data sets, projects, models, or documents.
REVISION DATE: Date of the last revision.
SAMPLE FREQUENCY TYPE: The number of times that samples were taken
within a given time frame. Examples: Once, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, Monthly,
Quarterly, and Yearly.
SAMPLING END DAY: The latest day within the Sampling End Year and
Sampling End Month that data was sampled in the directory entry. An optional
SAMPLING END MONTH: The latest month within the Sampling End Year
that data was sampled in the directory entry. An optional field.
SAMPLING END YEAR: The latest year that data was sampled in the
directory entry. A mandatory field.
SAMPLING SITES COUNT: Number of unique stations for which data was
SAMPLING START DAY: The earliest day within the Sampling Start Year
and Sampling Start Month that data was sampled in the directory entry.
An optional field.
SAMPLING START MONTH: The earliest month within the Sampling Start
Year that data was sampled in the directory entry. An optional field.
SAMPLING START YEAR: The earliest year that data was sampled in
the directory entry. A mandatory field.
STATE: State abbreviation for a location. e.g. VA for VIRGINIA.
USER NAME: A user's ORACLE logon name.
VERSION: The version number of the directory entry (i.e., 2). Default
setting is 001.
ZIP CODE: Zip code for the mailing address.