QUICK GUIDE

National Trade Data Bank on CD-ROM


MCINTYRE LIBRARY ( UW-EAU CLAIRE ( EAU CLAIRE, WI 54702-5010 ( (715) 836-3859ITM 
( INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT
The National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) is a database of government information on 
exports, international trade, and the economy. Text and data files from over 40 
federal agencies are included on this monthly 2-disk set. 
The most popular files on Disk 1 include the Country Commercial Guides, 
Background Notes, Market Research Reports; Disk 2 includes the Export Yellow 
Pages,  AgWorld Attach‚ Reports, and the Commercial Service International 
Contacts.
The National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) is available on CD-ROM and also through the 
Internet on STAT-USA. Both are accessible in McIntyre Library, and assistance is 
available at the Government Publications desk when the department is staffed.

GETTING STARTED
Ask for the NTDB CD-ROMs at the Government Publications Desk. We will keep your 
campus ID or library card while you are using the disks. The 2 disks are 
accessed separately; a complete search involves using both. Department staff 
will type in the password on the Samson Windows workstation and help you begin 
your search.

Be prepared to save your search results on your own DOS-formatted floppy disk or 
bring your own paper to print.

SEARCH OPTIONS AND INDEXES
The following  Search Options are available from the introductory screen and the 
program Task Bar:
BASIC SEARCH
Allows you to search one index across the entire databank. This index can be a 
product (desk), a location (China), a date, title, source, program, or any word.

STRUCTURED SEARCH
Allows searching of more than one index using Boolean operators, such as a 
simultaneous search of a commodity (desk), a location (China), and a date.

FREEFORM SEARCH
Searches using natural language or allows queries that use special operators. 
(Free form searches are not recommended for novice users.)

BROWSE BY PROGRAM
Searching by program title allows browsing of titles of collections, such as 
Country Commercial Guides, Export Yellow Pages, etc.
The following Search Indexes are available in the Basic and Structured search 
method:Text words	Searches the full text of the databaseTitle Searches document 
titles which can include such items as chapters or appendices for a specific 
program

Source
Searches by authoring agency name

Program
Searches by program name or title of collection

Commodity
Searches by type of goods or services, uses codes


SEARCH STEPS BY OPTIONS
BASIC SEARCH
1. Choose the index to be searched such as Text Words or another index
2. In the word box:
 ype in the word(s) to be used
OR
click on the WordList  button to select keywords from the database
OR
click on the TermList button for phrase searching (available in most indexes)
3. Click the Start Search button
The search will return citations with a yellow background. Use the bar or arrows 
on the right side of the screen to view additional citations. Click on a 
citation only once to view the full text; the background will turn blue. Click 
on the Zoom Text button to view full page document. Refer to the end of this 
document for printing and downloading instructions and for task bar definitions.

STRUCTURED SEARCH
Permits Boolean searching of more than one index  simultaneously.

1. From the Choose Index  box select the index(es) to be searched. Use the up 
and down arrows to move on the screen.
2. From the Enter Terms box:
type the word(s) to search
OR
click Word List to select words 
OR
click on TermList  to select phrases
3. Select the Boolean operator (AND, OR, NOT) from the Search Operators box 
located between the numbered lines.
4. Complete the Chooses Index and Enter Terms boxes
5. Click the Start Search button.
The search will return citations with a yellow background. Use the bar or arrows 
on the right side of the screen to view additional citations. Click on a 
citation only once to view the full text; the background will turn blue. Click 
on the Zoom Text button to view full page document.
Refer to the end of this document for printing and downloading instructions and 
for task bar definitions.

FREEFORM SEARCH
This search is not recommended. It does permit Boolean and adjacency searching, 
but is confusing to use and a Structured Search will achieve the same results. 
Consult the NTDB manual or the online help by pressing F1 for more information 
on this type of search.

PROGRAM SEARCH	
This search lists the titles of series contained in the NTDB. If the title of a 
publication is known, you want all chapters of a document (like Basic Guide to 
Exporting), or all of the country reports issued under a title (Country 
Commercial Guides), use this search option. Open the folders to view the 
information.

SAVING SEARCH RESULTS
Downloading to a disk
1. View the document or list that you want to save.
2. Sections to be downloaded may be blocked if the entire document is not 
needed.
3. Click File on the task bar.
4. Select Save Text As or Save List As in dialog box.
5. In the File Name text box, type A: for the drive name and a name for the 
file, e.g. a:\france
6. Click on File Type  from the list box.
Click on OK.

Printing text or data
1. Select the information you want to print.
2. If you do not want to print an entire document, select the sections to print
3. Click File on the task bar.
4. Select Print.
5. To print wide tables, click on Setup, select Landscape, click OK.
6. Click OK.

EXIT THE NTDB
1. Click on the Home icon.
2. Click on Exit.

TASK BAR DEFINITIONS
Task bar definitions are available at the CD-Rom workstation in McIntyre 
Library.


ntdbwin.doc 8/97	
Mary Hayden	W.D. McIntyre Library
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

NTDB On CD-ROM ( 4
Government Publications Department