Fri Sep 13 1991 WAISQ(1) NAME waisq DESCRIPTION This is a shell level interface to WAIS questions that have been built using xwais. It allows a user to submit questions to sources for queries, and to retrieve documents from questions (and the appropriate source). It can build or modify a question, including the modification performed during a search. USAGE waisq [-f question_file] /* defaults to stdin, stdout */ [-s sourcedir] /* or ~/wais-sources/ */ [-S sourcename] [-c common_sourcedir] /* or it is ignored */ [-m max_Result_Docs] /* defaults to 40 */ [-v document_number] [-g] /* to do a search */ [-h] /* this message */ [-t] /* test a source */ [-V] /* print version */ [word [word [...]]] or waisq - [other options] /* for interactive mode */ OPTIONS -f question_filename the pathname for a question structure as stored in a file. It uses standard UNIX conventions. If no filename is provided, stdin is used. If the filename is a dash ( - ), no question will be read, so you must specify a sourcename and the words to search. This will create a question structure and write it to stdout. -s sourcedir a directory where source structures are stored. It must end with a '/'. If it is not specified, ~/wais-sources/ is used. If none of those exist, the application will probably fail, unless the common_sourcedir exists. Only files that end in .src in the directory are considered sources. -S sourcename the pathname of a source structure file. It must exist in sourcedir or common_sourcedir, and end in .src -c common_sourcedir Similar to sourcedir, but usually common for a site. It need Thinking Machines 1 WAISQ(1) Fri Sep 13 1991 not exist. -m maxDocs The limit on the number of results returned by a server. Default value is 40. -v document_number The number of the document to retrieve from a valid query. This can be from a previously stored question, or the current question if the -g option is used. -t Test a source to see if it is servicing wais requests. The first word will be taken as the name of a source. -g Submit the query. You must specify the -g option in order to actually perform a query. You need not specify it if you have already performed a query from which you wish to retrieve a document. -V Print the version number and date of the program. word... optional search keywords to replace any search keywords in the question. - If the first argument is a dash ( - ) then waisq operates in an interactive mode. It then reads question structures from standard input, and returns results to standard output. If the question has search-words or relevant documents, it per- forms the query, and returns the resulting question structure to standard output. If there are only result documents, it retrieves them and prints them to standard output. It contin- ues to read it's input until an end of file is encountered, and then it exits. All other command line switches will work, except -f. This makes waisq useful as a tool for user inter- faces to access the WAIS system. EXAMPLES to create a new question and submit it for a query: waisq -f - -S sourcename -g word1 word2 > my_question to submit an existing question for query: waisq -f question_name -g To retrieve a response: waisq -f question_name -v 1 SEE ALSO waisserver(1), waisindex(1), waissearch(1), xwais(1), xwaisq(1) Wide Area Information Servers Concepts by Brewster Kahle. brewster@think.com 2 Thinking Machines Fri Sep 13 1991 WAISQ(1) DIAGNOSTICS The diagnostics produced by the application are meant to be self-explanatory. BUGS AUTHOR Jonny Goldman Thinking Machines 3