Using Jumpstart URLs to link to OVID Databases

Using Jumpstart URLs to link to OVID Databases
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University of Texas at Austin
Digital Library Services Division

Introduction

"Jumpstart" is OVID Technologies name for URLs which can be constructed and used as shortcuts to various functions and areas of the OVID Web interface. These URLs can be created and used by anyone who has access into an IP-restricted OVID subscription -- in this case UT System Libraries. This page offers brief instructions, geared specifically to UT System OVID subscriptions, on how to assemble these URLs.

Some uses for Jumpstart URLs

Bypassing the START OVID screen and logging users directly into the search screen of a specific database.
As a shortcut to supplying results on commonly researched topics.
As a shortcut to specific fulltext articles (eg. such a link could be used as a form of "electronic reserves" by allowing fast access to items on a reading list).
As a shortcut to Table of Contents pages or Journal Issue Listings in a fulltext journal database.

Required Elements

NOTE: In the directions which follow, the URLs are case sensitive and no spaces are allowed.

To start assembling a Jumpstart URL for a UT System OVID database, simply attach ?T=JS directly on to the end of the URL you are presently using for access to the database. Various optional elements, explained below, will then be added to this base Jumpstart URL. For instance, if you wanted to start assembling a Jumpstart URL involving the ERIC database:

http://eric.texshare.edu/ovidweb/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS

Selected Optional Elements

NAME	ALLOWED VALUES
&MODE=	&MODE=ovid - the default Advanced OVID interface
&MODE=	&MODE=easy - Easy Mode
&PAGE=	&PAGE=dblist - sends the user to the Database List page
	&PAGE=main - sends the user to the search page of a requested database. Must be used followed by the element below, which tells the system which database to use. &D=database nickname Database nicknames for UT System OVID subscriptions
	&PAGE=titles - performs a search and sends the user to the Titles Display page. Must be used with the following elements: &D=database nickname &SEARCH=search words Database nicknames for Texshare and UT System OVID subscriptions search words are the words in your search. Multiple words are separated with "+" between them.
	&PAGE=fulltext - loads a full text article. Must use the following elements: &D=database nickname &AN=Accession Number Database nicknames for UT System OVID subscriptions You can find an Accession Number on the article's Complete Reference display page. NOTE: No UT System OVID subscriptions can currently utilize this feature.
&LOGOUT=	&LOGOUT=y - logs user out of system once search/display is complete. This is an optional element best used with the PAGE=fulltext option. It is designed to supply the user with an article but then free the system for other users.
&NEWS=	&NEWS=N - skip News page
&NEWS=	&NEWS=Y - stop at News page first

Samples

The following URL will send the user directly into the full MEDLINE database on the UT System OVID database server, in Easy Mode, bypassing the News page:

http://www.lib.utsystem.edu/ovidweb/ovidweb.cgi?&T=JS&MODE=easy&NEWS=N&PAGE=main&D=mesz

More Information

This document only highlights aspects of Jumpstart URLs which may be of most interest to Texshare and UT System subscribers. Other options are available and described in OVID's Jumpstart documentation.

Introduction | UT System Digital Library |

updated August 26, 2003