Changes

The mine action information collected and stored in IMSMANG IMSMA^NG is useless without the ability to find it and use it to make operational decisions. That’s why IMSMANG IMSMA^NG includes a robust data search mechanism that provides an easy-to-use, multilevel interface for building and running searches. As with other parts of IMSMANGIMSMA^NG, the search functionality is divided into a customisation mode, where information managers can prepare simple or complex searches, and an execution mode where data entry personnel can run prebuilt searches. This simplifies the user experience and ensures consistency of use by sharing identical searches with all users. The IMSMANG IMSMA^NG search function has three primary purposes:

Information managers can customise IMSMANG IMSMA^NG searches for each of these purposes to meet the specific needs of the programme. Particularly, customizing the search functionality to facilitate access to programme data and reporting is a key component of implementing and managing a programme’s information workflow. <center>{| class="wikitable" width="750"|-| align="center" colspan="4" | '''Table 14. Options for Using Searches'''|-| width="245pt" | '''Option''' | width="155pt" | '''Use or purpose'''| width="245pt" | '''Example criteria'''| width="155pt" | '''Example parameters'''|-| align="left" | '''Navigation and map display''' || align="left" | Search for items by a specific ID | align="left" | Find all hazards with a local ID that includes = “MF-001” | align="left" | Set the local ID as a parameter to be supplied when the search is run|-| align="left" rowspan="2" | These searches are typically designed to find a single record or a set of records. These searches are generally simpler than the other kinds of searches and are designed to return records that users can browse through to find the necessary data. || align="left" | Search for items by type| align="left" | Find all hazards with a mine action are type = “Minefield”| align="left" | Mine Action Area Type|-| align="left" | Accident || align="left" | Date of AccidentAccident Type| align="left" | QM || align="left" | Start DateEnd DateOrganisationResults|}</center> 

Building searches in IMSMANG IMSMA^NG is a simple three-step process in which information managers determine:

While the IMSMANG IMSMA^NG search functionality is extremely robust—allowing searches on CDFs, customised option list values and links among items— there are some cases where users may want to run more complex searches that cannot be built using the standard search interface. For these cases, IMSMANG IMSMA^NG includes a special Structured Query Language (SQL) search functionality that allows information managers to provide SQL syntax for executing searches. Creating searches using SQL criteria requires a detailed understanding of relational databases, SQL and the IMSMANG IMSMA^NG data model and should only be undertaken by advanced users.

Using SQL criteria, information managers can design complicated searches that can then be saved and run by users with no understanding of SQL. In this way, IMSMANG IMSMA^NG unleashes the full power of SQL criteria, joins and subqueries in an easy-to-run interface.

* It is recommended that information managers test their SQL in an external SQL editor prior to using it within IMSMANG IMSMA^NG since IMSMANG IMSMA^NG does not provide SQL debugging support.* Information managers can build complicated queries using SQL and combine them with other criteria, including parameters, to provide virtually unlimited search capabilities to IMSMANG IMSMA^NG users}}