Defined Searches

Close this window

The Defined Searches option allows you to completely define and save an STN Easy search, including all the search terms, search fields, and the databases to be searched. A Defined Search may be executed, without any modification, at a later time. Saving of Defined Searches is free of charge and is recommended for frequently used search strategies in order to save time.

In order to have access to Defined Searches, you need to login to STN Easy with the same login ID as the login ID used to create those Defined Searches. The Defined Searches option is not available to STN Easy users who access STN Easy via IP Address Authentication.

To create a Defined Search using STN Easy, follow these steps:

1. Login to STN Easy using your login ID.
2. Using any STN Easy search mode (Easy Search, Advanced Search, CAS Number Search, or Patent Lookup), conduct a search that yields the desired results.
3. Click the Save button on the Results Page.
4. A dialog box is displayed. Enter the name to be used in identifying the search. The name may consist of up to 30 characters, including alphanumeric characters, spaces, dashes, underscores, parentheses, and commas.
5. Check the box Save as Defined Search.

To use Defined Searches, follow these steps:

1. Login to STN Easy using your login ID.
2. Click Defined Searches on the STN Easy navigation bar. This link is not displayed if defined searches have not been created.
3. A page is subsequently displayed listing all of the defined searches that are available. To view the details of a search, select a search from the list and click Show Details.
4. To conduct a Defined Search, select it from the list and click Search. The Defined Search is executed as saved, i.e., using the saved search terms, Boolean operators, databases, and saved preferences. Standard search costs apply every time you conduct a Defined Search. Although you may not modify a Defined Search strategy, you may use the Refine option after the search is conducted.

To review and manage saved items:

1. Click Review Saved Terms on the navigation frame. A list of all of your saved items (Defined Searches and Saved Search Terms) is displayed.
2. Select an item and click Show Details to view the details on the item.
3. You may save up to 200 items (Defined Searches and Saved Search Terms). To remove a saved item, select it and click Delete.
4. To overwrite a definition of a Defined Search, enter the name of the saved item in the Saving Search Items dialog box. You will get a prompt asking you to confirm that the existing saved item is to be overwritten.

A note for STN Easy for Intranets users:

If you are an STN Easy for Intranets user, please note that only Site Administrators are able to create and manage Defined Searches for your STN Easy for Intranets site.

If a database is no longer available

If your Defined Search contains a database that has been removed, the Defined Search no longer runs. To re-establish the search, you need to:

1. Delete the affected Defined Search.
2. Create and save the Defined Search again without including the removed database.