RAPID New Generation, May 2004

On 19 May 2004 a new version of the RAPID database, described as RAPID New Generation, was launched. At first glance it does not appear to be dramatically different form the old version but there are in fact a number of improvements. This version is designed to be compatible with the new languages of the recent accession countries. The URL has been simplified and is now easy to remember - http://europa.eu.int/rapid - matching the structure of other databases. For most users (depending of course on browsers and screen settings) the search interface will now fit on one page, with the search button at the top. The user options are on the left of the screen: this is where you can log in, register, find the user manual, and get help on the content and how to use the database. You can of course search the whole database without logging in, but registering enables you to set your own user preferences, create profiles and set up alerts. Once you log in, a logging out button will now appear, making it more secure. On the top right of the screen you can see today's summary of Commission press releases by clicking Midday Express. The Recent Press Releases button links to the press releases of the last seven days, and you can still view press releases on a topic by selecting from a menu, although this feature has now moved from the main body of the screen to the top menu bar. The default date for a database search remains three months, but it can be altered as required. There is now a calendar button from which to choose the dates you want and a “Clear” button next to it, though it is just as simple to enter the dates in the format shown.

One of the problems with the previous version was the inability to use the “Exact match” search criteria in combination with a title only search. This has now been rectified and works well, offering more precise searching that “Any term” or “All terms”.

The Keyword search option was an area that was less than intuitive. To use the keyword feature, click on the Select button next to the field and a pop up screen will allow you to use the default option of searching by description or alternatively by keyword (but usually this is what you are trying to find!) or GUI language description. Results will be displayed in a tree structure in the “Found keywords” box on the left and you can select the ones you want to add to your search then click on OK and they will be transferred into the main search template. Though slightly improved in the way you select terms, the difficulty of identifying the relevant terms remains. The options that appear do not always seem to relate to the topic or are general rather than precise. Previously the keyword feature was mainly of use in problematic cases of searching for a term such as “euro”. Now even that can be found successfully by free text searching and specifying “Exact match”. The profiles and advanced search features are still available, but remain complex and for most purposes the basic search screen and free text searching will be the approaches which are most used.

As a result of the changes to the database it is expected that it will be able to cope better with the period of peak demand between 12.00 and 14.00 following the daily update. For users receiving press releases by e-mail, the time delay for receipt should be shorter. Press releases in the new languages will be included though as before not all documents will be available in all languages. English and French will continue to be the languages used for the user interface.

If you have bookmarked RAPID, created links to specific documents or created profiles, then you will need to make changes. Most of the old links are expected to continue to work for approximately six months but not after that. To modify your links you should consult the information in the RAPID NG-URL format guide available from the Documentation link on the database home page. If you have problems there is a contact e-mail address at press-rapid-database@cec.eu.int for help.