Caution: In FIAFCat you can open numerous windows simultaneously, therefore be careful to close windows you no longer need, otherwise you could end up with a large number of open windows.
Headings and authority records
The various databases in FIAFCat are linked to each other through the use of headings. Headings are controlled terms, which are linked to authority databases (see p. 29). The most important headings are:
Author Heading is linked to Author Database Film / TV
Biographical Heading Biographical Database Film / TV
Film Heading Film Database Film
TV Heading TV Database TV
Subject Heading Subject Database Film / TV
Corporate Name Heading Corporate Name Database Film / TV
Director (Film) Heading Director (Film) Database Film
Director (TV) Heading Director (TV) Database TV
Every heading has an authority record. In FIAFCat this authority record can be seen by clicking on the  button. Clicking on this button brings up the authority record in a new pop-up window.
Example of an article record with several headings, and two linked authority records opened in separate windows:
Thesaurus relations
All authority records have thesaurus relations.
Author, Biographical, Film, TV, Director (Film), and Director (TV) headings only have non-preferred and preferred relations. Non-preferred headings are automatically replaced by the preferred ones. For the creation of a non-preferred film heading, see ‘How to create an alternative film title’, p. 23.
Subject and Corporate name headings also have Broader / Narrower and Related relations.
Note: only the P.I.P. office can add subject thesaurus relations.
Example of a subject heading with various thesaurus relations and a scope note:
Note: Thesaurus relations are also visible when you select a heading.
Example:
Note: A Word version of the film thesaurus is available at the FIAF website. This list of Subject Headings (updated quarterly) is intended to help indexers and users of the International Index to Film Periodicals achieve consistency and clarity in selecting subject headings when indexing and retrieving periodical articles. Subject Headings are arranged in alphabetical order, with indications of the relationships between the terms as well as references from synonyms.
There are three separate lists you can download in Word format: http://www.fiafnet.org/pages/E-Resources/PIP-Subject-Headings.html.
1) General Subject Headings (Film related)
2) Corporate Names (Film related)
3) Subject/country listing of Corporate Names (Film related)
Inter-database links
FIAFCat has various inter-database links. They can be found at the bottom of the record (beneath the record number). To view a related record, simply click on the link.
Example of an issue record with opened links to the Article Database:
Clicking on the link will hide the related records. Clicking again will reload and the records will be visible again.
Action menu
In general, all records in FIAFCat have the following action menu: Close, Save, Edit, Delete, and Status.
Close: closes the active window. Be careful, if you close the window without saving new or edited data, you will lose the information.
Edit: used to modify or edit the existing data of the record (for records you have created)
Delete: for deleting a record (for records you have created)
Save: for saving the new information
Status: provides information on the record status
New Article: for creating a new article entry (only for the issue record)
Example of the action menu for an article record:
Diacritics
FIAFCat uses Unicode and XML conventions to note foreign diacritics and accents. To enter a diacritic, you have several options:
Simply enter the accent from your local keyboard
Use the Character map in Windows (see page 3 for instructions how to install this)
Use ASCI codes (for example enter Alt 164 for the diacritic ñ).
To do a search for a term with diacritics, please enter the term without any diacritics.
Lay-out
The lay-out of a record in FIAFCat can vary. When you access a record for the first time, all information is visible and links to authority records are indicated by the button. When you click on Edit, the lay-out changes and the  button appears, allowing you to select or create new headings. In the Edit modus, some of the text may not be visible (for instance in the title field).
Example of a saved article record:
You can easily open the authority record of any heading, simply by clicking on the button. See also ‘Headings and authority records’, p. 35.
Example of the same record in Edit modus:
In Edit modus several new symbols appear:
- Pencil button: indicates a controlled index for this specific field. Click on the pencil to display a drop-down list where you can select directly from a list of headings.
- : Delete button: to delete a heading click on ‘x’, which will delete the last line.
- Multi-value button: when more than one heading is required in a field, click on this button to create additional lines.
Note: the : button is always active. Click on this button to open the related authority record.
Record status
Every record in FIAFCat has a record status. Newly created records need to be validated. Validated records in authority databases can also be upgraded to ‘authority’ status.
Colour indication
The record status is indicated by different colours:
Red Saved
Black Validated
Blue Authorised
In drop-drown lists of controlled indexes you can easily distinguish the difference in record status
RETURN OF PIP, THE
RETURN OF THE JEDI, THE
RETURN OF THE ZOMBIES, THE
Protection of records
Note that indexers are not authorised to edit or modify validated records. Indexers can create new authority records, and also edit and delete their own records. FIAFCat notes the login of the indexer who has created or modified a record.
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