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Quick Start Guide to CITRIX-Based ADAMS

On this page:

Installing ADAMS
Performing Basic Search and Retrieval Functions
How ADAMS Documents are Organized
Additional Resources

Installing ADAMS

Follow the Installation Instructions for the ADAMS Web Client Software. Once the software has been installed, return to the ADAMS page and login to ADAMS.

At the FileNet Logon screen enter guest as the User Name. There is no password or group to be entered. The file will open in the ADAMS Document Manager.

Performing Basic Search and Retrieval Functions

1. Select Tools to get the dropdown menu, then ADAMS Find.

2. Select a Library to search (Public Legacy (pre-11/99) or Publicly Available Records System (PARS)). Note that the system currently defaults to PARS.

3. Choose either Simple or Advanced search mode.

Simple Search enables a quick search to locate documents using pick lists that feature a list of values (except Title and Text) used in some of the profile fields. Select a search criteria box and enter the first few characters. The system will display additional characters highlighted in blue. The down arrow can be used at this time to complete the search statement. The Advanced Search feature allows a broader search using a combination of Boolean Operators. Pick lists are available for Property, Operator, and Value fields. The Value Field can also be completed by entering a value (use an * if entering a wildcard ie: steam generat*), or selecting a value from the Browse Values button. After entering the search criteria, use the Find Now button to begin the search process.

4. Search Strategies:

A search cannot be stopped until the system identifies all the records meeting the search criteria and begins displaying them. At that point, the STOP button becomes active and the display of records can be stopped. Text searches can take a long time to produce results. To reduce waiting time, try the following strategies. Limit the search to an exact phrase: surround words with quotes in Simple Find, in Advanced Find specify order and proximity of words. Limit the search by other document characteristics, such as a document type, a date range or a word in the title. Limit the search to a short time period, such as a month. Browse the resulting records, then search another time period.

5. To View Search results:

Select View and click on Show Criteria. This will expand the screen and display more of the search results. To return to search mode, select View and click on Show Criteria.

6. To Open and View a document:

Move the cursor to a document title and right click to access document options, or double click on the document title. A Warning Screen will appear, prior to the opening of the document. Click ok.

7. To Save a document/document list:

An ICA Client File Security screen will appear the first time a file is saved. Select Full Access or the system will not allow future documents to be saved. There are also options as to whether the screen should display each time a save function is performed. Be sure to select one of those options.

Right click on the selected document title then select the Copy Image To option. A Warning Screen will appear, click ok. In the Save In box use the down arrow to select either the A or C drive (A$ on 'Client' (A:) or C$ on 'Client' (C:)). Then click the Save button.

To save an open document, go to File and select Save As Local File. In the Save In box use the down arrow to select either the A or C drive (A$ on 'Client' (A:) or C$ on 'Client' (C:)). Then click the Save button.

To save a list of selected documents, highlight the selections from the list. Right click on the highlighted list then select Create Report. A Warning Screen will appear, click ok. Choose a format and click ok. When the report appears on the screen, go to File and select Save As. In the Save In box use the down arrow to select either the A or C drive (A$ on 'Client' (A:) or C$ on 'Client' (C:)). Name the file and click the Save button. Depending on the size of the ADAMS file and the speed of the Internet connection, users may experience slow download times.

8. To Print a document/document list:

Before connecting to ADAMS, be certain that the default Windows printer is on the list of ADAMS compatible printers posted on the NRC web site. If your printer is not on the list, you may also download the Tricerat Screwdriver Client .

Open or view the document. For a PDF document, use the printer icon on the lowest tool bar. The print function in the file drop down menu and the printer icon on the upper tool bar do not function because Acrobat takes over control of the file. If a TIFF document will not print in open or view, save the document to a file in your local A or C drive and print by opening the document in an image viewer and printing from there.

For a document list, highlight the selected documents from the list. Right click on the highlighted list and select Create Report. A Warning Screen will appear, click ok. Choose a format and click ok. When the report appears on the screen, go to File and select Print.

9. To Exit ADAMS:

At the Document Manager select File and Exit, or use the X in the upper right corner of the ADAMS-Citrix ICA Client to terminate the application.

Additional in-depth information can be found in the ADAMS Users' Guide, and other guides available in a folder in the ADAMS Document Manager - Publicly Available Records System - ADAMS Help and Tips. Information on current issues and their resolution can be found in the ADAMS Issues Summary.

How ADAMS Documents are Organized

The ADAMS Libraries - The two libraries described below must be searched separately:

The Publicly Available Records System (PARS) Library:

PARS contains documents released from November 1999 onward, as well as a few older documents, both as images of the public official record and as searchable text files, accompanied by descriptive data about the documents (profiles). Coverage includes all document types that were included in the pre-ADAMS public search and retrieval system, the Bibliographic Retrieval System (BRS); e.g., SECY Papers, SRMs, etc. NRC has established rules for availability of documents in ADAMS. For information about the NRC policy on the timing of release of ADAMS documents, see Press Release 00-83. Full-text is not available on every ADAMS PARS document. Certain large documents, such as FSARs, may only be available in paper or CD Rom. See the comment field in the document profile or contact PDR staff for availability information.

The Public Legacy Library (pre-ADAMS):

This library contains bibliographic information (similar to card catalog entries) for documents released to the public before November 1999 as well as full text for a small percentage of documents. This database was built from the previous agency document management systems (NUDOCS and the Bibliographic Retrieval System).

Selected document collections are available in Web (HTML) format at this Web Site.

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

ADAMS Sample Searches

ADAMS User's Guide

Frequent users may wish to take advantage of free ADAMS training available at the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) in Rockville, Maryland.

If you do not plan to become a regular user of ADAMS, it may be more efficient to locate NRC documents of interest by requesting assistance from the NRC Public Document Room reference staff.