FAST SEARCHING SYSTEM FOR ASTM INFRARED DATA FILE

An IBM-1130 computer has been programmed to translate the ASTM deck of 90,000 infrared data cards into a disk file (three disks), and to search that file from data entered through the keyboard (typewriter). The total search time, excluding data entry and disk warm-up, is ~90 seconds. Chemical group and absorption band information is entered as either positive or negative data. Only those standards matching all of the input data are scored as hits. The input data may be readily modified for further searching. Other options include automatic searching of a 0.1-µ interval on either side of the band entered, and eliminating any sub file from the search. The program is written in Assembler Language, and could probably be used on an IBM-1800 with little modification. © 1968, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.