Features

The interface has a toolbar with 5 menus:
1.	Project
2.	Mapping
3.	Export
4.	Help
5.	Utility

1. Project

The Project menu relates to database management: under Project there are the following entries: 
•	Open, CRTL + O to open a database
•	Close, CRTL + C to close a database
•	Exit, CTRL + X, to quit 
At the opening of THALEN only this voice and the menu Help are active. The three central menus on the toolbar are initially disabled because they are closely linked to a specific database: they are switched on and off by opening and closing a database. 
The THALEN installation procedure creates a folder where the application is installed and where the file empty goldstd.mdb is copied: this is an empty database as to mapping relations but it contains all the data of 5 thesauri (Eurovoc, Unesco thesaurus, ECLAS, ETT, GEMET). The user has to take care of this file for future use: it is advisable to work with copies of this file appropriately renamed. Anyhow, if the user does not have administrator privileges she/he must work with copies.

2. Mapping

The Mapping menu is the heart of the application: it contains the following entries:
•	Report, CRTL + R 
•	New, CRTL + N

2.1. Report

It opens the “report window”. This window contains a table with mapping relations stored into the database, the number of inserted relations (above the table) and four buttons to:

	quit the window
	delete the active record: the cancellation is preceded by a request for confirmation. A deleted row has, in the first column, the string "DEL-" before its record number. To update the table use the reload button of the table (the last one) 
	insert a new record: by clicking on this button the “report window” is closed and the procedure at the item Mapping – New is opened
	modify the active record regarding only mapping relation
	update the table

The records within the table can be ordered on each column: the user is request to move the mouse, and then click when the mouse pointer becomes a down arrow. The columns can be enlarged: the user is requested to move the mouse on top of the column over the vertical separator placed on the right side of the column she/he wants to enlarge, and when the mouse pointer turns into a double horizontal arrow drag with the left mouse button in the desired direction (left to decrease, right to increase the size of the column).

2.2. New

This item leads to the application main window: the “thesaurus window”.

First of all, the user is requested to choose the thesauri: the first one (source) is predefined – Eurovoc - , while the second one (target) must be selected in a group of options.

So the user can choose an Eurovoc field  and one thesaurus between ETT, ECLAS, UNESCO thesaurus and GEMET  (target).
Once the choice of target thesaurus is done, the user can choose a subset: in particular she/he can choose a domain for UNESCO thesaurus and ECLAS, a field for ETT, a group for GEMET.

After these choices the application starts loading data from the two thesauri. This loading phase will end in a few minutes (it depends on the size of the data to be uploaded).
At the end, two identically structured windows (“thesaurus window”) are opened and tiled vertically, the left one contains the chosen Eurovoc field, the right one contains the target thesaurus (the whole thesaurus or a part depending on the user choice).

By its very nature, a thesaurus can be represented with a tree structure. In the central part of the “thesaurus window” is the tree thesaurus (the selected subset).

Nodes on gray background are not descriptors: thesauri descriptors are the only ones on a white background. Only descriptor can be selected for a mapping relation.
In each “thesaurus window” there are also functions to:
•	select a descriptor and create a mapping relation
•	search a descriptor in the tree structure
•	view a descriptor properties: alternative label (i.e. synonyms and permuted versions of the descriptor), narrower, broader and related terms, scope note

In the Search frame (which is in the top part of the “thesaurus window”) the user can search for a descriptor by inserting in the Word text box a string, and then by clicking on  button. The string is searched in at least one of the checked properties. If there is a result, every found descriptor is highlighted in its thesaurus tree.

In the “thesaurus window” there are also these buttons to:

	quit the window
	expand all nodes until leaves
	collapse all nodes to the first level
	switch off descriptor selection after a search 
	mark with  icon descriptors involved in at least one mapping relation between Eurovoc and the specific target thesaurus
	open the “mapping window” and import the selected descriptor in the right text box
	retrieve selected descriptor properties and then show them into a table in the bottom window 

The “mapping window” appears by clicking the “thesaurus window” button .
After inserting an Eurovoc descriptor and a target thesaurus one in the “mapping window”, the user has to choose the mapping relation from a drag and drop menu. The “mapping window” also contains a textbox in which the user can write her/his notes about the inserted relation.

3. Export

The Export menu contains two types of export:
•	in XML format, CRTL+F
•	in html, CTRL+M

The first one creates an XML file with mapping relations according with a simple DTD, allowing easy conversion into SKOS mapping format.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<!ELEMENT mappings  (src_th, trg_th, relations)+ >
<!ELEMENT src_th  #PCDATA>
<!ELEMENT trg_th  #PCDATA>
<!ELEMENT relations (relation+)>
<!ELEMENT relation (src, rel, trg)>
<!ELEMENT src #PCDATA>
<!ELEMENT rel  #PCDATA>
<!ELEMENT trg  #PCDATA>

The second one produces an HTML file, which contains a table with inserted mapping relations: these relations are ordered by target thesaurus, then mapping relation, then Eurovoc descriptor.

src prefLabel	relation	trg prefLabel	trg thesaurus	notes	
appointment of staff	broadMatch	Staff	Eclas		
blue-collar worker	broadMatch	013.09.02 Workers	Eclas		

In both cases the export is preceded by a target thesaurus choice.

4. Help

The Help menu contains the online help and the “about window”.

5. Utility

This menu contains:
•	Merge database (mapping relations), CRTL+M
•	Delete mapping relations, CRTL+D
The first function allows merging mapping relations coming from different databases. The active database receives mapping relations coming from a database chosen by the user.
With the second one, the user can delete a set of mapping relations. The user is requested to choose the target thesaurus.