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2 - Searching with CDE Browser| CDE Browser User Guide | 4 - Managing CDE Browser Search Results

This chapter provides instructions on how to navigate and find CDEs and forms using the search tree.

The chapter includes the following topics.

A Note About Forms

While CDE Browser lets you view the set of data elements associated with a form, you cannot see header information, instructions, or most other information pertaining to the structure and format of the form. You must use Form Builder to access that information.

CDE Browser Search Tree

The search tree appears in the left panel of the CDE Browser window. By default the search tree lists all the caDSR contexts under the All Program Areas tab.

All program areas

The program area tabs next to All Program Areas loads only the contexts within the selected program area.

The program areas are listed below

  • Cancer Centers (cancer centers and institutes)
  • Key Projects
  • NCI (National Cancer Institute)
  • NCI Consortium
  • NCTN/ETCTN (NCI Clinical Trials Network)
  • NIH Institutes
  • SDO (Standards Development Organization)
  • Unassigned (Does not fit into a program area)

Context subnodes in search tree

Once you click a program area tab, such as NIH Institutes, the area's contexts are loaded into the search tree. Each context has two initial sub-nodes to explore and find CDEs and forms.

  • Classifications or Classification Scheme (CS) is a collection of related Classification Scheme Items (CSI), or in other words, a mini-hierarchy within the tree. Data elements, in turn, can be assigned to one or more CSIs. The actual classification assignments are managed by the context administrator.  

    Only Classifications with a workflow status of RELEASED appear in the search tree.

  • ProtocolForms list clinical report forms (CRFs) used in a clinical trial.

    A protocol node does not show up until at least one form is associated with the protocol.

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Classification Scheme Collections

Classification Scheme collections (model projects) are listed in a red folder in the search tree. If the CS and the container reside in different contexts, a link is provided to the collection as shown below.

Collections in the search tree

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Finding Forms and CDEs in the Search Tree

The specific protocol will not show up if there are no forms associated with it.  As soon as at least one form is associated with the protocol, the protocol node will automatically display in the tree.

The following table provides examples to find CDEs and forms using the Classifications and ProtocolForms sub-nodes.

Clicking a Link Launches a Search

  • Clicking the navigation icon to the left of an item in the search tree, loads a list of sub-nodes.
  • Clicking the name of the item or link in the tree performs a search and returns ALL of the CDEs associated with the item. This search may involve many results and take a long time to complete. Consider this before clicking a link.
Search Tree ExampleNavigating the Search Tree

Navigation Search tree

Finding a Form and the Associated CDEs

The following example explores the Classifications sub-node to find a form within the NIH Institutes program area, NHLBI context.

  • Click the NIH Institutes program area tab, and the context sub-nodes for the area display.
  • Click Navigation icon in search tree next to the context sub-node NHLBI, and the Classifications and ProtocolForms sub-nodes display.
  • Click Navigation icon in search tree next to Classifications and all the RELEASED Classification Schemes (CS) are loaded, such as Disease Relapse and Labs.
  • Click Navigation icon in search tree next to the CS Labs to display the Classification Scheme Items (CSI) registered for Labs.

  • Click the CSI name HLA Typing to return all the CDEs for HLA Typing in the Results table.

For more information, see Managing CDE Browser Search Results.

Protocol Forms

Finding CDEs used in a Protocol Form

The following example explores the ProtocolForms sub-node to find a form within the NIH Institutes program area, NHLBI context.

  • Click the program area tab NIH Institutes and the context sub-nodes for the area display.
  • Click Navigation icon in search tree next to the context sub-node NHLBI, and the ProtocolForms and Classifications sub-nodes display.
  • Click Navigation icon in search tree next to ProtocolForms.
  • Click Icon for subnode in search tree next to the sub-node 2000 Recipient Baseline Data, and all the CDEs load into the search tree.

  • Click a form name and the form's CDEs display in the search Results table.

For more information, see Managing CDE Browser Search Results.

Form Usage

Finding the Forms Associated with a CDE

Once the CDE is returned in the search Results, you can display the list of forms to which the CDE is used.

  • From the Results table, click the Long Name of the CDE.
  • The Data Element tab displays detailed information about the CDE.
  • Click the Usage tab.
  • The Forms Usage table lists all forms where the CDE is used. 

For more information, see Managing CDE Browser Search Results.

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Copying a Search URL to Display Filtered Results

Using the search tree, you can perform a search and copy the URL to display filtered search results for a Context, Classification Scheme, or CS/CSI.

To copy a search URL

  1. Use the search tree to drill down to the desired Context, Classification, or CS/CSI.
    CDE Search Tree URL
  2. Copy the url displayed in your browser's address bar.
    Copy Search URL
  3. Paste the URL into a document, web page, or new browser window.

  4. Click the link, and CDE Browser opens to the same filtered search results. The appropriate Classification Scheme/Classification Scheme Item is selected in the search tree.

    In a pasted Search, the search criteria are blank.

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2 - Searching with CDE Browser| CDE Browser User Guide | 4 - Managing CDE Browser Search Results
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