File Nomenclature

File Names

The first three characters of a file name designate the number of a Congress:

The next two characters in a file name identify the type of Senate document contained in the file:

HR  -  Hearing

PB  -  Publication

PT  -  Print

The last character of the file name identifies the type of record sequence in the file:

C  -  Alphabetical by Committee, and then numerical within each Committee

N  -  Numerical by HR, PB, or PT number

T  -  Alphabetical by title

Up to the 104th Congress, there are nine files per Congress, e.g.:

Beginning with the 104th Congress, there are four additional files that contain references to unprinted hearings:

BDT  -  Printed and Unprinted Hearings by Date of Hearing

UPC  -  Unprinted Hearings by Committee

UPN  -  Unprinted Hearings by Date of Hearing

UPT  -  Unprinted Hearings by Title

Each of the four file types noted above begins with the two elements:

Congress number and "HR", e.g., 104HRBDT

A final file type, which also deals with Hearings, is denoted with the letters, "RPT." These file names contain the elements: Congress number, RPT, and the year shown with two digits:

e.g., 104RPT95

These RPT files present an annual, statistical summary showing what percentage of hearings held by committees have been printed. A grade is assigned to each committee for their publishing efforts: some committees have a failing grade.

File Type

The description that follows refers to files at the parallel FTP archive of Senate bibliographies at FTP.NCSU.EDU. That site will probably close in the near future. All files at this web site have file type extensions .htm or .html.

The first three characters of the file type identify the text source. The final four characters of the file type designate the year and month in which the file was created; e.g. xxx9107.

ACSII text produced by the dBase report generator. Each ACSII.TXT file in the FTP archive is replaced with a new updated, cumulated file every month in which new records are added to the corresponding dBase files. .TXT files are used at NCSU as source code for editing in WordPerfect. These .TXT files will only be slightly edited before appearing in the archive.

Database files are not available through FTP. Those persons wishing to receive dBase 3+ files may request them from NCSU. Three files will be sent per Congress: two .DBF files (one in numerical order, another in title order), and an .NDX (index) file to access the data in Committee order.

ACSII text files created from edited Word Perfect files. .GWP files will be found as the final edition of a _List of Senate hearings, prints, and publications for a Congress. .GWP files are sent to floppy disk subscribers of the listings by Committee.

An example of a typical file designation is thus:

102HRC.TXT9110

For the best presentation of the date obtained from the FTP archive, reformat .GWP or .TXT files with a word processor using 10 point Courier font and one inch left and right margins.

Send inquiries concerning floppy disk or paper copies to: