Frequently Asked
Questions
How can I quickly narrow the results on the Manuscript Search page?
The fastest way to narrow the results is to click the box in front of the desired attribute(s) from the list on the left of the Manuscript Search page.
How do I use Manuscript Search?
The Manuscript Search screen has a box at the top with text that says, “Search by keyword or verse….” Click inside that box, and the text will be removed, awaiting your search query. This searches a manuscript’s name or number, shelf number, description, or contents.
What are the controls for the manuscript viewer?
ZOOM IN OR OUT:
- With the pointer inside the viewer, scroll up or down on the mouse or trackpad.
- Click the + or – in the upper left corner of the viewer.
- Double click in the viewer.
RETURN THE IMAGE TO ITS DEFAULT SIZE:
- Click the home icon in the upper left corner of the viewer.
MOVE THE IMAGE IN THE VIEWER:
- Click and drag the image with the mouse or trackpad.
- Click and drag the red box in the orientation thumbnail in the bottom right of the viewer.
- Use the arrow keys on the keyboard.
ENLARGE THE VIEWER TO FULL SCREEN
- Click the ‘toggle full screen’ icon in the upper left corner of the viewer
How do I use the filters on the viewer page for a particular manuscript?
Select Filters in the top right corner of the viewer page to reveal the filters on the left side of the window. Click once in a box, revealing a blue checkmark, to reveal images containing that specific feature. Click twice in a box, revealing a minus sign (-), in order to hide those image features.
How do I search for a specific verse or book within a manuscript?
Select Filters in the top right corner of the page to reveal the filters on the left side of the window. At the top of the filter section, you may use the drop-down menu to jump to a book within the manuscript. You may key in a specific verse in the search bar to locate it within the manuscript images. This feature is only available for manuscripts whose metadata has been tagged completely.
Why am I unable to search for every verse in a manuscript?
Updating the metadata for the images is a work in progress. Manuscript images that have been tagged with versification will return results for every verse entered. Additional versification results will be available as further tags are added. If you are proficient in Koine Greek and would like to help us tag manuscripts, please contact us.
Can I search by the CSNTM Image Id or the CSNTM Image Name?
Such functionality is not currently available. You may search by GA number, location, shelf number, description, or contents.
Why isn’t my image loading?
An image not loading in the viewer could be the result of any number of factors. CSNTM always tries to utilize the highest quality images, even microfilm. This results in large file sizes. Such sizes often take a while to load but result in high-quality images for research. If your image is not loading, first try refreshing the web page. This should resolve most issues. If there is still an issue, please contact CSNTM.
How can I tell which image is currently displayed in the viewer?
The image that is currently displayed will have a blue box surrounding its thumbnail image, directly above the viewer. You may also select “image details” in the top right section of the viewer page, and look below the viewer to see the metadata which indicates the filename and image details.
How can I select what I see on the viewer page?
In the top-right screen are three buttons that select and unselect what appears on the viewer page as you use it. When selected, the button appears gray and “pushed down,” when unselected it is white and appears raised.
- Filters reveal the checkboxes for filters available for the selected manuscript. They appear to the left of the thumbnails and viewer. This feature allows you to search for specific images within the manuscript. When unselected, you will not see the filter boxes.
- Thumbnails when selected will show thumbnails of each image to the left of the viewer. They are arranged vertically in a scroll-down bar so that you can scroll, search, and select specific images. If you wish to hide the thumbnail bar, you may unselect the button at the top right of the screen.
- Image Details display below the viewer. This section contains image names and metadata for the particular image in view. You may unselect them so that they do not appear below the viewer as you are looking at images in the viewer.
How can I tag an image?
The search results are improved by recording metadata for images. A website user can help to improve the database by suggesting tags to be associated with images. To make a suggestion, click on the blue button at the bottom of the manuscript page that reads, “Suggest an edit to this image’s tags.” A new window will open where suggested edits can be recorded and submitted to CSNTM. Upon review and approval, the image’s tag will be updated. If you are interested in volunteering to tag an entire manuscript, please contact us.
What is the “Description of Manuscript / Informational Document” and how do I access it?
“Description of Manuscript” or “Informational Document” refers to a document created by CSNTM which is used in manuscript digitization. It is an ‘autopsy’ of sorts, detailing vital information about a manuscript. For manuscripts digitized by CSNTM, this document may be accessed from individual manuscript pages. Click the link (blue font) that says, “Description of Manuscript” or “Informational Document.” A new window will open where the document will be displayed or downloaded in PDF format. A PDF reader is required.
What does “GA” stand for?
“GA” refers to the standard New Testament manuscript numbering system—Gregory-Aland—which was started by Caspar René Gregory and ultimately continued by Kurt Aland. We catalogue our images according to the GA number. You may search for the shelf number in the search bar.