The database consists of four tables: Register Entry, Places, People, and Images. The first three tables contain searchable information; the fourth table is linked but contains the images only.
To search the database type a term in the 'Scope' box. The search is designed to be intuitive, and works with incomplete or partial information - no date, or complete name or place needs to be specified. For instance, just type the letters 're' (or 'er') in the search field, and numerous suggestions will appear. Search with just 're' (or 'er') typed in the search field returns hundreds of results. Typing in the complete name 'Rutherford' will produce numerous suggestions, and a search will return a list of results.
Search results display in the adjacent box. The display includes a pie chart representation of the quantity of results returned, and a list of the results meeting the chosen criteria. Click on a result to display a pop-up window. This window will give the transcription of the entry, a summary translation, the volume and page citation, and the image linked to the result. It is advisable to use the 'full view' button to browse the image within the pop-up window.
Entries for people in the database are found by standardised personal name form. Thus, the original spelling 'androw adamesoun' has been rendered as 'Andrew Adamson' following the standard form of surnames given in George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History (New York, 1946). The original orthography is retained in the transcription displayed in the pop-up window. If a name does not appear in Black, the first occurrence of the name in the corpus has been taken as the standard form. Additional attributes are displayed for people including gender, office and associated places.
Entries for places in the database are found by standardised place-name form. Thus, the original spelling 'nevburgh' has been rendered as 'Newburgh' following the standard form of place-names given in William M. Alexander, The Place-Names of Aberdeenshire, The Third Spalding Club (Aberdeen, 1952). The original orthography is retained in the transcription displayed in the pop-up window. If a name does not appear in Alexander, for instance because it is a place outside of Aberdeenshire or Scotland, a commonly accepted modern English form has been used.
Register Entries are also searchable. Each entry in the register has been classified according to type (e.g. Head Court, Bailie Court, etc.), and sub types (e.g. Case Entry, Amercement). Thus it is possible to search for 'Arbitration', 'Election', or 'Deposition', to name some examples.
Options, Examples, and Combined Searches. Within the 'Scope' box it is possible to click on the 'Options' button. This allows inclusion or exclusion of data from the Register Entry, Places, People tables. At least one option must be selected for a search. The default is for all three options to be selected. With the 'Options' button expanded, it is possible to click on 'See Examples', and a display of all possible examples from the tables will appear. Combined searches are possible using the 'And' / 'Or' buttons. This will allow a specific search query to be built with more complicated criteria.
Date Forms. The database assigns 'New-style' dates to register entries. This means that the New Year (viz. 1531) begins on 1 January (not on 25 March, as in the Old-style Julian calendar). Indeed in the transcription displayed with certain Register Entries it will be apparent that the scribe sometimes wrote the year before 25 March as 'Anno … xxxi' or 'Anno … xxx primo', not following the Old style. See ABRD, 13/71/71/1 (CA/ 1/1/13, p. 71); 13/72/72/3 (CA/ 1/1/13, p. 72).
