User guide
Structure of the eligible assets database
Update: since 1 June 2007 the fields “Asset Classification” and Add-on-haircut” are not part of the the data files anymore.
Where codes are used in a field they are
listed in the corresponding
look-up tables.
This information should facilitate importing the data files to a local database.
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How to perform user-defined queries
The
Assets query form allows users to submit individual queries on the eligible assets data.
In the query form you can enter search criteria in each field. If you enter criteria in more than one field, your entries will
be handled as logical "AND" conditions.
Each field type has its own features (note that the querying feature is case-sensitive):
You can use the 'Clear Form' button to reset all settings in the form.
After submitting the form, a summary of the request will be displayed. It will be possible to display the result on screen or
to prepare a file for automatic download.
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How to download files
Download data set
The ECB provides several files for public download in the
Download area.
File format
Each file is available in compressed format (standard GZIP format),
as well as in uncompressed format. Compressed files can be uncompressed
using unzipping tools available for most operating systems (Winzip,
GNU zip).
To download an uncompressed file (extension .txt) and save it to your local drive,
in most browsers you can click on a hyperlink with the right mouse button and select an
item named "Save link as...", or similarly, from the contextual menu which appears.
Data format
Files are simple text files and contain data in tab-delimited format.
Field names for each column appear in the first line (first row). Spaces in field
names are replaced by underscores (_) to facilitate the use of data in applications
which do not allow spaces in field names.This format can be read and imported by a
great variety of database and spread sheet software (e.g. Microsoft Excel and Access).
You can also simply open files with a text editor such as Microsoft NotePad. However due
to the tabular layout of the fields this will not be as easy to use.
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Receive datasets via e-mail mailing lists
There is an e-mail form available
Subscribe to a mailing list
for any update file (i.e. datasets subject to regular changes)
you wish to receive.
After submitting the e-mail form, the following procedure is carried out for security reasons: first, you will receive a
confirmation request via e-mail containing a special code, which has to be sent back in order to confirm your subscription.
If the special code corresponds to your e-mail address, your name will be added to the mailing list and you will receive a
confirmation e-mail.
If the size of the update file exceeds the limit of 2 MB, you will receive a notification e-mail with an Internet address to
permit a manual download.
There is also an e-mail form available to
Unsubscribe from a mailing list
for any update file. If you no longer wish to
receive the dataset update file, please unsubscribe from the corresponding mailing list.
After submitting the e-mail form, the following procedure is carried out for security reasons: first, you will receive a
confirmation request via e-mail containing a special code, which has to be sent back in order to confirm your unsubscription.
If the special code corresponds to your e-mail address, you will then be removed from the mailing list.
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Security
All website pages are delivered through secure http. The available files in the download area will also be transmitted through
secure http. For more information about the secure http protocol please refer to your browser documentation.
The automatically generated update files sent by e-mail are digitally PGP signed. The PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) security
system offers you the possibility of verifying every e-mail you receive from the ECB. If you would like to use this system,
you must first obtain the PGP client software from
PGP International.
After installation of the PGP client, please download
the
ECB public PGP key which you need for verification. This public PGP key then has to be installed in your key ring in the
PGP client software. Please refer to the PGP documentation for your operating system for a detailed description of how to use
the software. Generally, you can check all incoming e-mails manually, but it is also possible to install PGP for your existing
e-mail software for automatic verification.
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