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The SRU Editorial Board has revised the MARC Context Set proposal and has withdrawn the substring proposal. The substring modifier is now part of the MARC context set (rather than the cql set). The revised proposal is at: http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/cql/marc-context-set.html. The reasoning is as follows. The discussion on substring extended way beyond those interested in the marc set, but led to the conclusion that a general substring function was not only superfluous (a regular expression modifier had already been planned for addition to the cql set) but also difficult to reach consensus on and probably not worth further effort. On the other hand, the simple substring capability (simple, without the esoteric and more complex features added) has been identified as a requirement for the marc set (but not as a general requirement). Regexp is complex and might not be widely implemented. Someone contemplating implementing the marc set will be more likely to do so if it can be done by implement substring rather than regexp. In fact not much at all of substring would need to be implemented. One could claim for example support for the index 'marc.008=/marc.substring="0:6' without claiming general substring support. As there has been much controversial list discussion over the substring proposal, it seems to the Ed. Board that the most expedient thing to do is define substring, not in the cql set, but in the marc context set. In the future, one of the following might happen: (a) People might want substring elevated to the cql set. (b) People implementing the marc set might decide to use regexp instead of substring. (c) People implementing the marc set will implement substring and nobody else will. So if (a) happens, we can elevate substring. If (b) happens we can depricate substring. If (c) happens we're fine. Please comment on the MARC Context Set proposal by September 15. -Ray