How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

A place for users to ask each other questions, make suggestions, and discuss Bookends.
Post Reply
DrJJWMac
Posts: 345
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:04 am
Location: Alabama USA

How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by DrJJWMac »

I have to ask about the logic in the Smart Search panel. I am specifically interested in doing a search for citations that have Spotlight <searchterm> OR meta-content <searchterm>.

As near as I can tell, this is however the logic:

* Search for Spotlight text
* AND Spotlight tags
* AND first text line in meta content

To get what I want, I have to make two Smart Groups, one to search ONLY Spotlight and one to Search ONLY meta-content text. I then have to put the two Smart Groups in a folder and use the AND popup (manually) to get all the references (Spotlight OR meta-content).

I would like to see pop-up selections directly on the search panel to make these options possible:

* Search for Spotlight text
* AND/OR/NOT Spotlight tags
* AND/OR/NOT first text line in meta content

I'd be curious whether I am otherwise missing something in the design that would allow one Smart Group to do the job of two here.

--
JJW
--
JJW
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by Jon »

I think you mean you'd put them in a folder and do an OR search.

Note that they don't need to be in the same folder. You can select both at once (with Command-click) and you'll get the boolean search you've selected.

Jon
Sonny Software
DrJJWMac
Posts: 345
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:04 am
Location: Alabama USA

Re: How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by DrJJWMac »

Jon wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 8:50 am I think you mean you'd put them in a folder and do an OR search.

Note that they don't need to be in the same folder. You can select both at once (with Command-click) and you'll get the boolean search you've selected.
Yes. I meant OR.

--
JJW
--
JJW
DrJJWMac
Posts: 345
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:04 am
Location: Alabama USA

Re: How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by DrJJWMac »

I am still struggling with how to build an efficient, dynamic search criteria. I will give a specific use case. I want to find all citations that contain this logic:

((PDF: Langmuir) OR (content: Langmuir)) AND ((PDF: "quantum dot") OR (content: "quantum dot") OR (PDF: nanoparticle*) OR (content: nanoparticle*))

To do this, I have designed three smart groups and one folder:
folderstructure.png
folderstructure.png (8.43 KiB) Viewed 6015 times
The smart groups are built to search the PDF
--> FINDER:("quantum dot" AND Langmuir)
--> FINDER: (nanoparticle* AND Langmuir)
and to search the meta-content
--> TEXT1: "quantum dot" OR nanoparticle* AND TEXT2: Langmuir

This works great but ... I must remember to set the MAIN COG multiple selections setting to OR. When I go somewhere else and set the main cog to AND ... all is lost.

--> I wish the AND/OR logic switch could be applied in a folder-specific manner, not always as a main setting across the entire left pane.

Now, I want to further down-select my folder contents to shown ONLY those results that are articles (not books or conferences). At this point, I am lost about the best combinations of AND or OR with smart groups and folders to achieve what I want.

I have to think this should be easier.

--
JJW
--
JJW
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by Jon »

You can specify a Type in the find as well.

You might also consider using smart SQL searches in conjunction with your spotlight searches. They are as flexible as the database engine allows wrt searching fields.

Jon
Sonny Software
DrJJWMac
Posts: 345
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:04 am
Location: Alabama USA

Re: How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by DrJJWMac »

Jon wrote: Sun Sep 22, 2019 7:55 am You can specify a Type in the find as well.
I want to keep both sets of searches, the set with all documents and the set with only articles. Doesn't this suggestion mean that I have to duplicate my folder and/or duplicate each smart group?
Jon wrote: Sun Sep 22, 2019 7:55 am You might also consider using smart SQL searches in conjunction with your spotlight searches. They are as flexible as the database engine allows wrt searching fields.
I can see where building a clever SQL search should allow me to collapse multiple text field smart groups into one.

--
JJW
--
JJW
Jon
Site Admin
Posts: 10048
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:27 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD
Contact:

Re: How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by Jon »

No, you can define a smart search that looks for only journal articles. You can select it along with other searches if you're ANDing. With, for example, a smart SQL search.

Jon
Sonny Software
DrJJWMac
Posts: 345
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:04 am
Location: Alabama USA

Re: How do I use the Search Panel logic more effectively?

Post by DrJJWMac »

OK. Just to update. Searching with SQL with REGEX is what I needed.

Thanks for the patience on this!

--
JJW
--
JJW
Post Reply