InfoQube IM - Community

Submitted by Jon on 2011/09/29 09:04

1. If I search for an item throughout the file, I see the appropriate hits appear.

-BUT-

2. If I search for the same item and specify the current gid, no hits appear unless the outline within the grid is expanded enough to display the items. So, if the items are located several levels deep, but the outline is displaying two levels, no hits will register.

I think this behavior is inconsistent and wrong. If others agree, can this be corrected?

Jon

Comments

Agreed.

I think there were related situations - e.g. filtering a grid will only filter visible sub-items. And the problem of "shown in" in the find dialogue not knowing what grids an item is in.

Another one for mantis I think

(maybe Armando will know where to put it? or maybe as new entry?)

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Win 7 Pro 64bit ~ Portable latest IQ (0.9.25.W)

[quote=Tom]

. filtering a grid will only filter visible sub-items. And the problem of "shown in" in the find dialogue not knowing what grids an item is in.

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Win 7 Pro 64bit ~ Portable latest IQ (0.9.25.W)

[/quote]

Then I don't understand why the items can be found when searching the entire file (if the grids are closed or open, collapsed or expanded), but not in a particular grid whose structure is collapsed.

[quote=Jon]Then I don't understand why the items can be found when searching the entire file (if the grids are closed or open, collapsed or expanded), but not in a particular grid whose structure is collapsed. [/quote]

Well, I think the problem is that it only sees an item as being in a grid if it meets the source requirements - which rules out most sub-items straight away. This would seem the first logical step towards changing that (fixing find for current grid).

If you have a filter applied, I presume it should take that into account i.e. only filtered items are [currently] in the grid?

I think there are several issues.

1. If I search the entire file I will get appropriate hits regardless of the display status of any grid.

2. If I search a particular grid only, then the display status (collapsed, expanded, etc.) matters and I will not get all the results I would expect.

3. The behavior of find is inconsistent between #1 and #2. As an extreme example, take a file containing just one grid. That grid is long and goes up to nine levels deep. If the grid is collapsed to display only TLIs, I will not be able to find anything contained in the underlying structure if I choose "Search the current grid." However, by choosing to search the entire file, I will get results contained in the undisplayed underlying structure. This behavior is inconsistent and unexpected. Of course, this is just my opinion.

4. I agree that if you have a filtered view, the intent of executing a find is to locate something within the constrained set.

Jon

First we need to distinguish between

1- Database search (using the Quick search dialog OR the text box filter in the source bar OR the alphanumeric toobar OR the date toolbar)

2- Grid search, using the columns filters.

We're talking about #1 here (although some stuff doesn't work optimally with #2 also... e.g. : if you don't expand a hierarchy before hand, column filters won't find anything as the items haven't been cached -- I think this is something Pierre wanted to change at some point, not sure).

As Tom said, the "problem" with the current architecture is that one needs to take into account the fact that, by design, only TLIs need to meet the source to be displayed (other items need not, depending on the type of hierarchical display option). Hence, when you're searching for a specific tag or term inside a grid (using the textbox filter or by specifying a specific grid in the Quick search dialog), you might not find anything you'd expect to find below TLIs.

The workaround is to use inheritance and use special sources etc. like I've explained many times in the past.

That said -- and Pierre might want to expand on that -- this is something that will change as Pierre wants to change the way items are filtered. When this will be implemented, the problem mentioned above shouldn't exist anymore.

[EDIT: I never use the "Search Current Grid" in the Quick search dialog and I was surprised to find out that it doesn't behave as I thought it would. It seems to behave like a grid column filter or as if all visible items were hoisted or something like that. Anyway... I'm not sure what's happening.]

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Windows XP Home Edition, Service pack 3

Dell Vostro 1500, Ram:3gb, CPU: Intel Core2Duo T7500 2.2ghz

The issue is complicated, because Grids don't contain items (as opposed to an Excel sheet for example). They are display mechanism. The content is dynamic and can change depending on:

Source: Change the source and a totally different set of items will be displayed
Any of the filters (Filter box, Alpha filter, Date filter, Column filter) can hide some items
Hoist can also completely alter the list of items displayed

As such, a grid resembles a TV set. The TV has very little knowledge or control of what is shown on its screen.

The best and simplest at this time is to search through the currently displayed items.

HTH

I know this thread is old, but it gives the best context for my feature request.

I think we really need a simple "search the current grid". Simple, current grid search or filter is a real gap compared to most applications (outliners and text apps).

It could be either a find or a filter. In either case you should be able to do a single keystroke or toolbar button then just start typing your query.

For find auto-search is close, but its very troublesome to use and only works on the current column. To make it easier to use it shouldn't be modal where you turn it off and on, instead you should turn it on, search, then be able to go back to your regular work. So you could do F3, type what you want, then hit F3 to continue, then hit escape when you are done. Or if you arrow around or do anything else it exits also. Right now its easy to forget you are in auto-search mode since the only hint the coloring of the toolbar button.

That said, I think a filter would be good also. Something that quickly filters the current grid like Quick Search, but you don't get taken to another grid and so you still have all your columns visible. If you then select a row and exit "Grid Search" mode you stay on that row. So its a great way to quickly jump to a row.

The existing approaches all fall short of a simple "search the grid I am looking at" that I think a new user would expect, but perhaps with a little tweaking they could fit the bill:

Auto-Search doesn't show what you have typed, only works one field, and is weird to use because its modal.
Quick Search and Advanced Find take you to another grid (without your columns or outline)
Alpha-numeric filter toolbar only works for one field and by default expects the field to start with the query (a * helps with that though). I'm also not sure how to assign a keyboard shortcut to starting the search.
Source bar filter is too clumsy for a quick search and doesn't easily search all visible fields
Filter-as-you-type only works on a single field and I'm not sure how to assign a keyboard shortcut.

Thanks,

PS, I decided to start to capture the many ways searching in the doc at 1. Searching. I think I am missing a few, but thought I would capture what I had written down.

I completely agree with all you said. Searching the current focused grid is too convoluted. Even with the "quick search" (Find) -- if one hasn't refreshed the grid after expanding trees etc., Find won't wind anything in that grid. This is why I never use that option. I'd rather go with Ctrl+F3 and search as I type in the grid itself. But even this isn't convenient.

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Windows XP Home Edition, Service pack 3

Dell Vostro 1500, Ram:3gb, CPU: Intel Core2Duo T7500 2.2ghz

A small thing that I think would help a lot with Auto Search (Ctrl-F3) would be if hitting ESC turns it off. That would make it similar to many other incremental searches out there. Right now I have tendency to forget its still on.

Better visibility when its on would help a lot also. I just noticed the column gets a light border when its activated, but its so faint I have never noticed it in a year of using auto-search until last week.

Yes ... there absolutely should be a simple "search the current grid", to enable the user to jump from search hit to search hit, preferably with all the hits highlighted.

I guess Auto-Search is supposed to provide this functionality but it's not working well for me.

How about something like Ecco's little search box -

quote=Pierre_Admin]

Version 0.9.26Pre-Rel4 is now available !

Fixed/Change: In Fast Search, pressing the Enter key now forces the update of the search results list. Pressing Enter again shows the list in the SearchResults grid. Before, users had to wait 1-2 seconds to see the results list update. Pressing Enter would incorrectly show the previous result list in the SearchResults grid.

[/quote]

I like this change, its very handy. But I continue to want a fast way to find an item in the current grid and also in its "main grid". So I can see it in the context of its siblings and parents. So for me I would like to be able to hit that second enter have IQ open its "main grid" and select it - without changing the filter.

I can set a grid to be "Default grid for search results", but when its opened (as a new tab) the filter is replaced with a specific filter for the search results. What I want is that item focused with the existing filter.

I can also click the grid name "shown in grids" columns in the find grid, but it seems to just open the gird without selecting the item.

Implementing Ability to quickly open an item in another grid might help also.

Thanks,

[quote]

I can also click the grid name "shown in grids" columns in the find grid, but it seems to just open the gird without selecting the item.

[/quote]

This used to work but was disabled. I can't recall why, so I've re-enabled it. Now it will move the focus to that item. If the item no longer can be found in that grid (due to a filter, a hoist), it will hoist the item in view.

[quote=Pierre_Admin]

[quote]

I can also click the grid name "shown in grids" columns in the find grid, but it seems to just open the gird without selecting the item.

[/quote]

Sounds cool, looking forward to trying it out. Thanks!