search within categories similar to IMatch 3

[David Werier]

I want to request that the ability to search within the categories view the way it is was done in IMatch 3. I request this because searching the way it is set up in IMatch 5 takes me more steps to accomplish what I am attempting to accomplish. Please see topic: "searching within categories" in the General Discussions board.

Basically what I would like is the following:

1) Ctrl + F to bring up the search box (in IMatch 5 I think it is called the Category Filter dialogue) when using the category view.
2) When I search on text in the text box that a window appears showing me all the categories that contain this text. I can then click on the one I want and be taken to that category in the category tree

One suggestion for how the second point could work in IMatch 5:
Place another check box in the Category Filter Dialogue (perhaps immediately below the search box) that say something like "see results in a separate window". If this is not checked then things would remain as they are in IMatch 5. If it is checked then when one searched on some text a separate window would appear of all the categories that contain the text that was searched on. Basically, just like it was in IMatch 3.

Thanks Mario for considering this request.

[bobglass]

I second this request. I too find the IMatch 3 method described by David a more efficient way of getting to the category I need. If this is implemented in IMatch5, it would be great if the pop-up box was resizable so more of the results could be seen at once. In Imatch3 I often have to scroll to the right to see full category names, which slows things down.

[JohnZeman]

Maybe I'm not understanding the request but it seems to me that outside of opening the results in a new window IMatch 5 does this already.

Attached is a screen shot of my category tree after I typed City into the Category Filter.



[attachment deleted by admin]

[David Werier]

Maybe I'm not understanding the request but it seems to me that outside of opening the results in a new window IMatch 5 does this already.

There are few things.

After you filter, the category tree is collapsed and remains so even when you click on the category that you wanted? So once you click on the category you are interested in and are working in the category view, the category tree remains collapsed and you can't navigate to categories that are filtered out. The only way to get around this is to then go back to the category filter dialogue and remove the filter.

If you do the latter, the category you chose remains the one that is focused and you can click back in the category tree to be were you want to be. So this basically works although it still involves a few extra steps (see below) and it seems to take a bit of computing power. Plus, try and filter a second time on another word. The second time, after you filtered on a new word, if you go back into the category view and select the category you want and then go back to the filter dialogue and remove the filter, the category you were filtering on loses the focus and you have to start all over again. Give it a try to see what I mean.

Regarding the additional steps. I prefer to keep the filter dialogue in auto-hide mode to save space (I work with a laptop). So If the filter dialogue is in auto-hide mode then when I go into the category view to click on the category I am interested in, the filter dialogue hides. So now if I want to remove the filter in order to not have the category tree collapsed, I need to first click on the category filter tab (extra step 1), second either highlight the term I was filtering on and then delete that term or click on the down arrow next to the filter box and click on reset filter (extra step 2 and 3). Finally, I click back in the category view (extra step 4).

Plus the start of the whole process off, it would be easiest for me to simply do a ctrl + f (like in Imatch 3) instead of having to click on category filter tab (again since I prefer to keep it in auto-hide mode).

I hope this makes sense. What do you think John.

[JohnZeman]

Ok, I see what you are saying now David.  I've been using IMatch 5 exclusively since last August or September so I had to go back and launch 3.6 again to refresh my memory on just how the old Category Find tool works.

While I generally still prefer the version 5 method myself I do agree with you that it's annoying when after filtering a category, selecting it, then removing the filter results in the tree reverting back to a previous view and previously selected category.  I would expect removing the filter would simply unhide the filtered categories leaving the selected filtered one still selected but as you said, that's not what happens.

I don't know if this is a bug or by design, Mario will have to weigh in on this.

[Mario]

I think this is actually a bug.
When the user clears the filter, IMatch restores the tree as it was before the filter was applied (folded/collapsed entries etc.). But then it should restore the focused item as it was while the filter was active:

You filter for "moth"
IMatch shows the categories "moths" and "mothballs".
You select "mothballs"
You clear the filter
The tree is restored, and "mothballs" is still focused and visible.

This does not work. I had once. I'll check that for build 5.0.6.

[bobglass]

For me, an additional problem is that my category tree is eight levels deep in places and when the filter results are shown expanded as they are in IMatch 5 and there are more than a few hits, it is harder to identify the desired item quickly. In IMatch3 each hit takes one line. The problem there was, as I pointed out, that since my tree has so many levels, the lines were very long and I often had to scroll to the right.