Search Mode

[hap1484]

I need to change my "Search Mode" from "Contains" to "is" but I can't find the feature to make the change?  Please help?

[Mario]

Hi, welcome to the forum.

Which feature of IMatch are you talking about? There are many search features in IMatch...

[hap1484]

Hi Mario, I asked specifically about  The "Search Mode" and how to change the Search Mode Settings from "Contains", "Starts With", and "Is".
In the Help Article Titled: The Search Engine - then a few paragraphs down "Search Syntax"................

The syntax of the search engine (how you tell it what to search for) is simple. Most features working with the search engine offer you search mode like contains, starts with, is etc. This mode controls how the search engine looks at your search pattern. In most situations you are using the contains mode, which finds all tags containing the search pattern.  My iMatch Search Mode is set to "contains" and I want "is".  So my question is how do I change this setting from "contains" to "is"?  Regards, Hap

[Mario]

The search engine is a global feature in IMatch. It is uses for the file window search bar and also for filters. And also for scripting.
Users cannot access the search engine directly.

As pointed out in the help section you quote, you usually search via the file window search bar or you use one of the panels in the Filter Panel to search for file names, metadata or other things. And there you just select if you want "is", " contains" or whatever.

You did not tells us which search feature you want to use or where you want to search in IMatch or what you want to search. We cannot help you if you don't give us more info.

Like "I want to search metadata" or "I want to search file names".

For more info about the file window search bar, click into it and then press <F1>.
For more info about the Filter Panel, click into it and then press <F1>.

[hap1484]

Mario, thank you for your patience.  Your help and direction got me to where I needed to be "The Filter Panel".  Although this Panel is very powerful it's not intuitive that a special panel would have to be activated and profiled before I could do a "basic search".  The "Search the File Window" is very intuitive but is somewhat restrictive because it only uses the "Contains" Search Pattern.  If I want to use an "IS" search pattern I have to 1) activate the Filter Panel, 2)  Engage the Metadata Search Function with a check mark then 3) make the Filter Panel active before my search terms will generate any results.  This is not hard once I've done it but finding the facility to profile a search was a challenge initially.  SUGGESTION: Add the basic Metadata Search Patterns (Contains, Is, Starts with and Ends with) in the "Search The File Window Stop/Clear Drop down box under a new title: Search Patterns).  Then a user will only use the Filter Panel for more advanced searches and storing search profiles.   Thank you again....Hap

[Mario]

The search bar has been added for quick searches in file names, metadata and Attributes. It works similar to the search bar you have in Windows explorer but supports Boolean searches as well. It is designed to be simple, without too many options or complex syntax.

The Filter Panel is the main feature in IMatch to search and filter files, folders, categories, metadata, GPS data, Attributes and all other data available in IMatch.
If offers both simple and complex filters. And the file name, attribute and metadata filters give you search modes, regular expression searches and everything else.

[sinus]

SUGGESTION: Add the basic Metadata Search Patterns (Contains, Is, Starts with and Ends with) in the "Search The File Window Stop/Clear Drop down box under a new title: Search Patterns).  Then a user will only use the Filter Panel for more advanced searches and storing search profiles.   Thank you again....Hap

Feel free to add a Feature request. 

I would like this. The filter panel is the only panel in IMatch, where I think, it is very powerful, but could be more easy and intuitive. Though I do not know how. 

I made for me a script.
Push a favorite-button, the search-box opens.
Enter some text.
Push ok and IMatch searches in the whole DB for a file-name.
That is for me quick and easy.

But since WinWrap, the script language now, will go, I have to write a new script with JavaScript ... or make friendship with the filterpanel. 

[Mario]

Filter Panel

1. Click on DB Node (all files n DB).
2. Enter file name you want to find in the Filter Panel : File Name Filter.
3. IMatch displays all files matching the file name in the file window.

(If the Filter Panel is confusing you, hide all filters you don't need. Only keep the File Name filter):



File Window Search Bar

1. Click on Database Node.
2. Make sure the search bar is searching file names only (drop-down menu of the X)
3. Enter the file name to search for


Not really confusing. And you get search modes, you can control where you want to search...
No script needed, really. No need to rewrite your script in JavaScript.

[sinus]

Thanks Mario, for your really detailled and precise information.

I really appreciate this. Like many others too. 

I will try this again, look at your info here and in the help.

Maybe hide not used filters can be a very good hint. I can remember, I was always unsure, what filter is aktive, is the whole filter active (not paused or "Filter panel" not enabled) and do I search in the whole DB or not.

So I will make a new try, when I have more time. Maybe I have until now simply not checked in my head, what is best to do.
That the filter panel is powerful, I am very sure.

Who knows, maybe the filter panel and I will be very good friends in the future. 

[Mario]

I was always unsure, what filter is aktive,

Activate panels have a blue bar and an X

is the whole filter active (not paused or "Filter panel" not enabled)

You can see this in the toolbar (pause button pressed?) and also the file window caption bar shows a different color and a filter icon if a filter is active.
Hard to miss.

and do I search in the whole DB or not.

The filter panel works with what is in the file window.
If you have a folder in the file window, you filter than folder.
If you have one or more categories in the file window, you filter these categories.
If you load the entire database into the file window, you filter the entire database.

You control which files you search/filter only by what you load into the file window.
Database, Drive, Media, Folders, Categories, Collections, Timeline Nodes, ...
Always works the same.

[Mario]

PS: IMatch Anywhere makes it very easy to search your database.

Check out Demo 5 in the IMatch Anywhere Developer Center which implements a small app that enables you to search your database (locally or remotely) for file names, metadata or Attributes.