VistaDocs: New web-based UI to search and filter the VistA Documentation Library

[rrichards]

Vistadocs:  a new web-based UI for VistA documentation. You can filter on package name, document type, status, format, and with direct links to each of the 8,834 documents and 196 packages. 

https://vistadocs.github.io

This was comprehensive crawl, ingestion, and classification of all documents in the VDL website.  All code was generated by Claude using test-drive-development framework. Code is freely available if any one interested.

[Nancy Anthracite]

There is also the opportunity to search the site and all the documents with the Google on Hardhats.org.  In the left hand frame, slide down to the search field and choose to search the VDL.  I have found it invaluable.

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Nancy Anthracite

[Nancy Anthracite]

PS, if I recall correctly, Ben Irwin set that up.

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Nancy Anthracite

On Monday, March 30, 2026 8:22:27 AM EDT Nancy Anthracite wrote:

> There is also the opportunity to search the site and all the documents with

> the Google on Hardhats.org.  In the left hand frame, slide down to the search

> field and choose to search the VDL.  I have found it invaluable.

>

> > Vistadocs:  a new web-based UI for VistA documentation. You can filter on

[Benjamin Irwin]

Nancy,

That may have been written last century before "https" became important.

I have added that functionality, updated, to the bottom of the following page on EDU2.  https://edu2.opensourcevista.net/vista/index.php

The following is the code that makes it work.  In case the Hardhats web page maintainer would like to update it.

<p><b>VA Vista Documentation Search</b></p>
  <form method="get" action="https://www.google.com/search" name="form1" id="form1" target="_blank">
  <table summary="Divisions">
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Search:</td>
      <td><input name="as_q" type="text"></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>&nbsp;</td>
      <td>
        <select name="as_sitesearch" size="6">
          <option selected="selected" value="https://www.hardhats.org/">Hardhats</option>
          <option value="https://www.va.gov/vdl">Full VDL</option>
          <option value="https://www.va.gov/vdl/documents/Clinical/">Clinical</option>
          <option value="https://www.va.gov/vdl/documents/Infrastructure/">Infrastructure</option>
          <option value="https://www.va.gov/vdl/documents/Financial_Admin/">Financial-Adm.</option>
          <option value="https://worldvista.org/">WorldVista</option>
        </select>
      </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>&nbsp;</td>
      <td><input value="Search" name="Search" type="submit"></td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
  </table>
  </form>