Merge some advanced search into search

[Mat]

When hacking, I find it annoying to constantly have to pull up the "advanced search"... but it just struck me; Can't standard search simply also be a "filter search"? 

Basially; any string entered into the search field that is prefixed with "[" is interpreted as a filter. Tiddler titles must not contain square brackets to begin with so we know it is a filter.

Now what about those tiddlers that contain the entered filter? Yeah, what about them? They're of course also presented in the resulting list, presumably in a separate section.

Thoughts?

<:-)

[Diego Mesa]

I 100% agree! I've long fantizied of a single, simple search everywhere bar, ala:

https://codepen.io/adrianlambertz/pen/bNQjvp

That we just bring up with a keyboard shortcut. The closest (visually) is:

http://j.d.spartan.tiddlyspot.com/

However behaviorally, I think it could be greatly simplified with "header/starter keys" to signify "searching modes":

• If it starts with '$', search all system tiddlers
• If it starts with '[' its a filter
• If it starts with nothing, OR some forcing character like '\', then search text fields of normal tiddlers
• This addresses the finding filters present in normal tiddlers

We can even define user specified ones like:

• If it starts with '#10' search only tiddlers that are 10 days old/modified.
• etc.

[PMario]

Hi Mat,

There is a discussion going on about my "advanced search plus" plugin: https://wikilabs.github.io/editions/advanced-search-plus/

This may be interesting: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/tiddlywiki/tWo3S6sEwTs/QIzQhC7PCAAJ

I did create it pretty much for the same usecase as you describe.

have fun!

mario

[Mat]

Diego, I like the things shown in your example links - but they seem to be more about the visual UI than functionality.

Regarding

• If it starts with '$', search all system tiddlers

Yes, the restriction to not present system tids in spite of explicitly searching for them is annoying. I proposed this some time ago but for reasons that are beyond my understanding this is decided against. IMO if a user prefixes the search string with $:/ then obviously he's "in it" deep enough to take the dire conseqences.

IMO this is a basic enough use case that it warrants it to be part of standard behaviour for search.

We can even define user specified ones like:

* If it starts with '#10' search only tiddlers that are 10 days old/modified.
* etc.

Interesting.

<:-)

[Mat]

@PMario - thanks for pointing me to those links.

Your creation looks intresting. UI-wise, the basic search is of course much more direct - i.e you have constant access to the search field and it starts to search immediately as you type into it. No clicking of buttons. It is this directly available search that I think needs improvement. The access to our tiddlers should be as immediate as possible and I believe my idea here above would not have any downsides on UI or usability.

<:-)

[@TiddlyTweeter]

Ciao Mat

Interesting discussion.

Mat wrote:When hacking, I find it annoying to constantly have to pull up the "advanced search"... but it just struck me; Can't standard search simply also be a "filter search"?

Even though its not exactly the same territory, the thread touching into PMario's "advanced-search-plus", does have some relevant observations: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/tiddlywiki/tWo3S6sEwTs/QIzQhC7PCAAJ that relate to functionality, not just a different layout.

I thought Diego Mesa's post about "simple search everywhere bar" was also interesting with its idea of an intelligent recognition of the search type.

I spent, myself, a couple of days, looking at how I actually search. These are my conclusions on you idea of replacing the standard search with an enhanced version ...

1 -- ADD a Toggle button on the right of the search box to switch between "Title ONLY search" and "Title OR/AND content search"

2 -- REMOVE any distinction between System, Shadow or Standard searches. All search will be ALL. Typing the needed address, or part address, for a "tweaking user" will give most everything they ever need, especially in combination with (1).

3 -- INTELLIGENT FILTER. The Search to detect IF it starts "[" and then search in Filter Mode [over-rides (1)].

4 -- SAVE SEARCH??? More a question than a complete answer, but to add a "Save Search" button to the right of the search box, that results in a dropdown similar to the current Advanced Filtered Version, though in this case for ANY search, might be worth a thought.

Best wishes
Josiah