Simple search
- 22 Nov 2023
- 3 Minutes to read
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Simple search
- Updated on 22 Nov 2023
- 3 Minutes to read
- Contributors
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- DarkLight
- PDF
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1. Simple search
The search bar is accessible in all Constellio screens. The search engine indexes the contents of certain fields in the database, according to the choices indicated when creating the metadata, as well as part of the content of the documents. This makes it easy to find all the elements that make up a collection by a simple keyword.
The simple search is accessible at any time at the top of the Constellio screen. Just add a keyword in the search field and launch a search.
- The search is done by keyword (a word or a set of words) in all folders, texts, and metadata of the documents to which the user has access.
- The search is case insensitive (uppercase/lowercase), accents in keywords, and empty words (e.g., le, la, des, notre, etc.).
- The search tool separates certain keywords such as report2016 into "report" and "2016", financial projection into "projection" and "Financial". Also, special characters divide keywords such as Notre-Dame-du-Lac into "Notre", "Dame", "du", "Lac".
- By default, the search engine treats the space between two terms as an "OR", it is possible to modify this configuration so that the space is considered an "AND". To do this, see: Control -> Configuration -> Search -> "Consider the empty spaces of the simple search as "ETs".
- Simple search results provide access to folders, documents, containers, and tasks.
- Multiple operators can apply to keywords in the simple search.
| Simple search operators | ||
|---|---|---|
| Operators | News | Examples |
| * | An asterisk placed at the end of a keyword allows the search on all words where one or more letters replace the asterisk. | For example, archives* will identify words, archiving, archive, archival, archivist, architect, etc. |
| ? | One or more question marks placed in a keyword replace any letter. | For example, Jou?e will spot the words joust and joule. |
| " " | English quotation marks allow searching on contiguous keywords where empty words (e.g., the, the, des, our, etc.) between keywords are not taken into consideration. | For example "Contractual services" will identify "contractual services", "contractual services", "contract services", etc. |
| - | The dash allows keyword exclusion during the search. | For example, customer card will locate all documents containing the word " card ", but not the word " customer ". |
2. Filter
The search results, sorted by relevance, can be refined by checking one or more of the items presented in the sliding menu on the right.
Sort by:
This option allows you to sort the search results by relevance: Label, Creation Date, ID, Modified Date, or Title, either in ascending or descending order.
The filter :
This option allows, as soon as an item is checked, to recompose the search results window according to the new criteria. They are actually metadata that is used to describe an element. It is through the selection of one or more of them that a refinement of the results is carried out. 
When selecting a sorting criterion, it immediately sorts the search results. However, a configuration provides the ability to modify this behavior to batch apply multiple sorting criteria to search results in a single step. You can enable this configuration via: Control -> Configuration -> Search -> Check -> Multifaceted Application -> Save.
3. Search results
Search results are displayed by relevance. Ex officio, Constellio highlights elements that include the search term in their " Title " before elements that have the same term in other metadata fields.
3.1 The panel window
The split-panel window allows you to view the records in the search results without forcing the user to leave the current page. This display makes it possible to quickly consult information about documents and containers via search results (viewer, content, metadata, tasks, audit, etc.).
3.2 Thumbnails
Thumbnails are used to preview the first page of a document.
3.3 Metadata
The metadata displayed below the records provides quick information about the records. Automatically, Constellio displays the "Date modified" metadata.
However, the display of its metadata is editable. Follow these steps:
- Go to "Administration";
- Then click on "Metadata Schema";
- In the type of schemas of your choice, click on "Display";
- In the schemas of your choice, click on the drop-down menu, then "Search result configuration";
- On the page, select the metadata on the left that you want to display and transfer it to the right via the arrows.
- "Save". The selected metadata will now appear in the list view.
3.4 Highlighting
This option allows you to bold the search term if the term is in the metadata of the search results. This option is available from the list view. For more information, see the article Metadata.
4. Actions on selection
The selection actions menu allows you to take action on multiple records (folders, documents, containers, and tasks) in the search results. The menu of actions on the selection appears when records are checked. The available options will change depending on the selected records.
See the article on Actions on selection in the Advanced search .
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