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Author Topic: Next -- Improved search suggestions?  (Read 3013 times)

Matt

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Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« on: June 03, 2009, 06:01:40 pm »

I think it'd be neat if the search suggestion system got some improvements.

I'd like:

1) Common, recommended, and recent searches to show as suggestions when the box is empty.  Things like "Last Import" or "This Year".

2) I'd like to be able to type a field name like "keyword" and get a list of all keywords or "rating" and get the list of ratings -- this way the search box could act like an impromptu pane.

3) It'd be nice if it could better understand date language like like "March", "2009", "This Year", etc.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

park

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2009, 08:47:46 pm »

Those are all good.

Quote
2) I'd like to be able to type a field name like "keyword" and get a list of all keywords or "rating" and get the list of ratings -- this way the search box could act like an impromptu pane.
You could also have it so that the drop down arrow in an empty search brings up a list of categories (Rating, keyword etc.) and the values that apply to the current files list. In effect, it would be another pane, but a hidden one, until you click on the down arrow. The user could choose which categories they want in there by default (per media basis), and there could be an empty seach box at the top of the list to be able to type the name of another category (for the behavior you describe above).

Another idea: the ability to "pin" a search to lock it. So when I click into a category the search doesnt get wiped.

By the way. The current search "suggestions" are absolutely amazing. One of MC's most convenient features I'd say.
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ThoBar

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2009, 01:12:28 am »

I like the way W7/vista can filter directly from an Explorer column -- which is kind of a search ;)
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morrison

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2009, 09:30:47 am »

Please add "contains" search for "list" data type tags.
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park

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2009, 09:45:56 am »

The new suggestions are very nice.

I tried putting "0" in to see what it would get. It didnt bring up anything useful.
It would be nice if it would bring up all integer type fields (Rating, Album Rating etc.)
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gappie

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2009, 10:03:06 am »

The new suggestions are very nice.

I tried putting "0" in to see what it would get. It didnt bring up anything useful.
It would be nice if it would bring up all integer type fields (Rating, Album Rating etc.)
i think that would work when you set those fields to be default search fields in the library (i like that becuase it also let you put searches of like filename). but not with 0. i think that is because they are not 0 but empty..

 :)
gab
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lise

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2009, 07:35:35 am »

The way we use MC in the house, the most important feature is the most basic (and it is missing): the ability to search the entire database without having to go back to the tree and select Audio or Video, etc.  

We often switch to Playing Now and then search for the next song to play, but we always forget to hit Audio first (without which MC only searches Playing Now). Ditto for being in an Audio Pane and then wanting to search the entire database. It's the biggest source of frustration for us, and my husband always has a few choice words whenever he uses MC to search.  So do I, for that matter, and I'm the one who uses it all the time. Unless we are doing something wrong...?

[edited to emphasize that this basic search functionality is missing in Media Center]
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Gl3nn

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2009, 09:01:48 am »

The way we use MC in the house, the most important feature is the most basic: the ability to search the entire database without having to go back to the tree and select Audio or Video, etc. 

+1
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morrison

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2009, 01:47:15 pm »

The way we use MC in the house, the most important feature is the most basic: the ability to search the entire database without having to go back to the tree and select Audio or Video, etc. 
+1 yep, missing in MC13
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tjobbins

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2009, 08:32:28 am »

Digging up an old thread, but I want to suggest some things for search so this seemed like a good place!

  • Most important:  Remember recent searches.  There should be a list of the last 5 or 10 search terms used, so it's very quick to re-run a recent search.  With an option to configure the exact number that are remembered
  • Currently the Search Wizard does not seem to list custom library fields in its dropdown.  It should show all fields
  • I agree with the previous suggestion that there should be an easy and quick way to choose where to search - e.g. Current View, Playing Now, Audio, Video, Whole Library
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robydago

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2009, 11:08:25 am »

I agree with the previous suggestion that there should be an easy and quick way to choose where to search - e.g. Current View, Playing Now, Audio, Video, Whole Library

+1
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bunglemebaby

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #11 on: November 02, 2009, 02:43:49 pm »

Quote
Currently the Search Wizard does not seem to list custom library fields in its dropdown.  It should show all fields
Not the case for me... I'm using 14.0.90, but I've never noticed this behavior in the past either.
Quote
1) Common, recommended, and recent searches to show as suggestions when the box is empty.  Things like "Last Import" or "This Year".
If the common or recommended searches were configurable I'd love this function. As it is, it just makes me grumpy that it sometimes takes my slow computer an extra second to pop that box up. Recent searches is definitely a good one.

I can see the use for a lot of these suggestions, but at the same time I like to have a nice quick search function that just searches my default search fields with out any fuss. So I guess my main thought here is that while it would be cool if some or all of these ideas are implemented, please keep the interface relatively simple, uncluttered and usable. Adding on/off options for everything is always a possibility, but can be overkill. Another idea might be to avoid the drop-down box with suggestions/search location/recent searches/whatever unless the user presses <down> (or a single option to use this behavior instead of auto-dropdown).

My 2 coppers...
-JB
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tunetyme

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #12 on: November 02, 2009, 03:06:19 pm »

I certainly agree with a need to add to the search functionality.  In the following thread robydago helped solve one of my problems by using keywords.  

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=54628.0

Setting this up to be more user friendly and including user defined fields would be extremely helpful.

Tunetyme
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tjobbins

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #13 on: November 02, 2009, 04:09:03 pm »

Quote
Currently the Search Wizard does not seem to list custom library fields in its dropdown.  It should show all fields
Not the case for me... I'm using 14.0.90, but I've never noticed this behavior in the past either.

OK weird.  Here's a couple of screenshots demonstrating the behaviour for me (also 14.0.90) - am I doing something wrong?

Here's my Custom Fields config.  I've added the field Live Recording:



And here's my Search Wizard - not listing the field (I've also checked the start and end of the list to confirm it's not there):


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gappie

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #14 on: November 02, 2009, 04:15:23 pm »

you need to close mc first for new fields to show up in any wizzard. at least i have to, but then they are there..

 :)
gab
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tjobbins

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #15 on: November 02, 2009, 04:29:54 pm »

you need to close mc first for new fields to show up in any wizzard. at least i have to, but then they are there..

I thought of that too - I have closed MC a few times and re-opened but no change on the Search Wizard.

I do have Media Server running the whole time though, not restarting; could that affect it?
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bunglemebaby

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #16 on: November 02, 2009, 08:42:41 pm »

Quote
I do have Media Server running the whole time though, not restarting; could that affect it?
It could and probably is. MC doesn't actually shut down if Media Server is still running. From what I can tell it just hides the GUI and resets some of the view "stuff" when you close out MC but still have the server running. Try closing that and restarting it and see what happens. Otherwise I'm pretty baffled by your screen shots there.
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tjobbins

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #17 on: November 03, 2009, 07:36:37 am »

It could and probably is. MC doesn't actually shut down if Media Server is still running. From what I can tell it just hides the GUI and resets some of the view "stuff" when you close out MC but still have the server running. Try closing that and restarting it and see what happens. Otherwise I'm pretty baffled by your screen shots there.

Yup that was it!  I did a full reboot to be safe, and now the custom fields are there.

Thanks very much.
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Quixote

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Re: Next -- Improved search suggestions?
« Reply #18 on: November 03, 2009, 11:52:40 am »

The way we use MC in the house, the most important feature is the most basic (and it is missing): the ability to search the entire database without having to go back to the tree and select Audio or Video, etc.

+1
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