Author Topic: search while you type.  (Read 8683 times)

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pencilhead

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search while you type.
« on: August 05, 2009, 08:12:23 am »
Hi,

As an option, would it be possible to have the search as you type feature search the list in the left hand pane, rather than populate the search box and find an ever shrinking list as you type.

I think most people would search on title first and then start looking at other options if that was unsuccessful.
When you start typing it locates the nearest entry in the left hand panel as you type, but leaves the full view intact.
For example:
If you want to find "Finding Nemo", you can type "fi" and you will be taken to the "fi" section in title pane. There are only 3 entries that start with "fi" - Very fast and easy to find. If you then want to do another search, say the matrix, start typing and it takes you to "m" section.

This will be of added value when gridview is implemented as you can type "fi" - be taken to the "fi" section.
Do a quick visual scan and have whatever information you want from the grid. You don't even have to make a selection.

The searchbox is awesome and very powerful, but I see it as a more advanced search. Most people would use it if they couldn't find what they want from the title.

Also would it be possible to autoclear the searchbox rather than append after a serach. (as an option)
So if you start typing and get a searchlist on the lefthand side, then stop typing, After a predetermined amount of time the serarchbox clears and what you type is seen as a new search entry, rather than appending what you type to what's already in the searchbox.

Regards
PH

Offline rick.ca

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Re: search while you type.
« Reply #1 on: August 05, 2009, 09:30:31 am »
It's works perfectly as it is now. It will find your title whether your search term is at the beginning of the title or not. That's why it's called Simple Search. I can locate Finding Nemo equally well by entering "fin" or "nem"—without fiddling with options. And matching only at the beginning would be completely useless for searching many fields. The ability to match only at the beginning, if it's needed, is a feature that belongs in Advance Search (i.e., a "starts with" operator).

A search, just like a filter, needs to stay in effect until the user is ready to clear it. That's what the icon beside the search box is for.

pencilhead

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Re: search while you type.
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2009, 11:49:30 am »
It's works perfectly as it is now. It will find your title whether your search term is at the beginning of the title or not. That's why it's called Simple Search. I can locate Finding Nemo equally well by entering "fin" or "nem"—without fiddling with options. And matching only at the beginning would be completely useless for searching many fields. The ability to match only at the beginning, if it's needed, is a feature that belongs in Advance Search (i.e., a "starts with" operator).

A search, just like a filter, needs to stay in effect until the user is ready to clear it. That's what the icon beside the search box is for.

Agreed - It does work perfectly now but it doesn't do what I need it to for my task.

The search feature is very good,  but try this....

Have a list of say 50 movies / tv shows /whatever (physical media). That only has the title. (You don't know anything about them, or you can't remember how you classified them.) Now you want to sort them into piles base on Genre.

Pull a handful of disks off a spindle and try sorting them into pile based on Genre/ media location/ whatever.

First you have to type enough of the title so you can easily locate the entry in left hand side.
Then you have to click on that entry. - Look for Genre category - Place disk in that pile.

Click in search bar to highlight whatever is in there (so it overwrites).
Type your next movie title so you can easily locate the entry in left hand side.
Then you have to click on that entry. - Look for Genre category - Place disk in that pile.
repeat -  ad nauseam.

If instead:
When you started to type, it searched entries on the left hand side (and hopefully automatically selected when you stopped typing).
So:
You could start typing until it found the entry.
Look at Genre.
Place disk in pile.
Start typing

This is a much more efficient work flow.

Hopefully you have burnt all your media in alphabetical order so if you or in a "G" section for example , there could be 3 or 4 movies in a row that are in that range and don't need to be searched.

If you can't find the entry from the title due to misspelling for example, then the searchbox with all its options is still available.

The second suggestion:
"Also would it be possible to autoclear the searchbox rather than append after a search. (as an option)"
Quote
A search, just like a filter, needs to stay in effect until the user is ready to clear it. That's what the icon beside the search box is for.
I did say as an option. Perhaps Nostra could configure it so there is a preference button to append or overwrite depending on user preference

Overwriting removes the need to click in the search box to clear the entry (One less step).
Just start typing again (After a timeout period)

Also it would be nice if it auto-selected if there was only a single entry visible. Another step could be removed.

This would not break anything. Also when gridview becomes available, you don't even have to type the full text.  Get the list close enough so your entry is visible and read off what is required from the grid.

Offline rick.ca

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Re: search while you type.
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2009, 06:05:09 pm »
In the scenario you describe, I would use the tools at had to complete the task as efficiently as possible. That would probably involve working directly with the list (possibly grouped by first letter of title), my alphabetic pile of discs, and bookmarking sorted discs so I can exclude them from the list. I'd be finished by now, and any program change made to accommodate this scenario would be unnecessary.

One of the things I most appreciate about Grid View is it is particularly well suited for this sort of maintenance task. Having it available removes the need for addition, seldom used functions in the standard view. It therefore supports a critical overall design goal—to keep the program as simple, intuitive and as easy to use as possible.