# Searching for Information

When you need specific information, searching for it is more efficient than simply browsing. The Information Manager provides a full set of search features that allow you to:

- Search quickly using simple search criteria. See INFOUG.Search.div.2.

- Perform detailed searches using the Query Editor. See INFOUG.Search.div.5.

- Define the scope of searches to cover a single section, or specific books and types of information. See INFOUG.Search.div.10.

- View search results and read sections containing search matches. See INFOUG.Search.div.22.

To minimize the size of the search database, the Information Manager does not perform searches on many common words such as and, but, or, and the.

## Searching Quickly

To search quickly on a simple word or phrase, use the quick search field at the bottom of the Reading window. You can enter search text manually or by highlighting existing text and then choosing the On Selection option from the Search menu.

### Quick Search Field

### Starting a Quick Search

To start a search from the quick search field:

1. Place the pointer in the quick search field and delete the existing text, if any.

2. Type the search text.

   When you place the pointer in the quick search field, the Search Scope button to the left of the field identifies the scope to be used for the search. If the indicated scope is the one you want to use, skip steps 3 and 4. For information on search scopes, see INFOUG.Search.mkr.10.

3. Click on the search scope button. The Information Manager displays a list of available search scopes.

   #### Search Scope List

4. Click on the scope to use for the search.

5. Press the Return key to start the search.

   The Information Manager displays search matches in the Search Results window. To move to a section containing a search match, double-click the section title in the Search Results window.

To create more detailed search criteria, you can use the Query Editor.

### Searching On Selection

To perform a quick search using highlighted text:

1. Highlight the text for which you want to perform the search. (Place the pointer at the beginning of the text. Hold down mouse button 1 and drag to the end of the text.)

   The highlighted text does not have to be in the Reading window. It can be in any window on your system.

2. Choose On Selection from the Search menu of the Reading window.

   The Information Manager displays the highlighted text in the quick search field and starts the search.

## Defining Detailed Searches

Detailed queries allow you to produce more precise search matches in your search results. To define a detailed query, use the Query Editor to:

- Enter a detailed search query. See INFOUG.Search.div.6.

- Specify the query prefix. See INFOUG.Search.div.7.

- Define relationships in the query. See INFOUG.Search.div.8.

You can also set the search scope from the Query Editor. For more information, see INFOUG.Search.mkr.10.

### Entering a Detailed Search Query

To enter a detailed search query:

1. Open the Query Editor by choosing Query Editor from the Search menu in a Reading window. The Information Manager displays the Query Editor window.

   #### Query Editor Window

2. Click the Prefix button. The Query Editor displays the Prefix list. Click the prefix to use for the query: Contains, Doesn’t Contain, Starts With, or Doesn’t Start With.

3. Type the first search term in the input field to the right of the Prefix button.

4. To include another term in the search, click the Connector button to the right of the input field. The Query Editor displays the Connector list. Select the connector to use for the query: Or or And. Repeat steps 2 through 4 until the query is complete.

5. Press the Return key or click the Search button to start the search. The Information Manager displays search matches in the Search Results window. The figure INFOUG.Search.mkr.22a shows a typical Search Results window.

As you create your query, the Query Editor shows the query as defined thus far in the Query display area at the bottom of the window. The query definition shows how you would enter the query if you were typing it into a Quick Search field.

### Specifying the Query Prefix

To begin specifying a query, you use the Prefix button to indicate whether your query Contains, Doesn’t Contain, Starts With, or Doesn’t Start With the text you type in the search input field. To do this:

1. Click the Prefix button. The Query Editor displays the Prefix list.

2. Click the prefix to use for your query:

   Contains

3. Finds sections that contain the search text.

Doesn’t Contain

- Finds sections that do not contain the search text.

Starts With

- Finds sections that contain words that start with the search text.

Doesn’t Start With

- Finds sections that do not contain words that start with the search text.

After you select the prefix, the Query Editor displays it on the Prefix button. You can now proceed to enter the rest of your query.

### Defining Relationships in the Query

The Query Editor allows you to include more than one word or phrase in a search. To specify a relationship between parts of a query, you use the Connector button (to right of the input field) to display the Connector list. From the Connector list, you can select the relationship you want. You can specify that both the current part of the query and the next part must occur, or that only one part must occur. In other words, a relationship defines a condition for a valid match.

To define a relationship:

1. Specify the prefix and search text for the first part of the query.

2. Click the Connector button. The Query Editor displays the Connector list.

3. Click the connector for the relationship you want to define:

   Or

4. Finds sections that contain a match for the current part of the query OR the next part of the query, or both.

And

- Finds sections that contain a match for the current part of the query AND the next part of the query.

After you select a connector, the Query Editor displays the connector you chose on the Connector button and starts the next line of the query.

## Defining the Scope of Searches

Scopes provide a way of narrowing your searches. They help reduce the size of search results lists by restricting them to more meaningful matches. Specifically, you can use search scopes to limit the books and types of information (such as tables) that are included in a search.

The Information Manager provides scopes for searching the current section, the entire information library, or a specific bookcase. These predefined search scopes include all types of information, including titles, body text, examples, indexes, tables and graphics. You can create custom search scopes to specify the books and types of information that you routinely include in searches.

The remainder of this section provides information on:

- INFOUG.Search.div.13

- INFOUG.Search.div.16

- INFOUG.Search.div.19

- INFOUG.Search.div.20

- INFOUG.Search.div.21

### Selecting a Search Scope

When you start a search, the default is to use the last scope you specified from that search area. The Reading window and the Query Editor maintain their own default search scopes.

For example, when you start a search from the Reading window, the Information Manager uses the search scope you used last. If you have not yet performed a search during this browser session, the Information Manager uses the current section as the scope for searches from the Reading window. It uses All Infolibs as the default scope for searches from the Query Editor.

You can select a different search scope by using the Search Scope button at the bottom of the Reading window. Or, you can use the Scope Name button in the Query Editor.

#### Selecting a Scope from the Reading Window

You can use the Search Scope button to identify which books are included in searches you start from the Quick Search field. To use a search scope other than the one shown:

1. Click the Search Scope button to the left of the Quick Search field. The Information Manager displays the Search Scope list. This list contains the predefined scopes and any scopes you have created and saved with the Scope Editor.

2. Select the search scope to use. The Information Manager replaces the previous scope name with the new scope name on the Search Scope button. The new scope remains in effect for the remainder of the session, until you change it.

#### Selecting a Scope from the Query Editor

You can use the Scope Name button to identify which books are to be included in searches you start with the Query Editor. To use a search scope other than the one displayed:

1. Click the Scope Name button. A list displays the names of the available search scopes. This list contains both predefined and created scopes.

2. From the Scope Name list, select the name of the scope to use.

### Creating Search Scopes

If you frequently search part of the information library for particular information, you might consider creating and saving a custom search scope. You create or change search scopes using the Scope Editor.

#### Opening the Search Scope Editor

To open the Scope Editor from the Query Editor, click the Scope Editor button at the bottom of the Query Editor window.

To open the Scope Editor from the Reading window, click the Scope Editor button in the lower right corner of the window, or choose Scope Editor from the Search menu.

The Information Manager displays the Scope Editor as shown in the following figure.

##### Scope Editor Window

#### Creating a New Search Scope

The left side of the Scope Editor window contains a list of the books in the information library. You can expand or contract this list by clicking the right or down arrows that precede each book title.

The right side of the Scope Editor window contains a list of the book components that you can include in the scope. By default, the Information Manager includes all components in your search.

To create a new search scope:

1. Click the New button.

2. Click the names of the books and components to include in the scope.

3. Click the Save button. The Information Manager opens the Save Scope window as shown in the following figure.

   ##### Save Scope Window

4. Type the name of the new scope in the input field and click OK. The Information Manager displays the new scope name in the Scope Editor window.

To use the new scope in a query, you access it as you would any of the pre-defined scopes.

#### Changing Search Scopes

To change an existing scope:

1. Click the Scope Name button in the Scope Editor window. The Information Manager displays the scope list.

2. Select the scope you want to change. The name of the selected scope appears on the Scope Name button.

3. To change which books are included in the scope, highlight the titles of the books.

4. To change which components are included in the scope, highlight the names of the components.

5. Click the Save button to save your changes.

6. When you are finished making changes, click the Close button.

To restore the initial definition for the scope, click the Reset button at the bottom of the window.

The Information Manager retains the scope you were previously using for searches as the current scope. If you made changes to the current scope, the Information Manager applies those changes on the next search made with the scope.

#### Copying Search Scopes

To copy a search scope:

1. Click the Scope Name button in the Scope Editor window. The Information Manager displays the scope list.

2. Select the scope you want to copy. The name of the selected scope appears on the Scope Name button.

3. Click the Copy button at the bottom of the window. The Information Manager displays the Save Scope window.

4. Type the name for the copy and click OK to save it.

Note that the scope continues to exist under its old name as well. See INFOUG.Search.mkr.21 for instructions on how to delete unwanted scopes.

#### Removing Search Scopes

To remove a previously saved search scope:

1. Click the Scope Name button in the Scope Editor window. The Information Manager displays the scope list.

2. Select the scope you want to delete. The name of the selected scope appears on the Scope Name button.

3. Click the Delete button at the bottom of the window. The Information Manager removes the scope, and displays the next search scope in the scope list.

## Viewing Search Results

After you perform a search, the Information Manager displays a list of the sections that contain search matches. This list appears in the Search Results window. From the Search Results window, you can go to any of the listed sections by clicking its section title.

The following figure shows how matches are listed in order of descending importance. The icon to the left of the book title indicates how often the search term appears in the given section.

### Search Results Window

If the Search Results list seems incomplete, too long, or otherwise in error, check to see that you used the appropriate search scope. Also, check your preference setting for the maximum number of search hits.

When performing multiple searches, it is a good idea to pin the first Search Results window. Then, when you perform another search, the new results will not replace the results of the first search. Instead, they will be displayed in a separate Search Results window.

### Browsing Search Hits

After you have gone to a section from your Search Results list, you may want to view each search hit within the section. Search hits appear bold, underlined, and in a different color. The search hit you are currently positioned on also has a dotted rectangle around it.

To browse search hits within a section, use the Next Search and Previous Search buttons in the Reading window's tool bar. (You can also choose Next Search and Previous Search from the Go menu.)

Next Search displays the next search hit. Previous Search displays the previous search hit.

If you are at the last hit in the section, the Next Search button appears dimmed. If you are at the first hit in the section, the Previous Search button appears dimmed.

### Reviewing Results of a Previous Search

If you did not pin the results of a previous search, you can still retrieve this list. To review a previous Search Results list:

1. Choose Search History from the Search menu in any Reading window.

   The Information Manager displays the Search History window.

   #### Search History Window

2. Double-click on the search for which you want to see the results.

   The Information Manager displays the Search Results window for the selected search.

You can retrieve search results only for searches performed in the current browser session.