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Search gadget

Search gadget

Information valid from AMI version 8.0 initial release

Summary

The Search gadget provides a simple way to search for objects. You can specify the object(s) required using a variety of parameters, or use a saved search.

Selecting Search or typing the Enter key initiates the search.





Search Parameters

Object Id

Searches by object ID. Because object IDs are unique, entering a value in this field automatically disables most of the other search criteria.

Saved Search

Saved searches are set up using either the Workspace Editor or the Search Editor. They let you pre-define which attributes and attribute values you wish to search on. If you use this dropdown control to choose a saved search, the Search gadget's controls will alter to match that search.

Attribute Value

The Attribute dropdown shows a selection of attributes that are available to search on, including the object name, which is always the first option. Each attribute can be compared to a target value. Use the second dropdown to decide which search operator to use (e.g. 'equals', 'greater than', etc.). Not all operators are available for every attribute; ones that make no sense are disabled. For example, 'contains' is disabled for numeric attributes and single choice attributes.

When comparing with a choice list attribute, the value being compared against is selected from a dropdown of choices.

You can use the * wildcard character within the search string.

Object Type

The Object Type dropdown allows the user to filter the search to objects of a specific object type.

Status

The Status dropdown allows the user to filter the query by the object's workflow status.

This dropdown is initially empty/disabled until the user selects an Object Type in the previous dropdown. If the selected Object Type has a workflow definition associated with it then the Status dropdown is populated with the States within this workflow definition.

Within

The Within area allows filtering of the search to objects underneath a specific structure point. To use it, navigate to the object to search within using another gadget (e.g. Browser, History) and select Set in the Within area. Select Clear if you no longer wish to search beneath.

Needs Translation

The Needs Translation check box filters the results to objects that need translation. An object needs translation if it has any attribute in the currently selected language that has its 'Needs Translation/Updating' flag set.

Simple Search

When checked, any search on a text attribute is limited to the first 127 characters of the attribute's value. This can improve the response time for larger searches.

Apply to List Area

This area only appears if lists have been specified in the Workspace Editor. It is a more sophisticated version of the menu's Add to List... option to copy selected search result objects to a List object.

Having selected one or more objects in the search results, the user can choose a List object and apply those search results to it. Possible actions are:

  • Add—Add the selected search results to the list
  • Remove—Remove the selected search results from the list
  • Replace—Replace the list's contents with the selected search results
  • Intersect—Remove any objects from the list that aren't in the selected search results

There is also a checkbox to specify whether or not to copy the search results' descendants as well, and a dropdown to control the feedback the user gets when they click the Apply button.

Results Area

Results of the search are listed below the search criteria, one object per row.

Each row contains a selection checkbox to let the user select object instances for menu actions such as Copy and Move. To the left of this is a  symbol. Selecting this will find any other instances of that row's object and group them together.

Gadget Action Menu Items

 Copy

Copies the currently selected object instance(s) to the AMI clipboard.

 Reset

Clears the search parameters.

 Add to List...

This item is only enabled when the user has selected one or more objects in the search results. It brings up a dialog with two dropdown controls. The first shows all the top level List structures; the second shows all the child objects of the List selected in the first control. Selecting OK adds copies of the selected search results into that List child object.

 Add to Previous List

Like Add to List... but it automatically uses the same List object as before.

 Search Editor...

Opens the Search Editor. See the Search Editor screen article for detailed information.

Gadget Options

Show results in the Bin

Controls whether instances in the bin are returned by the search.

Show results in the Document Structure

Controls whether instances in the document structure are returned by the search.

Show results in completed events

Controls whether instances in completed events are returned by the search.

Maximum Result Count

Limits the number of results returned by the search.

Related pages