How to search

[sohini-c]

If we know the folio, can we directly go to it or is it only restricted to searches through 'entries'? Can we have a table of content?
Right now, we need folio number, ID number, and title. How do we create titles for folios which do not have titles, like ones with lists? Does the metadata table need the IDs?

[bnhiebert]

Search issues/ideas

'results page' or 'appear-as-you-type':

• the current search on the minimal edition (https://cu-mkp.github.io/GR8975-edition/search/) displays results as you type them (though you have to enter a complete term for results to appear) rather than producing a results page that appears after you've entered a search term. Would the former or latter be preferable for our edition? I'm inclined toward the latter (results page), since you wouldn't lose your search results when you alter what you've entered in the search field.

How to display results:

• I am in favor of either including either a snippet view of the contents of the entries or the contents in their entirety in the search results, or both. It was suggested in class that we could embrace both by including a toggle function that would allow one to expand the snippet view into the full entry if one pleased. I think this is a good idea if it's feasible. Also, including a toggle function of this sort strengthens the case for the "results-page" rather than the "appear-as-you-type" approach (see above), I think.

• I can't think of a good reason to include the entry identifier in the search results at the moment, or for allowing people to search by entry identifier. However, I think including the folio number in the results would be worthwhile, or the folio range for entries that span folios.

• currently the search function orders results by term frequency, I believe. Do we want to offer other options for ordering? By folio number, for instance? This could be helpful.

type of search/searchability:

• the current search function on the minimal edition appears to be a fairly basic search. Do we want to be able to do more sophisticated searches, like Boolean or proximity searches? How easily could these be implemented with Ed?

• is our XML markup going to be searchable?