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Cached Search Results

Posted: 03 Sep 2009 12:00
by jacky

Code: Select all

v8.30.0002 - 2009-09-02 12:46
    + Search Templates Dialog: Search Templates now support caching,
      i.e. you can save search results in a template file (in
      <xydata>\FindTemplates), and load them back into the list at any
      point in future via the Search Templates dialog.
      (...)
      Reading the cache: Any previously cached results are only read
      when you also check all the following options. Reason: Otherwise
      the displayed results would be out of synch with the Find Files
      panel.
        - Run search at once
        - Load search location
        - Load excluded folders
Question about how this work: I tried to play a little with this rapidly, and while I haven't really dug all that much, it seemed to me that I couldn't get XY to actually load search results (it would always re-do the search) if from a Finding Tab resulting from another search.

Right now if I load a ST with cached results, XY actually redoes the search, I'm guessing because the last search I ran was a different one. I say that because after that, if I browse around and then reload the ST, it will just load the cache. But if I have done a simple Name Search in between, loading the ST results in the search being performed again. I'm assuming there is a bug somewhere, or am I missing something?

Also: I think that from the ST window, any sort of indication that a ST contains cached results (e.g. updating the "Save search results" checkbox?) would be nice.

(And just because you have to be expecting it I feel the need to mention Virtual Folders, which I can only assume aren't that far away... 8))

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 03 Sep 2009 13:29
by admin
jacky wrote:

Code: Select all

v8.30.0002 - 2009-09-02 12:46
    + Search Templates Dialog: Search Templates now support caching,
      i.e. you can save search results in a template file (in
      <xydata>\FindTemplates), and load them back into the list at any
      point in future via the Search Templates dialog.
      (...)
      Reading the cache: Any previously cached results are only read
      when you also check all the following options. Reason: Otherwise
      the displayed results would be out of synch with the Find Files
      panel.
        - Run search at once
        - Load search location
        - Load excluded folders
Question about how this work: I tried to play a little with this rapidly, and while I haven't really dug all that much, it seemed to me that I couldn't get XY to actually load search results (it would always re-do the search) if from a Finding Tab resulting from another search.

Right now if I load a ST with cached results, XY actually redoes the search, I'm guessing because the last search I ran was a different one. I say that because after that, if I browse around and then reload the ST, it will just load the cache. But if I have done a simple Name Search in between, loading the ST results in the search being performed again. I'm assuming there is a bug somewhere, or am I missing something?

Also: I think that from the ST window, any sort of indication that a ST contains cached results (e.g. updating the "Save search results" checkbox?) would be nice.

(And just because you have to be expecting it I feel the need to mention Virtual Folders, which I can only assume aren't that far away... 8))
Yes, that was a bug. Fixed in next beta.

updating the "Save search results" checkbox... that's a globally remembered setting and cannot be used for this job; but I have an idea...

Virtual Folders... you bet! :mrgreen:

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 05:56
by j_c_hallgren
So I finally had a reason to use this new feature again...I'd tried it once before when first available...but I can't seem to get it to save the results...I must be missing something simple, I hope, cause I doubt XY is failing...

I setup my search criteria, ran it and then went to save template & results...it saves the Find template just fine, but I can't seem to get it to save the cache...now reading this thread, I see where I may have to set some other options to use the cache later, but for now, I'm only wanting to store results...this is v8.40.0109, btw.

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 08:53
by admin
j_c_hallgren wrote:So I finally had a reason to use this new feature again...I'd tried it once before when first available...but I can't seem to get it to save the results...I must be missing something simple, I hope, cause I doubt XY is failing...

I setup my search criteria, ran it and then went to save template & results...it saves the Find template just fine, but I can't seem to get it to save the cache...now reading this thread, I see where I may have to set some other options to use the cache later, but for now, I'm only wanting to store results...this is v8.40.0109, btw.
You probably did not tick the box in Configuration / Find Files.

That save template & results appears to work (but does not) even without the tick is a bug that will be fixed.

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 09:01
by j_c_hallgren
admin wrote:You probably did not tick the box in Configuration / Find Files.
:oops: You are correct sir! And remind me again why this option is needed, since as I thought I followed it, results won't be stored unless/until I actually request so via "Templates" or is that incorrect?
That save template & results appears to work (but does not) even without the tick is a bug that will be fixed.
Oh! So I might not have been so dense after all... :lol:

EDIT: Changed "cached" to "stored" as wrong tem used....

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 09:28
by admin
j_c_hallgren wrote:
admin wrote:You probably did not tick the box in Configuration / Find Files.
:oops: You are correct sir! And remind me again why this option is needed, since as I thought I followed it, results won't be cached unless/until I actually request so via "Templates" or is that incorrect?
That save template & results appears to work (but does not) even without the tick is a bug that will be fixed.
Oh! So I might not have been so dense after all... :lol:
...until I actually request so via "Templates" ??? Come on, ever looked into the Help file? :wink: XY has finding tabs = you can store searches in tabs, ever heard of this? :mrgreen: Now with caching, also the results are stored in the tabs! Search one time, find many times.

Other question: Should Caching be ON by factoty default? Probably...!

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 10:00
by j_c_hallgren
Ok...bear with me here just a bit...I skimmed the Help file but didn't fully catch everything...and I apologize for that...and i may have used some of the wrong terminology in my prior posts as well...let me quickly try again:

Let's presume that I normally want to refresh SR every time I go to that tab, so I thus have that config opt unchecked, right? And this is part of why I didn't recall this option as I didn't need it and didn't follow that it was a prerequisite to saving via Template dialog.

But...suppose I do one search and those results may likely not change often if at all so I wish to save just those...so when I go to Templates and save my criteria, I also check "save results"...shouldn't I be able to force a one-time save this way? That's what I was trying to do above.

BTW, in Help within the Templates of IP/FF, the "Save search results" box is not described as far as I can see...

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 10:11
by admin
j_c_hallgren wrote:Let's presume that I normally want to refresh SR every time I go to that tab, so I thus have that config opt unchecked, right?
But...suppose I do one search and those results may likely not change often if at all so I wish to save just those...so when I go to Templates and save my criteria, I also check "save results"...shouldn't I be able to force a one-time save this way? That's what I was trying to do above.

BTW, in Help within the Templates of IP/FF, the "Save search results" box is not described as far as I can see...
1. Yes, good point. Actually I expected this discussion when I introduced the feature but it never happened and I moved on to other shores. I would say, YES, you are right, it should be changed... other opinions?

2. In my help file it is described... :) it's even in the index.

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 10:47
by j_c_hallgren
admin wrote:
j_c_hallgren wrote:BTW, in Help within the Templates of IP/FF, the "Save search results" box is not described as far as I can see...
2. In my help file it is described... :) it's even in the index.
Duh! :roll: Just noticed/realized that I'd not updated my help file since 8/31/09 as I've typically been just extracting the .exe file from the no-install so that would explain it...I better go to bed before I mess up any further... :oops:

However, glad you do see why I got mislead before and not sure what the ideal solution to that issue is...because some ppl may want caching all the time, and others may only want it (or really a variant of it) on request as I attempted to do.

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 15:55
by Linkaday
admin wrote:
j_c_hallgren wrote:Let's presume that I normally want to refresh SR every time I go to that tab, so I thus have that config opt unchecked, right?
But...suppose I do one search and those results may likely not change often if at all so I wish to save just those...so when I go to Templates and save my criteria, I also check "save results"...shouldn't I be able to force a one-time save this way? That's what I was trying to do above.

BTW, in Help within the Templates of IP/FF, the "Save search results" box is not described as far as I can see...
1. Yes, good point. Actually I expected this discussion when I introduced the feature but it never happened and I moved on to other shores. I would say, YES, you are right, it should be changed... other opinions?
Oh, YES! When i think portable ("hand me down my XY cane") i'd prefer the JC way.

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 16:30
by j_c_hallgren
After some sleep, the other thing that occurred to me was how XY presently handles this "Save search results" within Templates compared to how I envision it...

Right now, the results are stored in a tab_#.dat within Panes folder, but if I've saved to a template named "Find 40mb files.ini", why shouldn't the results be stored in a matching .dat? Like "Find 40mb files.dat" in that folder? So no matter what is done in any pane after that (and thus likely affecting the tab_#.dat files), one could reload the saved results even a month later and it would still be there.

Using the tab_#.dat naming concept does make sense for the typical and common caching but not when it comes to being linked with a template, ok?

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 21:56
by admin
j_c_hallgren wrote:After some sleep, the other thing that occurred to me was how XY presently handles this "Save search results" within Templates compared to how I envision it...

Right now, the results are stored in a tab_#.dat within Panes folder, but if I've saved to a template named "Find 40mb files.ini", why shouldn't the results be stored in a matching .dat? Like "Find 40mb files.dat" in that folder? So no matter what is done in any pane after that (and thus likely affecting the tab_#.dat files), one could reload the saved results even a month later and it would still be there.

Using the tab_#.dat naming concept does make sense for the typical and common caching but not when it comes to being linked with a template, ok?
But you can reload the saved results even a month later now! What are you missing? It's all stored in "Find 40mb files.ini"...

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 23:04
by graham
smacks of feature overload! Now is the time to introduce some better way introducing features which provide a rounded approach - help is too clinical but accurate, examples often hit the spot.

Ok too much work ahead but feature overload can cause frustration - the answer is to have totally intuitive methods of using a this product but that IS a big job!

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 25 Sep 2009 02:48
by j_c_hallgren
admin wrote:But you can reload the saved results even a month later now! What are you missing? It's all stored in "Find 40mb files.ini"...
What was I missing? Maybe the other half of my brain? :lol:

I saw the results being stored in the tab_#.dat last nite and I presume that the last time I looked at the INI was prior to the config opt being set and thus "proper" save being done and I never checked it again after that or didn't see the added cache data...so...can we rewind back and just ignore some of my less than intelligent posts in this thread? Please?

But...addressing what graham said...that's sorta how I ended up in this totally confuzed state :roll: ...what I saw as an intuitive feature wasn't to me...so I don't think it would be feature overload to have ability to force a save of results even though I may not have caching 'all-the-time' set on.

Re: Cached Search Results

Posted: 25 Sep 2009 10:33
by admin
j_c_hallgren wrote:
admin wrote:But you can reload the saved results even a month later now! What are you missing? It's all stored in "Find 40mb files.ini"...
What was I missing? Maybe the other half of my brain? :lol:

I saw the results being stored in the tab_#.dat last nite and I presume that the last time I looked at the INI was prior to the config opt being set and thus "proper" save being done and I never checked it again after that or didn't see the added cache data...so...can we rewind back and just ignore some of my less than intelligent posts in this thread? Please?

But...addressing what graham said...that's sorta how I ended up in this totally confuzed state :roll: ...what I saw as an intuitive feature wasn't to me...so I don't think it would be feature overload to have ability to force a save of results even though I may not have caching 'all-the-time' set on.
Well, I think allowing search template caching independently of search tab caching is a good thing and I will implement that. And it's more intuitive than the current state.