Discussion | An interface that supports the use of multiple filters simultaneously

[Stamimail]

This is a hypothetical question:
Simultaneous use of multiple filters and a hierarchy of filters - If Everything wants it to be done by using the interface - What is the interface going to look like?

[raccoon]

Entertaining the hypothetical, but not entirely convinced this is a needed feature, I think the easiest implementation would be the addition of checkboxes in the Filter droplist. This might have to be done by changing the combobox to a listbox control, I'm not sure.

If multiple checkboxes are selected, then the Filter drop button would say "(Mixed)" or "(Multiple)".

[void]

I will consider an option to enable checkboxes for the filter bar drop down list.

What about holding down Ctrl when clicking another filter?
-from either the filter bar drop down list or Search menu.

You can currently select multiple filters in the filter sidebar with Ctrl or Shift.

Thank you for the suggestions.

[raccoon]

I use Ctrl and Shift for multi-select, but I understand that a lot of computer users are unfamiliar with these concepts and don't have very good hand coordination when it comes to pressing a keyboard key and the mouse at the same time. That I've witnessed at least. It's why I've previously suggested an option to give the Results window checkboxes for multi-select.

Maybe checkboxes for Filter and for Results can be an option toggle.

[Stamimail]

Sorry, I did not test the filters sidebar before.
It seems multiple selection of filters does the OR operation.
I added another filter to the list:
content:this (Search: content:this)

I selected the Document filter, and then with ctrl the "content:this" filter (2 filters selected).
I expected it to do the AND operation, but it didn't.

btw, I just now notice that if I put in the search:

filter:Document

it doesn't work. (If someone like me expected it to work.)

[void]

Multiple selected filters are ORed.

Some discussion here with ANDing/ORing filters
TABs in the filter sidebar would AND each tab.

A search builder is planned.
The search builder would allow you to add multiple filters and choose the AND/OR operation.

btw, I just now notice that if I put in the search: filter:Document it doesn't work. (If someone like me expected it to work.)

Please use macros.
For example:
doc:
audio:|video:
doc: mycontentmacro:this

Macros can be set from Search -> Organize filters -> Select filter -> Edit... -> Macro

[Stamimail]

TABs in the filter sidebar would AND each tab.

Great, thank you. Whatever you implement I'll be happy (except maybe tabs).

I do not know. The principle should be that the interface should make it clearer and easier than typing in the search box. So I think it's worth a discussion.
The same for "search builder". What is it going to look like anyway?

btw, I just now notice that if I put in the search: filter:Document it doesn't work. (If someone like me expected it to work.)

Use macros.

I just told you what I did intuitively. (I didn't think of doc:, but of filter:Document)

bug:
RightClick -> Edit... - didn't work for me.

I also tried to add another macro (alias), like:
Macro: doc;test
It didn't work for me. It allows only one macro named doc;test: to work.

[void]

The same for "search builder". What is it going to look like anyway?

The current design plan will be a line base list of search filters, which might look something like:


[select a filter...]


That is, a single line with [select a filter...] that will be a combobox of all search types in Everything, eg: size, date modified, basename, title, etc...

If I select Size, the search builder may look something like:

[size] is [between] [x] [MB] and [y] [MB] [remove]
[select a filter...]

You'll be able to click [between] to select the operator, which might be >= or < etc..
You can click [x] to set the start size
You can click [MB] to specify Bytes, KB, MB etc...
Click [remove] to remove the current filter.

If I fill out the Size information and add another filter for date modified, the search builder might look something like:

[size] is [>=] [100] [MB] [remove]
[date modified] is [between] [day1] and [day2] [remove]
[select a filter...]

There would be a special filter you can select to create an OR group of more search filters.

There would be a 'matches a filter' option to match documents, audio, video, etc...

I just told you what I did intuitively. (I didn't think of doc:, but of filter:Document)

I will consider a filter: search function that will allow you to specify a semicolon delimited list of filters by name.
eg:
filter:audio;video

Each filter in the list would be ORed.

Thanks for the suggestion.

bug:
RightClick -> Edit... - didn't work for me.

Thanks for the bug report.
A recent change broke this.
It will be fixed in the next alpha update.

[Stamimail]

The only alternative I think of at the moment is in the direction of, to do auto-completion, and a hint box (tooltip) while writing, as there is in a text editor of programmers.

I also tried to add another macro (alias), like:
Macro: doc;test
It didn't work for me. It allows only one macro named doc;test: to work.

This is what I meant that did not work.

[void]

Currently only one macro name is supported.

I will consider allowing multiple macro names.
Thank you for the suggestion.

[Stamimail]

The only alternative I think of at the moment is in the direction of, to do auto-completion, and a hint box (tooltip) while writing, as there is in a text editor of programmers.

Another idea is in the direction of 2 search bars. Typing in one search bar adds text in the other search bar. The first is short commands, and the second is verbal, or long commands.
Typing in the first bar
>=
will write in the second bar
greater than or equal to

Selecting from a dropdown in the second bar
greater than or equal to
will type in the first bar
>=

[void]

I will consider a second search bar for descriptive search commands.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[void]

Everything 1.5.0.1313a improves filters:

Hold down Control to toggle a filter from the Search menu.

Right click a filter from the Search menu to show a filter context menu.

Added a filter: search function to search a list of filters by name.
For example:
filter:audio;video

Fixed an issue with Right click -> Edit from the filter sidebar.

[Stamimail]

Everything 1.5.0.1313a improves filters:

Hold down Control to toggle a filter from the Search menu.

Right click a filter from the Search menu to show a filter context menu.

Added a filter: search function to search a list of filters by name.
For example:
filter:audio;video

It works.

It seems multiple selection of filters does the OR operation.
I added another filter to the list:
content:this (Search: content:this)

I selected the Document filter, and then with ctrl the "content:this" filter (2 filters selected).
I expected it to do the AND operation, but it didn't.

So I guess we have
filter:audio;video
where the symbol ";" means OR and we haven't a symbol that means AND. and not grouping.

I'm just mentioning it. That does not mean it needs to be fixed. I think we've had a discussion before about syntax.
filter(audio|video):
filter(audio video):

So for AND will we need to use the long way?

Code: Select all

<filter:Document filter:content:this>

[void]

Thank you for testing the filters changes.

So for AND will we need to use the long way?

Yes.

Preferably with:
audio: | video: mycontentmacro:"my content search"

Currently, filter:my-content-filer-name:"my content search" does not work (no parameters are passed with filter:).

[Stamimail]

Pay attention that "content:this" is currently a legitimate name for filter name.

[void]

Everything 1.5.0.1314a adds support for filter:filter-name:arguments


For example:
filter:my-content-filter-name:"my content search"
filter:audio;my-content-filter-name:"my content search";video



filter:

[Stamimail]

Pay attention that "content:this" is currently a legitimate name for filter name.

I asked about the ":" that is a valid name character. How Everything will know if ":" is a part of a name or specifies an argument?

[void]

Use double quotes (") to escape the colon:

filter:"content:this"