Searching Question

[TYA]

When I add additional search criteria following my initial search, I get illogical results.  Perhaps someone has a reasonable answer, but otherwise, please add this to my previous complaint about the "OR" search not working logically / intuitively (link).

 

This search (attached screenshot) is a 2-criteria search:

 

#1) for the Hebrew word aiyr ("donkey/ass")

"AND"

#2) English Content: "ass" (within the same article).

 

In other words, you could say that I'm scanning for the word "ass" as English content (or, in my mind, a gloss; and note: I hate being forced by Accordance to pick one filter or the other, which just adds work and confusion--hence my previous request for an "all / any" filter in addition to the existing ones) in this entry for Hebrew word aiyr.  (And note: this is where I would absolutely love to have the "Find on Page / Pane" available, as it would simplify my process, and get me what I want faster).

 

At any rate, this screenshot shows that I'm given a hit for "ass" far away from the original Hebrew entry for aiyr.  And so, in my mind, this compound (2-criteria) search isn't working properly.  I should only be given an occurrence of "ass" within the article (whatever that exactly means) for Hebrew word aiyr.

 

I appreciate Accordance' multifaceted and rich assortment of options (i.e. filters) to help the user narrow down what he or she is looking for.  And I would greatly appreciate an additional option for find "all / any," along with a Find on Page dialogue.  But as for this post tonight (and also the previous one), I just want things to work properly / logically.  Thank you so much.

Edited November 12, 2018 by TYA

[Joel Brown]

TYA:

 

Your search results are different from expected for two important reasons.

 

1) You selected the 'Hebrew/Aramaic Content' field.  This means you don't want the article for aiyr, but any article that discusses aiyr!  In your screenshot, this is being discussed in point (2) if you scroll down slightly.  Changing this to Hebrew Entry gives the correct results.

 

2) Your search scope is set to Main Article.  If you hover your cursor over that icon you can see the mode you are in.  For a work like BDB Complete that has very long articles with subarticles, the "Main Article" scope refers to the entire large article.  So, in your search results, your "ass" and the "Aiyr" in point 2 are all part of the very long article on בַּ֫יִת.  If you want hit results only within the same subarticle portion, I'd click on the Scope button to change it to just Article.  Now, I believe 'Main Article' is more intuitive to BDB Complete, so the best solution for your search is to take my advice in point (1) more than point (2).

 

I hope this helps clarify!

[TYA]

I hope this helps clarify!

 

Let me start from the end of your post: yes, it does help.  You are always so helpful, Joel, in part because you know your product so well.  I vote for a Nobel Peace Prize for you   But now let me backtrack just a bit.

 

You selected the 'Hebrew/Aramaic Content' field.  This means you don't want the article for aiyr, but any article that discusses aiyr!

 

Actually, to be technically accurate, I didn't select any filter in that field; it was defaulted.  Now I understand the distinction between "Content" and "Entry," but this goes back to my point about Accordance dictating things to me that I don't want.  I had no idea that I was already being limited by a search filter from the get-go.

 

But why the need to distinguish between so-called "Content" and an "Entry"?  Let me have a default filter for "All / any," and then I won't have to make seemingly arbitrary distinctions between things like title, reference, gloss, entry, article, main article, etc.  Sincerely, that is just confusing--especially when the filters actually change based on the work (!)

 

Now, I grant that there are certainly times that the distinctions here may be desired.  Great.  But if I want, I should be allowed to cast my net wider than the preset search filters, and let me brain do the analysis manually.

 

Having said all of this, if this issue (see Mark Allison's comment in post #5) has been fixed, then I'm somewhat happier knowing that I can manually "widen my search net" by adding "OR" filters that work properly, but I'd still prefer the "Any/All" approach in some cases.

 

For a work like BDB Complete that has very long articles with subarticles...

 

Okay, very helpful insight in how to be most effective searching BDB.  Again, you know your product very well.  But I don't want to have to know all these nuances about every work I purchase in Accordance (again, this could be hundreds).  I may be happy to know this, but I don't want to have to know this to perform fairly basic compound searches.

 

Part of the benefit of adding an "All" filter, as I've been requesting (and also the Find on Page utility), would be to take me to the next English spelling (e.g. "ass") without any consideration of whether Accordance considers it a title, gloss, or Scripture, or whether it is in the "article" or "main article."  Please, allow that option for users like me who want to take the red pill and break free of the "Matrix" of search filters for a moment.

Edited November 13, 2018 by TYA