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Rick Yentzer

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In the 6 years that I've been using Accordance I've never had a search that extended more than one line. This caused me to wonder if anyone else has done a multi-line search? Maybe it's for those who study the original languages?

 

On a small monitor, as mentioned in another thread, the search menu takes up a lot of room.

 

Do you, or have you ever done a multi-line search or is one line enough in the search bar?

 

I can't think of any other mac app that has multi-line search, they are all single line and usually allow you to put in any length of a string of text.

 

Simply curious.

 

Thanks,

Rick

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Rick,

 

It happens frequently for me, but it's not when searching for words, but rather a long series of specific texts/verses.

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In the 6 years that I've been using Accordance I've never had a search that extended more than one line. This caused me to wonder if anyone else has done a multi-line search? Maybe it's for those who study the original languages?

 

On a small monitor, as mentioned in another thread, the search menu takes up a lot of room.

 

Do you, or have you ever done a multi-line search or is one line enough in the search bar?

 

I can't think of any other mac app that has multi-line search, they are all single line and usually allow you to put in any length of a string of text.

 

Simply curious.

 

Thanks,

Rick

 

 

Hi, Rick!

 

You post made me wonder if you have your search entry box set too large somehow. Are you aware that its size can be adjusted? Just drag the dot in the divider bar up or down.

post-29215-023482400 1316565371_thumb.png

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Hi, Rick!

 

You post made me wonder if you have your search entry box set too large somehow. Are you aware that its size can be adjusted? Just drag the dot in the divider bar up or down.

 

Hey Dr. J,

I have it set to it's minimum height. Mainly what I'm referring to is that the Accordance search "area" allows for multiple lines of text to be typed and viewed.

 

If you look at Safari, Mail, etc. You'll see a single line search bar. This does not limit you to searching only a single line of text, you could type a paragraph in there and hit return.

 

I can also do this in Accordance, type multiple lines or single lines or word or two. I'll attach two screenshots in order to get a visual on what I'm referring to.

One is Accordance, the other is from Safari.

post-548-001618300 1316566466_thumb.png

post-548-028660000 1316566477_thumb.png

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Rick,

 

At this point, I am not sure I follow what you're talking about.

I, and probably many others, occasionally have an entry in the search box that is longer than one line, so it's great that the search box wraps and can be expanded to view multiple lines.

It would be extremely lame for the search box not to wrap (e.g.. Safari and Mail), so that you couldn't see all of your search criteria at once.

Surely you're not suggesting that?

 

Also, just to make sure, don't confuse the terminology "multiple lines" with "multiple paragraphs". Multiple lines are just a single paragraph that wraps around. You can't have multiple paragraphs in a search criteria in the search box in Accordance. If you paste in text that has multiple paragraphs, Accordance strips the paragraph marks and places a comma in its place.

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The additional space in the search entry is welcomed in my opinion, especially when it comes to constructing searches based on various meta data (e.g., using the search commands along with various phrases clauses, etc.). The benefit of seeing the entire search string is amenable for quick verification of search or alteration thereof.

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Rick,

 

At this point, I am not sure I follow what you're talking about.

I, and probably many others, occasionally have an entry in the search box that is longer than one line, so it's great that the search box wraps and can be expanded to view multiple lines.

It would be extremely lame for the search box not to wrap (e.g.. Safari and Mail), so that you couldn't see all of your search criteria at once.

Surely you're not suggesting that?

 

Also, just to make sure, don't confuse the terminology "multiple lines" with "multiple paragraphs". Multiple lines are just a single paragraph that wraps around. You can't have multiple paragraphs in a search criteria in the search box in Accordance. If you paste in text that has multiple paragraphs, Accordance strips the paragraph marks and places a comma in its place.

 

Joe, it sounds as if you understand what I'm getting at. In my opinion a multiple line

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...In my opinion a multiple line
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Your comparison to "one line" quick string search as found in Spotlight, Mail, or Safari is a poor comparison. The nature of the search field in Accordance is much more like the search field present in "Find" dialog boxes of text editors/word processors. They all are multi-line in practice. (Just see the outcry against the quick-search implemented in Word 2011 as an example of this necessity, whereas they added a quick search but users complained because they didn't know immediately how to get to the regular, fully functional find box.)

 

I don't understand how this is a "poor" comparison. It's a more standard way of implementing a search when it is part of the main window. Accordance's search IS part of the main window. I know of no other application that has a multi line search that is not a separate dialog box.

 

They all are multi-line in practice.

This is ONLY if they are in a dialog box and NOT in the main window.

TextEdit is single line, in the menubar.

Mellel is multi-line, as a dialog box.

NeoOffice is single line, as dialog box.

In Word 2011, both are single line, the one in the main window and the dialog box.

 

I have a 23" monitor which makes it difficult for reading. However I adjust my window for optimal reading. The screenshot was not my workspace, I simply opened a new workspace to create a screenshot.

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I don't understand how this is a "poor" comparison. It's a more standard way of implementing a search when it is part of the main window. Accordance's search IS part of the main window. I know of no other application that has a multi line search that is not a separate dialog box.

This is ONLY if they are in a dialog box and NOT in the main window.

The determining factor for the search box format isn't whether a search box is built into the primary window. The determining factor is how important complex searching is. You for sure can see some parallel for dedicated search dialogs, since the occurrence of a dedicated dialog box indicates the importance of the searching capability in that instance.

 

The primary function of single-line search boxes is for quick and dirty finds, in apps where there is little emphasis on complex search needs (short search strings).

 

The primary function of dedicated search dialogs is to really do a good job at searches, when complex search capabilities are desirable (long search strings). In fact, searching is so important in Accordance, that not only are the search boxes multi-line capable and great for long search strings, they are even built into the primary window.

 

I still don't understand advocating for removing line wrap and the potential for expanding the box, when folks who do not do longer, complex searching can simply keep the box minimized to one line and not lose any space.

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I still don't understand advocating for removing line wrap and the potential for expanding the box, when folks who do not do longer, complex searching can simply keep the box minimized to one line and not lose any space.

 

I'm not advocating a single line search. I WAS asking how many people use a multiple line search in Accordance to do a search. It was a question born out of curiosity.

 

An web dev application that I use on a daily basis has a single search in the window. When I need a more complex search, which is frequent, a quick key command pops up a find dialog with more advanced options. I personally think that is a better solution. On my ibook the entire search section of the window takes up a lot of screen real estate. On a 23" monitor it doesn't matter.

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That model is similar to other apps that have a two phase option, as in latest Word for Mac, as we've both observed.

I don't see how a non-wrapping search box would take up any less screen real estate. Longtime users can remember when Accordance finally took some search options and put them into a disclosure triangle "More options" area to save screen real estate.

One problem with a detached dialog in Accordance is multiple Search windows are often open for many of us. As for how often searches wrap, who knows.

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