Search

Modular structure

The Intrexx search system is modular in a multi-tiered manner to guarantee the greatest level of flexibility.

Search plugins

Search plugins help you to search through the various entities used in the portal such as application data or files. It is possible to add plugins that are tailored to your individual needs. A set of five standard plugins is already available, these cover the most common requirements. These plugins are for:

• Application data including the files that belong to it
• Files from FileWalker connections
• Menu structure
• Tagging
• Intrexx Share

Search modules for Connectors

Searching through application data uses the search plugin for application data. This is usually sufficient for systems connected using a Connector because SQL-based data storage systems can be indexed and searched through using it. By default, these are:

• Database systems with JDBC drivers
• Lotus Notes
• SAP Business One
• Abacus

In cases where it is not possible or desired to perform a global indexing (e.g. because a login with all of the permissions is not available), the search modules for the Connectors can be employed. These make used of the external system's own search functions. Currently, modules are available for the following external sources:

• dg hyparchive
• M-Files
• Odata
• Gateway
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Exchange

Search engine adapter

Intrexx uses an external search engine for searching and indexing. The adapter for Apache Solr is provided with the delivered package and is installed when using the standard configuration. The Solr Adapter supports the Intrexx Portal Server, external individual instances and the SolrCloud installation.

Solr search server

The Apache Solr server runs as an individual process. If a single process is not enough, Apache Solr can also be run as a Cloud installation. Indexing FileWalker directories uses the Solr server, the portal server is not involved here. Apache Solr can be configured in many ways. Intrexx defines logical default settings when setting up the server but does not overwrite modifications so that almost no limits are set for implementing your individual requirements.

Functional features

Search results format with view pages

Search results can be processed as needed using view pages in addition to button configurations.

Ranking

The following criteria affect the ranking of search results:

• Textual quality of the hit
• Date / Currentness
• Priority of the search configuration (application)
• Priority of the data record (priorities are determined by the data fields' content)
• Likes in Intrexx Share

The user can choose between using the settings determined by the administrator or to use his own.

Sorting

The search results can be sorted independently from the ranking, if for example the hit quality does not have the first priority when being displayed. The following sortings are available:

• Ranking (default setting)
• Date
• Application priority + ranking
• Application priority + date
• Application title + ranking
• Application title + date

Here as well, the user can choose between using the settings determined by the administrator or to use his own.

Filtering / Faceted search

The search result can be filtered according to the users' requirements by using the desired applications or facets. Facets (e.g. "Industries") can be defined by the administrator and assigned to individual data fields. When searching, the user is shown the facets that can be used for the context and can then filter the information precisely (e.g. Industry = "IT industry"). To support the user in this, the available values are presented as buttons.

Multilingualism

The search module is multilingual. The application's developer can determine the languages that the data is indexed and searched through in. The different language indexes can contain various fields. Users select which language they'd like to search in. Depending on the language chose, different search result lists will be displayed.

Suggestion lists

When users enter search terms, corresponding suggestions will be displayed. By default, Intrexx takes these terms from the data being searched through. Dictionary sources, e.g. specialist terms databases, are also available. These can be integrated by making a corresponding modification to the Solr configuration.

Show search suggestions

With this setting, suggestions will be shown when users begin entering search terms. Please note that the setting "Show search suggestions" also needs to be activated for the additional control Search in the Design module for this to work in the portal-wide search.

Spellchecker

If a search term is sent with potentially incorrect spelling, an option will be displayed on the answer page as well as the found results. This option offers the user to select the correct term and then to search by this term. Alternatively, the system can automatically search for the correct term straight away, based on a rule.

Search term statistics

The search can anonymously keep track of the search terms in a file. In the Portal Manager, an area is available with a selection of interpretation options, e.g. most popular search terms and trending searches. The protocol file contains JSON data so that individual, browser-based interpretations can be implemented easily.

Additional functions

• Database content and files connected to it can be search through together. For example, by entering the search term "Book Edgar Allan Poe", it is possible to find article data records with the type "Book" that have attachments that contain "Edgar Allan Poe".
• Database content can be searched through using various interconnected data records (Parent/Child relationships or references).
• Search configurations have their own permissions meaning that tailor-made searches can be implemented for each user group.
• Intrexx Share is also searched through in the global search.
• By clicking on a hit, you can jump to the parent data set.
• The search result display now controls forward paging, the results list is no longer limited to a specified length.

More information

Settings in the Tools module
Searching in the Applications module
Search in the Design module Search syntax