Setting up Word Search

There are two ways to search for text in an iBase database, using Word Search or Search 360 (in SQL Server databases only). Word Search allows you to index and search specific field types.

Word Search can search fields of the following types:

  • Hyperlink
  • Multi-Line Text and Multi-Line Text (Append Only)
  • Security Classification Code
  • Selected from Code List
  • Suggested from Code List
  • Text

To provide users with Word Search you must:

  • Define how to create the index, by specifying which fields you want indexed.
  • Create the index.
  • Ensure that maintenance of the database includes rebuilding of the index at appropriate times. You must start each rebuild of the index.

More about Word Search indexes

Word Search indexing is performed within the database system. The indexes are stored in database tables. The location of the tables varies for different types of databases:

  • In SQL Server databases, the Word Search index is stored in the main database. Backing up the database is sufficient to back up the index.
  • In Microsoft Access databases, the Word Search index is stored in a separate database, created in the same folder as the database file. If the database is called dbname.idb, the index file is called dbname.idx. Add the dbname.idx file to your backup lists.
Note: The .idx file is a password-protected database file, which you can open in Microsoft Access if you want to. The password is the database password that you can see in the Advanced page of the Options dialog.

Building a Word Search index

The build process is used to generate an index of words in the parts of the database chosen for indexing and the records in which the words occur.

A full build scans all chosen records and generates a new index.

An incremental build scans only those records that have changed since the last full build was performed, and modifies an existing index.

Any change to the build conditions, for example the indexing of an additional field, means that you must delete the index first, and then perform a full build.

Quick Start

Here is an overview of the procedure for building a Word Search index.

  1. Select Tools > Search Word Search Indexing.
  2. If there is an existing index, click Delete Index.
  3. Make any configuration changes. It can take several minutes to create a Word Search index for a large database. If you want to make an index for testing, it is enough to select just one entity type or link type in the Fields page of the dialog.
  4. Click Full Build.

    iBase Designer displays the Word Search Index Build dialog to help you monitor the progress of the build.

    While the build is progressing, the dialog contains two progress bars. The upper bar shows progress through each table, corresponding to each selected entity or link type. The lower bar shows the total word count for the index.
    Note: You can click Stop to abandon the build if it is proceeding slowly, but this leaves an incomplete index. If you click Stop, delete the index to avoid anybody using the incomplete index.
  5. When the build is complete, the dialog changes to display a summary of the words and the time taken. Click OK to close the dialog.

At this point, you can inspect the index using the Index Browser page of the Word Search Administration dialog or exit iBase Designer. Any permitted user can start iBase and use the word search index, by selecting Analysis > Word Search. Users can also see a read-only version of the dialog that you have used in iBase Designer, enabling them to see which fields are indexed.