Search and search functionality are such an important feature to ensure information can be correctly disseminated, we wonder why it is still (1.17, 1.18) not possible in the advanced search screen to have some predefined input boxes that

• Allow to choose syntax options via dropdown box such as "intitle:", "incategory:", "prefix:" or
• Allow to initiate OR and AND compound search

An advanced option field is already in existence but only allows to select/un-select namespaces to be searched, defining additional options can surely by implemented through a Mediawiki:AdvancedSearchOption page which stores options available.

Aside storing and handling of data, the second most needed functionality for a wiki is the search. Having only one input field for handling such an important task might solve the need for a majority (handling a simple search term) but certainly is a challenge for more advanced users trying to find what they are looking for.

Any larger website (EBSCO, ProQuest etc.) that handles certain amount of information has advanced search input features. A user can choose to limit the search term not by remembering a specific search syntax but by selecting options that allow a fine grained search functionality.

Extensions like SphinxSearch or Lucene could use those inputs to direct the search and hopefully increase usability for the user and accuracy of the search result.

Wikisource badly needs an "inauthor" search parameter, a standard feature on most document databases. Ability to make efficient searches is so important to knowledge stores that I am in favour of upgrading the importance of this issue from "low". I have moved it to "normal" - hope I am not acting out of turn, imo it should be even higher.

(In reply to comment #2)

Wikisource badly needs an "inauthor" search parameter, a standard feature on
most document databases. Ability to make efficient searches is so important to
knowledge stores that I am in favour of upgrading the importance of this issue
from "low". I have moved it to "normal" - hope I am not acting out of turn,
imo it should be even higher.

Note, for requesting an inauthor: search parameter, you should probably open a new bug. This bug is more about making user friendly input boxes on the advanced search page for the search options that already exist. (if you do file a new bug, be sure to be clear on how you define the "author" of a document - I imagine you are not referring to the wikiuser who created the page)

(In reply to comment #3)

(In reply to comment #2)

Wikisource badly needs an "inauthor" search parameter, a standard feature on
most document databases. Ability to make efficient searches is so important to
knowledge stores that I am in favour of upgrading the importance of this issue
from "low". I have moved it to "normal" - hope I am not acting out of turn,
imo it should be even higher.

Note, for requesting an inauthor: search parameter, you should probably open a
new bug. This bug is more about making user friendly input boxes on the
advanced search page for the search options that already exist. (if you do file
a new bug, be sure to be clear on how you define the "author" of a document - I
imagine you are not referring to the wikiuser who created the page)

Opened bug 34011

Some other advanced search forms:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/ebayadvsearch/?rt=nc
https://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=wikipedia

Much can already be done with the existing functionality. It's little more than a query builder I guess.

Current capabilities: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Searching and future capabilities https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Search/CirrusSearchFeatures

By coincidence, I just came across the SpecialSearchPowerBox hook (for the advanced profile) which allows to add additional custom query fields to the "$showSections" but it soon becomes clear that this doesn't help much because once you click on the prev/next (+20, +50) link all options declared by an additional form field are gone ("$opts" hook parameter is immutable and one has no access to the "extraParams" array) making any option invalid for usage by a wider search radius.

This has been open for quite some time and I don't think we will see any improvements on this topic anytime soon (more precisely never).

The whole search UI needs a rethink.

In T23988#1000883, @mwjames wrote:

By coincidence, I just came across the SpecialSearchPowerBox hook (for the advanced profile) which allows to add additional custom query fields to the "$showSections" but it soon becomes clear that this doesn't help much because once you click on the prev/next (+20, +50) link all options declared by an additional form field are gone ("$opts" hook parameter is immutable and one has no access to the "extraParams" array) making any option invalid for usage by a wider search radius.

Sounds like a separate bug ticket? If a hook is known not to work, and no one is interested in fixing it, it should at least be deprecated.

I made a basic js prototype for a commons specific advanced advanced search feature (somewhat limited by what Cirrus currently supports) at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Bawolff/search.js