Failed search terms carried over.

[Ksepka]

If a user searches for a term that yields no results from the front page (fossilcalibrations.org) and there are no results, the search term gets carried over.

Example - search "turtle" and there are no results. The user may then add a clade filter "Reptilia" and update, but still get no results because "turtle" is still left in the top box. If "turtle" is deleted, the "Reptilia" clade feature yields good results.

I understand this should be evident to a smart user, but first timers may get confused and think there are no Reptilia at all because they either don't understand that "turtle" is ruining the search or they simply don't notice it was carried over.

Proposed solution - can we have that top field (left of "update" button) not carry over the previous search term?

[jimallman]

I'm not sure how to address this. The the old Search behavior didn't have this problem, since the tools were "additive" and focused on surfacing any calibrations of potential interest. The new behavior is deliberately "subtractive", with each tool used winnowing down the search results.

The surest way to avoid the confusion above is for the search tools to be mutually exclusive. For example, using the "By Age" filter would clear any prior choice in the clade filter, any search text, etc. To me, this seems confusing and much less powerful.

[Ksepka]

We definitely don't want to have the filters clear any search text from other filters every time. I think what Jim P. was aiming at here is that it would be nice if the search filters were all cleared after a failed search (one that turns up no results).

[jparham]

Yes, Dan K. Has articulated the issue. Failed searches should be cleared as adding terms will never help.

On Monday, December 22, 2014, Ksepka notifications@github.com wrote:

We definitely don't want to have the filters clear any search text from other filters every time. I think what Jim P. was aiming at here is that it would be nice if the search filters were all cleared after a failed search (one that turns up no results).

— Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub https://github.com/NESCent/FossilCalibrations/issues/69#issuecomment-67908045 .

Sent from my iPhone

[jimallman]

OK, I'll try to add this behavior, along with a prominent notice that the search has been cleared.

[Ksepka]

Sounds good - will test when ready.

[jimallman]

My main concern is that clearing a failed search is mysterious and they can't see the search that failed. For example, let's say the user tries a search "turtle". It has no results, so their search text is cleared. Now the user thinks, Wait, I searched for 'turtle'. Looks like it didn't see my search.

Or they might wonder, Maybe I misspelled it. Did I type 'turtles'? Guess I'll try again...

Note that there's already a notice for failed searches that suggests clearing text and filters (in black):

Could I just make this more prominent, like so?

[jimallman]

OK, I've beefed up the "failed search" messages and cleared the search widgets after a failed search. See fossils.ibang.com for the new behavior.

[Ksepka]

I like this solution.

[dleehr]

Pushed latest master branch to fossilcalibrations.org, so this is live there too.