Advanced Search Documentation

Current Problem:

The current web page is a simplistic version of the new advanced search. There are two main differences: the new search page uses drop boxes and check boxes to simplify the user interface, and new fields have been added to accomodate for the now larger database.

In order to allow for all possible search combinations we chose to display all possible fields in the advanced search page, those fields are as follows:

Taxonomy-

· Keyword: text box

· Problem- The current search strategy is to have a field for all properties Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. This is a problem because it is a waste of space, if a search is made on a species name then the rest of the fields are not needed, and since a species name does not overlap with any other field there does not need to be a distinction for which field is searched on.

· Solution- Have only one text box for a general search, the search algorithm will run through all data fields and find a match.

· Sex: check box

· Problem- The current search option allows the user to enter text freely, but the user does not know if female is stored as the string “female” or “f” or if capitalization makes a difference.

· Solution- To eliminate confusion, three check boxes were made, one for male, one for female, and one for other (in case a specimen cannot be identified).

· Taxon Name: text box

· Problem- too many options are available for this field.

· Solution- use a text box and let the user figure out what he/she wants to search for.

· Stage: drop box

· Problem- The current search option allows the user to enter text freely, which could lead to user error.

· Solution- Limit the user, display only the development stages that are represented in the database.

· Identified by: text box

· Problem- No problem found with the existing page.

· Date Identified: two sets of drop boxes

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Create two sets of drop boxes to allow a user to select a range or dates, drop boxes are used to avoid formatting problems when entering text.

· Identifiers: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Create a text box to allow the user to search, a drop box cannot be used because of the enormous range of values.

Annotation/Image

· User: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Create a text box to allow the user to search for an image or annotation made by another user.

· Annotation type: drop box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Since there are a limited number of options, we created a drop box containing those options, therefore limiting the errors the user can make.

· Date Identified: two sets of drop boxes

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Use two sets of drop boxes to define a date range going from the first Image/Annotation to the latest.

· Body part: drop box

· Problem- While the body parts are probably the easiest for the biologists to simply type in, it is a waste of time to have to type in the name of the body part.

· Solution- Use a drop box, populated with a list of all the body parts photographed.

· View angle: drop box

· Problem- Current search text box is too vague; the user does not know what kind of input the search is expecting.

· Solution- Since the view angles are standard, a drop box can be used.

· Technique: text box

· Comment- No problem found with the existing page.

· Accession number: text box

· Comment- No problem found with the existing page.

· Annotation content: text field (4X40)

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- This field will allow the user to enter a sting for a search in the notes section of the data.

Specimen

· Collector: text box

· Comment- No problem found with the existing page.

· Preparation Type: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- The range of data is too great for a drop box, so a text box is used.

· Developmental Stage: drop box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- The confined range of data allows for a drop box populated with all the developmental stages.

· Scientific Name: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- The range of data is too great for a drop box, so a text box is used.

· Sub-Species: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- The range of data is too great for a drop box, so a text box is used.

· Notes: text field (4X40)

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- This field will allow the user to enter a sting for a search in the notes section of the data.

· Institution Code: drop box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Populate the drop box with all the institution codes from the database.

· Collection Code: text box

· Comment- this is what use to be the specimen ID.

· Field Number: drop box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Populate the drop box with all the field numbers from the database.

· Date Identified: two sets of drop boxes

· Problem- Currently this field is a text box, a user does not know the format the text must be entered in.

· Solution- Use two sets of drop boxes populated with all dates since the first sample to the last, this will allow for a date range.

· Time Collected: two sets of drop boxes

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Add two sets of drop boxes (using military time, 24 hour clock) to allow for a time range.

· Continent/Ocean: drop box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution-This will be populated with all the continents and oceans that are entered into the database.

· Country: drop box

· Problem- Field already exists but does not account for spelling errors, the field is too prone to user error.

· Solution- This will be populated automatically from the selection of the continent/ocean, if the continent/ocean is not selected then all countries will be displayed.

· State/Province: drop box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- This will be populated automatically from the selection of the country, if no country is selected, it’ll go up the ranking until continent/ocean field is reached, if that is not selected then all states/provinces will be displayed.

· County: drop box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- This will be populated automatically from the selection of the state, if no state is selected, it’ll go up the ranking until continent/ocean field is reached, if that is not selected then all counties will be displayed.

· Locality: text box

· Problem- No problem found with the existing page.

· Latitude: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Use a text box due to the massive range in data.

· Longtitude: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Use a text box due to the massive range in data.

· Min. Elevation: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Use a text box due to the massive range in data.

· Max. Elevation: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Use a text box due to the massive range in data.

· Min. Depth: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Use a text box due to the massive range in data.

· Max. Depth: text box

· Problem- New field, search option does not exist yet.

· Solution- Use a text box due to the massive range in data.