Search engine - software updates.

[geoff501]

Updates to the search engine software will be announced here.

To start the thread, I have added searching on initials. These should be entered without spaces. For example to search for John Philip Henry Smith, enter the initials as JPH in the Initials field.

The initials search field looks for a sub-string match, hence you will get the same result for this example by searching on JPH, JP, PH, J, P or H.

Don't forget that forenames (or initials) are often swapped, so try all possibilities.

Initials of results are now shown on the list.

I hope to add a full forename search at some later date, when the index has been built.

geoff

[geoff501]

Searching on forenames has now been added - but to UK units only at the moment. I'll add others asap.

The forename search works like the initials, it looks for a sub-string match. To use a previous example, if searching for Reginald Geoffrey Burnard, enter Burnard in the name field and either Geoffrey, Reginald (or just Reg) in the forename field.

If the initials field is also used, of course they must match also (in the correct order if more than one!)

cheers,

geoff

[geoff501]

I have put a WW2 regiment list here:

Geoff's WW2 Regiment List

(this is the same as the search engine regiment selector but in HTML format)

geoff

[Ron Goldstein]

have put a WW2 regiment list here:

Geoff's WW2 Regiment List

Hi Geoff
I'm obviously doing something wrong but my first and obvious search was for the 4th Queen's Own Hussars and they seem to be on the missing list.
Your usual fee for the answer
Ron

[geoff501]

Originally Posted by Ron Goldstein

Hi Geoff
I'm obviously doing something wrong but my first and obvious search was for the 4th Queen's Own Hussars and they seem to be on the missing list.
Your usual fee for the answer
Ron

Ron,

The list is at Regiment level, so I believe they are under Royal Armoured Corps.
4th QOH would be at battalion level?
I should perhaps produce a 'unit text' list also - might be quite a big file to list all units below all regiments.

Geoff

(I'll let you off the fee, if I'm correct, if you will fix my Linux server, been trying to get it to run for 3 days)

[geoff501]

I have now added an extra feature to the unit text field.
You can now choose to search for text beginning with or containing or exact match.

This allows for better filtering. For example, previously a search for 4th Bn would also find records for 14th Bn since the search only looked for a partial match. You should now be able to filter on 4th Bn and not get any other matches.

If you are searching for a ship, enter the name only and select the containing button. However if the name is very common then add the prefix (HMS, SS, etc).


regards,

geoff

[Paul Reed]

Excellent stuff, Geoff - I know I keep saying it, but it really is an excellent resource.