Complex Boolean search - error

timothyl365
I am running 5.0.52 on Win 10.

My entire library has 8084 items and I am trying to perform a complex Boolean search, as described in the "advanced search" portion of the online documentation.

search #1 generates 876 items
search #2 generates 4644 items
combining #1 + #2 generates "An error has occurred. Please restart Zotero"

Error ID: 1109037419

The instructions provided indicate "and", which seems to correspond to "all" in the current UI. The operator "or" seems to correspond to "any" in the current UI.
  • timothyl365
    That is, "Match all of the following:"..."Match any of the following:".
  • dstillman
    Could you share what the exact conditions are that you're using in each search? (We don't need the search terms, but we need to know the exact conditions and operators in use.)
  • timothyl365
    Thank-you, yes.

    Collection 1
    Search in library: My Library
    Match any of the following
    Attachment contains A (3 words)
    Attachment contains B (1 word)
    Attachment contains C (1 word)
    Attachment contains D (1 word)
    Attachment contains E (2 words)
    Attachment contains F (1 word)
    [no boxes checked at bottom]

    Collection 2
    Search in library: My Library
    Match any of the following
    Attachment contains G (1 word)
    [no boxes checked at bottom]

    Collection 3
    Search in library: My Library
    Match all of the following
    Collection is Collection 1
    Collection is Collection 2
    [no boxes checked at bottom]

    FWIW, collections 1 & 2 contain an HTML report generated by Zotero.
  • timothyl365
    Also, it is my understanding that searching thus:

    Attachment contains apple OR orange...

    ...will generate results only if the exact phrase "apple or orange" is in the PDF, which is not the point.
  • dstillman
    Can you try the latest Zotero beta and see if that fixes the error for you?
    Attachment contains apple OR orange...

    ...will generate results only if the exact phrase "apple or orange" is in the PDF, which is not the point.
    This isn't a universal syntax, and it's not supported in Zotero.
  • timothyl365
    Yes, it works with the beta build. Thank-you.

    Collection 1: 866 items
    Collection 2: 4644 items
    Collections 1+2: 291 items

    Regarding the syntax issue, I was referring to the language used in the support section of the website called "Complex Search Criteria", merely to note how that language does not correspond with the present UI.
  • dstillman
    This syntax has never been supported, and the support page doesn't actually say it does:
    It is possible to run complex Boolean searches by using multiple Saved Searches. For example, to run the search (a OR b) AND (c OR d), first make a Saved Search called “Condition1” for (a OR b), then make a Saved Search called “Condition2” for (c OR d). Finally, run a third Advanced Search and search for “Collection” “is” “Condition1” AND “Collection” “is” “Condition2”.
    This is explaining how you can use nested searches to model boolean logic — it's not saying that you literally enter "a OR b". But I agree that it could be clearer and could explain that you use ANY/ALL searches to do that.
  • timothyl365
    Understood. Thanks again. Other users may find clarity in this thread as well, so that is good.
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