complex saved searches

kate.nyhan
Hi, I was reading this info at https://www.zotero.org/support/searching.
Complex Search Criteria
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 great, but I have a question about how to achieve the (a or b) chunk.
If I do a saved search with an or statement inside a single line, it doesn't seem to work. Does each term have to be on its own separate line? That is, if I want to search for records that contain "intervention" or "nudg" in the title or abstract, do I need four separate lines in the saved search:
title contains intervention
abstract contains intervention
title contains nudg
abstract contains nudg

Or is there a simpler way to achieve this?
Thanks
  • adamsmith
    Correct, currently there is no search syntax, so a new line for each search term/element.
  • kate.nyhan
    Thanks
  • charpent
    Some support of search syntax would be a great help.

    BTW : it is currently impossible to specify a saved search as a source collectrion ; the trick mentionned in https://www.zotero.org/support/searching can no longer be used.

    And that is a serious pain in the asterisk...
  • adamsmith
    BTW : it is currently impossible to specify a saved search as a source collection
    Can you say more? That works for me.
  • charpent
    > Can you say more? That works for me.

    I retract that : The box querying the parameters lists the saved search *after* all the "true collections". I found it at my Nth trial...

    But this reinforces my point on the need for some support for a syntax : typing " a AND (b or c) and not (d and (e or f))" is waaaay faster than mousing though 6 scrolling lists and three sub-boxes...

    Even better : give us a (read-only) SQL access for queries...

    My personal quirk : I HATE mousodroms...

    And now for something completely different : is there a documentation for the markup language accepted by this forum ?
  • adamsmith
    And now for something completely different : is there a documentation for the markup language accepted by this forum ?
    it just takes standard filtered HTML, so <blockquote> <i> <strong> etc. all work. I thought this was somewhere in the documentation, but can't find it right now.
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