EXPANDED SEARCH AND FIND USER INTERFACE

摘要

A search and find user interface is provided that is integrated with a data indexing engine to allow efficient and high-speed data search and retrieval across data storage folders associated with a given software module or associated with a number of disparate software modules. An expanded form of the search and find user interface is provided for advanced searching. Where searching is required beyond a present search scope, an automatic “upscoping” mechanism is provided for expanding a search to data storage folders outside a current data storage folder on which an initial search is executed.

主权项

1. A method for providing an expanded search and find email functionality comprising:
displaying, by a computing device, a user interface including a list pane and a search pane, the list pane initially including an unfiltered listing of email items, the search pane initially being in a simplified form and including a first textbox; receiving, by the computing device, entry of a free form alphanumeric first search query in the first textbox; receiving, by the computing device, a request to initiate the first search query; executing the first search query and displaying a first results list in the list pane, the first results list including one or more of the email items that match the first search query; receiving, by the computing device, a request to display an expanded form of the search pane that includes the first textbox and a plurality of additional textboxes, each of the additional textboxes being associated with a pre-selected property of the email items that defines a search criteria associated with the additional textbox, each pre-selected property being represented by a label adjacent to its associated additional textbox; receiving, by the computing device, entry of a search string in at least one of the additional textboxes; receiving, by the computing device, a request to initiate a second search query that includes the search string entered in the at least one additional textbox; removing the expanded form of the search pane and redisplaying the simplified form so that the first textbox is displayed without the additional textboxes, wherein the first textbox is populated with a syntax and structure of the second search query in response to removing the expanded form of the search pane and redisplaying the simplified form; and executing, by the computing device, the second search query and displaying a second results list in the list pane, the second results list including one or more of the email items having instances of the pre-selected property matching the search string in the second search query.