Webmail's search facility doesn't appear to work

genegold99 · 20 Mar 2013, 07:43 AM

While looking at my Trash folder, if I do a Ctl-F search in Opera on a word that's obviously present in the list, all the examples showing on the screen are highlighted, but if I do the same search in Webmail, anywhere from "no results" to a small proportion of the possibilities show up. Advanced search isn't any better. For example, I was just looking in Trash for an email from "Vimeo support" with "Re: Other Question: email from Vimeo" as the subject. It's there - I'm looking at it - but with either "vim" or "vimeo" as the search term, regular and advanced searches returns "no results." Likewise, there are numerous items with "cross" in the subject line, but only two show up with either kind of search and from another folder. The default search parameter appears to be "all mail," but does it in fact exclude Trash?

n5bb · 20 Mar 2013, 08:58 AM

Which webmail system are you using? Normal, beta,classic normal, classic beta?

Fastmail has been working on the search in the normal and beta logins (non-classic). The normal login search only looks at the subject and addressing fields. The beta login now looks at the subject, addressing fields, and body -- and is very fast so the beta must use a pre-indexed search. The beta search looks for similar words, so a search for "entitled" (quotes not needed) finds "entitled", "entitle", "entitlement", "Entitlements", etc. Case is always ignored in the search terms except for use of the logical operators OR, AND, and NOT (which must be capitalized to act as logical operators). So a search for "Bob AND NOT jones" will find messages which contain "bob" but do not contain "jones" in the addressing fields, subject, or body.

In the current interface you can choose to look only at one folder or in all mail folders. The all mail search ignores messages in the Trash or Spam (Junk Mail) folder, but you can search for messages only in Trash or Junk Mail and they will be found.

The beta current AJAX interface search is working well for me right now, but it is beta so might be buggy or not work for all accounts if their indexing isn't up to date. Try again and see what happens.

Bill

genegold99 · 20 Mar 2013, 09:06 AM

I'm using the beta (but not with the "conversations" layout). You're saying that the advanced search doesn't look at the Trash folder unless that folder is chosen; does the standard search box also skip it? I like everything included. Thanks,

n5bb · 20 Mar 2013, 09:52 AM

I wasn't describing the Advanced search. Just log into http://beta.fastmail.fm (without checking classic) and enter search terms in the Search email box. This currently searches all folders except Trash and Spam (Junk Mail) if you choose All mail. But, as I said, you can search any single folder, including those two. This works in either conversation grouped (threaded) or separate message modes.

If you enter several search terms, it searches for the terms with an implied AND. So searching for "gene gold" will find messages which have both "gene" and "gold" (or similar words such as plurals).

You can also use the Advanced search, and it works similarly. If you want to search your Trash folder you must select only that one folder to search. In an "All mail" search, the results show the folder at the right (under the date).

Bill

robn · 20 Mar 2013, 10:03 AM

Just fyi, the new search stuff on beta does use an index, which may or may not be up to date for any given user. We're still building out the infrastructure to make it always up-to-date everywhere. So you may find that it doesn't always return all the results you expect, especially very recent messages.

This only applies to beta, of course. We won't be pushing the new search to production until the all the new indexing stuff is live and stable.

genegold99 · 20 Mar 2013, 10:05 AM

n5bb wrote: "...This currently searches all folders except Trash and Spam (Junk Mail) if you choose All mail."

Choose All Mail where? The only way I see to choose is in Advanced. While I would like to see Trash included by default - and assuming Trash was included is where my OP came from - I can see where others might not want it that way. Maybe which folders are included in the default search could be a user setting?

n5bb · 20 Mar 2013, 10:14 AM

After you search as I described, you will see a Searching tool appear at the top of the search results. This tool lets you choose All mail or a specific folder.

Bill

genegold99 · 20 Mar 2013, 10:30 AM

Ok, I see. Thanks. Still prefer Trash included in All Mail if the user desires.

Kudbe · 2 Apr 2013, 02:06 AM

In the normal (new) interface in Safari 5.0.6 (not the latest version) I can't even find the Advanced search screen - where is it?

n5bb · 2 Apr 2013, 08:53 AM

The Advanced search screen is only available if you log in at beta URL http://beta.fastmail.fm (without checking classic). This works fine in Safari for me on a PC or iPad.

You then must select (click with your mouse or touch on the iPad) the Search field. You should see an Advanced search... popup adjacent to the Search field.
Select Advanced search... and you should see a new Search for messages... popup. If you fill in some of the fields and click the Search button, the corresponding search field commands will populate the Search field.
To exit a search, click the x at the right end of the Search field or select any folder (such as Inbox).
This works similarly with the iPad, although the search box may appear in a different location on the screen.
Fastmail has made several recent changes to the beta screens. For example, you now must click your email address in the upper right to select the Settings, Account, Help, and Log out features.

Bill

yassarali · 2 Apr 2013, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n5bb

The Advanced search screen is only available if you log in at beta URL http://beta.fastmail.fm (without checking classic).

Its now rolled out to production:

http://blog.fastmail.fm/2013/04/02/f...s-all-folders/

-Yassar.

n5bb · 4 Jun 2013, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genegold99

Ok, I see. Thanks. Still prefer Trash included in All Mail if the user desires.

You can now use the Include Spam and Trash in search checkbox near the top of the Advanced search popup. I'm not sure when this was added, but I think it was after the new search features made it to the production server.

Bill

20 Mar 2013, 07:43 AM	#1
genegold99 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 112	Webmail's search facility doesn't appear to work While looking at my Trash folder, if I do a Ctl-F search in Opera on a word that's obviously present in the list, all the examples showing on the screen are highlighted, but if I do the same search in Webmail, anywhere from "no results" to a small proportion of the possibilities show up. Advanced search isn't any better. For example, I was just looking in Trash for an email from "Vimeo support" with "Re: Other Question: email from Vimeo" as the subject. It's there - I'm looking at it - but with either "vim" or "vimeo" as the search term, regular and advanced searches returns "no results." Likewise, there are numerous items with "cross" in the subject line, but only two show up with either kind of search and from another folder. The default search parameter appears to be "all mail," but does it in fact exclude Trash? Last edited by genegold99 : 20 Mar 2013 at 07:52 AM.

20 Mar 2013, 08:58 AM	#2
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,929	Current AJAX beta search works on addresses, subject, and body Which webmail system are you using? Normal, beta,classic normal, classic beta? Fastmail has been working on the search in the normal and beta logins (non-classic). The normal login search only looks at the subject and addressing fields. The beta login now looks at the subject, addressing fields, and body -- and is very fast so the beta must use a pre-indexed search. The beta search looks for similar words, so a search for "entitled" (quotes not needed) finds "entitled", "entitle", "entitlement", "Entitlements", etc. Case is always ignored in the search terms except for use of the logical operators OR, AND, and NOT (which must be capitalized to act as logical operators). So a search for "Bob AND NOT jones" will find messages which contain "bob" but do not contain "jones" in the addressing fields, subject, or body. In the current interface you can choose to look only at one folder or in all mail folders. The all mail search ignores messages in the Trash or Spam (Junk Mail) folder, but you can search for messages only in Trash or Junk Mail and they will be found. The beta current AJAX interface search is working well for me right now, but it is beta so might be buggy or not work for all accounts if their indexing isn't up to date. Try again and see what happens. Bill

20 Mar 2013, 09:52 AM	#4
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,929	You can't search Trash or Spam folders using "All Mail" I wasn't describing the Advanced search. Just log into http://beta.fastmail.fm (without checking classic) and enter search terms in the Search email box. This currently searches all folders except Trash and Spam (Junk Mail) if you choose All mail. But, as I said, you can search any single folder, including those two. This works in either conversation grouped (threaded) or separate message modes. If you enter several search terms, it searches for the terms with an implied AND. So searching for "gene gold" will find messages which have both "gene" and "gold" (or similar words such as plurals). You can also use the Advanced search, and it works similarly. If you want to search your Trash folder you must select only that one folder to search. In an "All mail" search, the results show the folder at the right (under the date). Bill

2 Apr 2013, 08:53 AM	#10
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,929	The Advanced search screen is only available if you log in at beta URL http://beta.fastmail.fm (without checking classic). This works fine in Safari for me on a PC or iPad. You then must select (click with your mouse or touch on the iPad) the Search field. You should see an Advanced search... popup adjacent to the Search field. Select Advanced search... and you should see a new Search for messages... popup. If you fill in some of the fields and click the Search button, the corresponding search field commands will populate the Search field. To exit a search, click the x at the right end of the Search field or select any folder (such as Inbox). This works similarly with the iPad, although the search box may appear in a different location on the screen. Fastmail has made several recent changes to the beta screens. For example, you now must click your email address in the upper right to select the Settings, Account, Help, and Log out features. Bill

20 Mar 2013, 09:06 AM	#3
genegold99 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 112	I'm using the beta (but not with the "conversations" layout). You're saying that the advanced search doesn't look at the Trash folder unless that folder is chosen; does the standard search box also skip it? I like everything included. Thanks,

20 Mar 2013, 10:03 AM	#5
robn Master of the @ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,007 Representative of: Fastmail.fm	Just fyi, the new search stuff on beta does use an index, which may or may not be up to date for any given user. We're still building out the infrastructure to make it always up-to-date everywhere. So you may find that it doesn't always return all the results you expect, especially very recent messages. This only applies to beta, of course. We won't be pushing the new search to production until the all the new indexing stuff is live and stable.

20 Mar 2013, 10:05 AM	#6
genegold99 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 112	n5bb wrote: "...This currently searches all folders except Trash and Spam (Junk Mail) if you choose All mail." Choose All Mail where? The only way I see to choose is in Advanced. While I would like to see Trash included by default - and assuming Trash was included is where my OP came from - I can see where others might not want it that way. Maybe which folders are included in the default search could be a user setting?

20 Mar 2013, 10:14 AM	#7
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,929	After you search as I described, you will see a Searching tool appear at the top of the search results. This tool lets you choose All mail or a specific folder. Bill

20 Mar 2013, 10:30 AM	#8
genegold99 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 112	Ok, I see. Thanks. Still prefer Trash included in All Mail if the user desires.

2 Apr 2013, 02:06 AM	#9
Kudbe Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Köln, Germany Posts: 90	In the normal (new) interface in Safari 5.0.6 (not the latest version) I can't even find the Advanced search screen - where is it?