Managing search limits > Creating a new search limit

Creating a new search limit

You can create a new search limit either to let patrons limit their search results in Searching, or to automatically limit search results in Searching for certain search profiles. When you create a new search limit, you must specify the search criteria that you want the limit to include.

Each search limit must have a unique entry code value. If you enter an entry code for a new search limit that is currently being used for an existing search limit, the software highlights the Entry Code field and displays an error message. The message indicates that the entry code value is already being used by another search limit, and that the entry code you enter must be unique to the new search limit.

A search limit only affects searches of the Discovery search targets. Searches of federated search targets are never restricted by search limits.

When you create a search limit, you must re-index your data and refresh the Discovery administrator database metadata cache in the Discovery server application. (For more information, see Refreshing the search cache.) After you complete these tasks, the new search limit will be available in Searching, and will display the correct results when it is applied to search results.

After you have created a new search limit, you need to enable the limit and implement it in one of the following ways:

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By making the optional search limit visible in Searching to selected search profiles. When the patrons use Searching, the search results list displays along with a drop-down list of optional search limits that can be used to further narrow the displayed search results.

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By editing one or more search profiles to enforce the search limit for all searches by selected profiles. The search results are narrowed by the enforced search limit criteria before the search results list is displayed to patrons with the selected profiles.

(For more information on enabling and implementing search limits for a search profile, see Configuring search limits for a search profile.)

To create a new search limit

Choose Manage Search Limits from the navigation pane.

Choose Add Search Limit.

In the Edit Search Limit page, the Operand Builder fields display for you to create one or more operands. (For more information, see Understanding and creating operands for search limits.)

When you choose Build Operand to create an operand, the Expression Builder and Search Limit fields appear. Do one of the following, depending on how you want to configure the search limit.

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If you want to use the operand as the search limit expression, skip the Expression Builder fields, and complete the Search Limit fields. (For more information, see Fields: Add/Edit Search Limit.)

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If you want to create a complex search expression by combining two or more operands, repeat step 4 for each operand you want to create. Then, complete the Expression Builder fields and the Search Limit fields. (For more information, see Fields: Add/Edit Search Limit.)

Choose OK to save the search limit.

By default, all defined search limits are optional search limits that are available (but not visible) to patrons of all search profiles.

Do one of the following to implement the search limit.

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To make the search limit available to only certain search profiles, see Making a search limit available to search profiles for instructions.

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To enable the search limit as an optional search limit for selected search profiles, see Configuring search limits for a search profile for instructions.

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To enable the search limit as an enforced search limit that is applied to all searches by selected search profiles, see Configuring search limits for a search profile for instructions.

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To use the search limit as a default optional search limit for a search profile, see Configuring search limits for a search profile for instructions.