Advanced Search

Advanced Search

Advanced Search is a powerful feature that allows you to search across multiple entities and their attributes with various search options and filters.

• Cross-Entity Search

  • Search across multiple entity types simultaneously
  • Filter results by entity type
  • Combine search results from different entities

• Attribute-Based Search

  • Search by specific attribute values
  • Support for various data types:
    • Text (string, multi-line text)
    • Numbers
    • Dates and date ranges
    • Boolean values
    • Object references

• Search Options

  • Exact match or partial match
  • AND/OR conditions between multiple search criteria
  • Filter by attribute conditions:
    • Empty values
    • Non-empty values
    • Text contains/not contains
    • Date ranges

Join Attrs enables relationship traversal in search results. Key points:

• Implementation

  • Sequential processing: root -> join targets
  • Each join triggers new Elasticsearch query
  • Supports OBJECT and ARRAY type references

• Critical Considerations

  1. Pagination Behavior

     # Example: Request 100 items
     root_results = search(limit=100)      # Returns 100 root items
     joined_results = join_and_filter()    # May return 0-100 items
     next_page_starts_at = 101            # Regardless of joined result size
     

     • Pagination applies to root level only
     • Join/filter operations may reduce result size
     • Each page may return fewer items than requested

  2. Performance Impact

     • N+1 query pattern with multiple joins
     • No optimization for deep joins with filters

  3. Result Count Accuracy

     • Total count represents root level matches only
     • Actual result count may be lower after joins/filters
     • Cannot predict exact total after joins without full scan

• Follow relationships between entries
• Search through referenced objects
• Chain multiple searches to traverse complex relationships
• Results include both direct matches and related entries

• Export search results to various formats
• Asynchronous processing for large result sets
• Progress tracking for export tasks
• Download exported files when ready

The legacy UI provides a full-featured search interface with:

• Interactive search form
• Real-time search results
• Advanced filtering options
• Export capabilities
• Search chain visualization

Access Advanced Search programmatically through REST endpoints:

• /api/v2/advanced_search/ - Main search endpoint
• /api/v2/advanced_search_chain/ - Search chain operations
• /api/v2/advanced_search_result/ - Export and result management

• Maximum results per query: Configurable, default is 100 entries
• Export size limits may apply for very large result sets
• Complex search chains may increase response time

• Large result sets are processed asynchronously
• Complex search chains may require multiple API calls
• Export operations for large datasets run in the background

• Search results respect user permissions
• Attribute-level access control applies to search results
• Export operations require appropriate permissions

• Use specific entity and attribute combinations when possible
• Leverage search chains for complex relationship queries
• Monitor export task progress for large result sets
• Consider pagination for large result sets in API usage

• Service Layer

  • AdvancedSearchService: Main service class handling search operations
  • Type-safe implementations using Python type hints and Pydantic models
  • Clear separation between data access and business logic

• Search Engine

  • Elasticsearch-based implementation
  • Custom index mapping for optimized search
  • Support for nested objects and complex queries
  • Configurable result window and timeout settings

• Data Models

  • Entity-Attribute-Value (EAV) pattern for flexible data modeling
  • Versioned attribute values
  • Type-safe attribute value storage

• Search Process Flow

  1. Query Building: Create Elasticsearch query from search parameters
  2. Permission Checking: Apply ACL filters at entity and attribute levels
  3. Result Processing: Transform Elasticsearch results to typed models
  4. Chain Processing: Handle relationship traversal for search chains

• Asynchronous Operations

  • Celery tasks for background processing
  • Export task management and progress tracking
  • Configurable task queues and priorities

• Advanced Search

  • Endpoint: /api/v2/advanced_search/
  • Supports complex search parameters
  • Returns paginated, typed results
  • Handles ACL filtering

• Search Chain

  • Endpoint: /api/v2/advanced_search_chain/
  • Manages relationship traversal
  • Supports multiple chain steps
  • Combines results across relationships

• Export Management

  • Endpoint: /api/v2/advanced_search_result/
  • Handles asynchronous export requests
  • Provides task status monitoring
  • Manages file downloads

• Strongly typed response models using Pydantic
• Consistent error handling
• Support for various result formats

• Extend search capabilities through service layer
• Maintain type safety with Pydantic models
• Follow existing patterns for ACL integration
• Add appropriate test coverage

• Use appropriate Elasticsearch index settings
• Implement efficient query patterns
• Consider bulk operations for large datasets
• Leverage caching where appropriate

• Unit tests for service layer
• Integration tests for API endpoints
• Performance tests for search operations
• ACL verification tests