Search

A search facility is provided as an extension to several forms within PARAGON. The Search form can be invoked from a number of other forms such as the Tasks sub forms of the Create Specification in Spec Generator, or Create Part World Form. There is no direct route to the Search form via the main window drop-down.

The example below shows the Search form invoked from the Draft Symbol Set form (see Draft Symbol Sets Form).

The individual components of the search form (DB Type, Element Types, etc) will be pre populated by the opening form. However these values can be adapted by the user.

The DB Type drop-down allows you to specify which database to search, possible values are:

• Catalogue

• Design

• Dictionary

• Draft

• Menu

• Property

• Schematic

• Spooler

  Note: These are the databases that are available to a standard project, additional databases may appear in the list if an administrator has customized the project.

In most cases, only the Catalogue and Property databases will be relevant when using PARAGON.

Search

1. In the Element Types field enter a space delimited list of elements types to search. Clicking the box to the right of this will open the following form:

   

   The list of elements displayed in this form are dependant on the Database Type (selected in the DB Type drop-down).

2. Pick from the list of Available Element Types by highlighting an entry and click Add ->> to include the element in the Selected Element Types list.

3. (Optional) To remove an element from the list of Selected Element Types highlight an entry and click <<-Remove.

4. Click OK to return to the search form.

   By default the Search In field will be pre-populated with an asterisk. This value is a wildcard which indicated the search will be conducted on all elements in the database hierarchy.

   If you only want to search below a certain position in the database hierarchy, specify the name of the element you intend to search below in the Search In field (eg DRA/PRJ/TMP/PIPING/A0). Alternatively select the item in the Catalogue Explorer and click Add CE.

5. Click Reset to reset the Search In field to its default value.

   Use the grid part of the form to build a list of criteria to be used when conducting the search. These conditions allow the search to test certain criteria based on the values of attributes within the specified elements. There will normally be a pre-populated entry depending on the opening form.

   

6. Click in a cell in the Attribute column to expand a list of valid attributes available to the element. The list of attributes is dependant on the selection made in the Element Types field.

7. Click in the cell in the operator column to expand a list of available comparison criteria, possible selections are as follows:

   =	Attribute value is equal to
   <>	Attribute value is more than or less than
   <	Attribute value is less than
   <=	Attribute value is less than or equal to
   >	Attribute value is more than
   =>	Attribute value is equal to or more than
   Like	Attribute value is like (specified string).

8. (Optional) To remove an entry from the list of search criteria click Remove Statement.

9. Click Choose Result Cols to open a window allowing you to alter the presentation of the search results:

   

10. In the Search Result Presentation Settings form select the desired attributes to be displayed in the search results. Do this by checking a box beside the particular attribute.

11. Change the order attributes are displayed by selecting Move Up or Move Down.

    The list of attributes is dependant on the Element Types.

Display referenced attributes

12. Click Referenced Attributes to open the following form allowing Referenced Attributes to be displayed in the search results.

    

    The Referenced Attributes are dependant on the Element Types.

13. Select Referenced Attributes from the hierarchical list and click Add ->> to include them in the Selected Attributes list.

14. (Optional) To remove entries from the list of Selected Attributes highlight an entry and click <<-Remove.

15. Click OK to return to the search form.

16. When all fields of the search form have been populated, click Find to begin the search. The time taken to display search results is dependant on the size of the database and complexity of the search criteria.

    A search results form will be displayed as follows:

    

    Results are displayed in a grid list.

17. Click to highlight an entry. Depending on the form that originally launched the search, it may be possible to select multiple entries by holding CTRL while making selections.

18. Click Use Selected to pass the selection back to the form that invoked the search form.

19. (Optional) To discard the results and conduct a new search, right click within the results and select New Search.

20. Click Back to exit the Search form.