Merge Index / Rebuild Index ---- What's The Difference?

I'm not asking if the result is different. In both cases, I understand that the result is a single index, & the "New Resources" sections in guides goes away. (I don't like having results hidden in some other collapsed area like that, so for me the "New Resources" sections are distractions that just force more keystrokes.... but that's a different post.)

But is there any difference in the "process" used to create the single result?

Is there any advantage (like time it takes, qualtity of result, or reliability of result) for going one way as opposed to the other?

THANKS!

Running 4.0C RC 2...

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Fred Chapman

I'm not asking if the result is different. In both cases, I understand that the result is a single index, & the "New Resources" sections in guides goes away. (I don't like having results hidden in some other collapsed area like that, so for me the "New Resources" sections are distractions that just force more keystrokes.... but that's a different post.)

But is there any difference in the "process" used to create the single result?

Is there any advantage (like time it takes, qualtity of result, or reliability of result) for going one way as opposed to the other?

THANKS!

Running 4.0C RC 2...

Unless something has changed in the last few days, I think this thread still applies. http://community.logos.com/forums/p/16366/124225.aspx#124225

As you will see in that thread there was a lot of discussion regarding the merge index command. I had been told previously by Dave Hooten, that there was no need to merge indexes. The last time I did it (before he told me about it) it went through a complete rebuild.

BillS

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/126743#Comment_126743

lot of discussion regarding the merge index command

Hi Fred,

Thanks for the link! It sounds like I'm catching up to the same point of confusion between the 2 terms that existed earlier. If there's no difference between the 2, I'd sure like to see Logos eliminate one of the 2 terms. And if there is a difference and/or advantage, I'd sure like to see Logos spell it out.

Others may feel differently. But I'll take the hit every time to eliminate segregation of some of my search results into New Resources, just because a resource got updated. Given my lack of visibility of what got updated, I won't know I need to look there. I have a hard enough time finding what I want without having to worry whether I've looked in all the collapsed areas of the results--especially when there's no logical reason to segregate the resources as new (being only rebuilt). I just want to know whether one of the 2 processes is in any way faster and / or better than the other. If both are going to cause a full reindex, I'm not going to try to remember 2 commands. [:)]

Thanks again!

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/126767#Comment_126767

Bill

I found the rebuild command to be faster than the "merge" command but it removes the original index at the beginning, so you can't run searches until it is finished! Also, if you don't have much free space on the hard drive rebuild will work better.

The "merge" command leaves your original index alone until the indexing has completed. It was changed in 4.0b from the original true merge because there were too many crashes in 4.0a and true merge has not been fixed for 4.0c.

If you run a Basic Search by "Rank" your results are split between "New Resources" and Library Results. If you run the search by "Book" all results will be in Library Results!

HTH

Jerry Bush

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/126782#Comment_126782

Unless I am in a huge hurry, I just wait until I am going to be away from the computer for awhile. I amost always use the Rebuild command. It does not take very long for me; less than an hour.

Jerry

BillS

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/126782#Comment_126782

I found the rebuild command to be faster than the "merge" command

Thanks, Dave! I think I'm going to forget about merge, until I see a thread that it only takes a minute. [8-|]

If you run a Basic Search by "Rank" your results are split between "New Resources" and Library Results. If you run the search by "Book" all results will be in Library Results!

Thanks again, Dave... I didn't realize that.

BillS

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/126814#Comment_126814

Rebuild ... does not take very long for me

Me either. Thanks for the response!

Jason Saling

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/126842#Comment_126842

I've seen the various threads on this topic, but yet I'm still wondering the main difference between rebuild index and merge index. I've seen in the forums that merge doesn't delete the old index until it's complete, and I've also seen that rebuild is often faster than merge. How can that be so? When mine originally indexed, it took over 10 hours. I did a merge, and it took around 25 minutes. I don't care for the "New Resources" as a separate index (though I understand why they are originally separated), but why is there the hesitance to merge indexes if it will only take approximately 45 mins or less? If I do a merge index, will my searches go slower than if I had rebuilt index?

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146003#Comment_146003

I don't care for the "New Resources" as a separate index (though I understand why they are originally separated), but why is there the hesitance to merge indexes if it will only take approximately 45 mins or less? If I do a merge index, will my searches go slower than if I had rebuilt index?

True merge functionality was removed in 4.0b. Whilst the Merge command remained it would perform a full rebuild and this continued through 4.0c. The merge functionality is re-introduced by 4.0d and the Merge command now offers a faster way to integrate a split index than the Rebuild command. You know you have a split index when you perform a Basic Search and see the warning about "Merge Index" or notice that results are split between two sections - "New Resources" and "Library Results".

The hesitancy was because Merge would corrupt an index in 4.0a and users were uncertain what it meant thereafter! I have found it be fast and reliable in 4.0d so there is every reason to use it.

Bohuslav Wojnar

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146010#Comment_146010

The hesitancy was because Merge would corrupt an index in 4.0a and users were uncertain what it meant thereafter! I have found it be fast and reliable in 4.0d so there is every reason to use it.

Thank you Dave for that explanation. So am I to understand that the end result is the same as the rebuild index?

EDIT: I am speaking about the Logos 4.0d version.

Kevin Becker

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146013#Comment_146013

The hesitancy was because Merge would corrupt an index in 4.0a and users were uncertain what it meant thereafter! I have found it be fast and reliable in 4.0d so there is every reason to use it.

Thank you Dave for that explanation. So am I to understand that the end result is the same as the rebuild index?

EDIT: I am speaking about the Logos 4.0d version.

That's correct. All of the bugs that the merge cased in 4.0a have been stomped (or so it seems).

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146010#Comment_146010

the Merge command now offers a faster way to integrate a split index than the Rebuild command.

I found the rebuild command to be
faster than the "merge" command

which is it?

NetworkGeek

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146105#Comment_146105

Merge is much faster than rebuild. Merge just incorporates the supplemental index into the full index. Rebuild starts over.

On my desktop, a merge index after 1 new resource takes about 45 minutes. A rebuild takes about 4 hours.

Jack Caviness

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146105#Comment_146105

the Merge command now offers a faster way to integrate a split index than the Rebuild command.

or

I found the rebuild command to be
faster than the "merge" command

which is it?

Dave is right! One is definitely faster than the other. I think.

Friedrich

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146239#Comment_146239

the Merge command now offers a faster way to integrate a split index than the Rebuild command.

or

I found the rebuild command to be
faster than the "merge" command

which is it?

Dave is right! One is definitely faster than the other. I think.

LOL, Jack!!!!!! [:D] That just made my day! Or at least, my 7:03 pm~!

Dave Hooton

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/146281#Comment_146281

the Merge command now offers a faster way to integrate a split index than the Rebuild command.

or

I found the rebuild command to be
faster than the "merge" command

which is it?

BOTH statements are true ... but only one applies to 4.0d.