Trying to understand automatic search mode switching - from Smart to Precise - on mobile

Graham Criddle

The release notes for Logos 40 beta 1 on desktop have:

• Bible Search will use the Smart search engine by default, unless you enter Precise search syntax.
  • Examples:
    • Entire query parses as a Bible reference.
    • Entire query is in Greek or Hebrew.
    • Query contains special syntax.
    • Exact phrase/in quotes.
• Smart Book or All search with a query entirely wrapped in quotation marks will switch to precise search. A Greek or Hebrew query entirely will switch to precise search.

But the release notes for Logos 40 beta on mobile do not say anything about a similar auto-switch capability

Checking on mobile:

• Bible Search does do auto-switching in the same way as the desktop app
• In an All Search:
  • it does switch if the entry is a Bible reference but does not inform the user that this has happened
  • It does not switch if the entire query is in Greek or Hebrew
  • it does switch if special syntax is used and informs the user that this has happened
  • it does not auto-switch if the exact phrase is in quotes

I can't check the behaviour of Books Search due to the bug I flagged at

https://community.logos.com/discussion/246483/is-there-a-bug-in-smart-books-searching-in-the-logos-40-beta

Questions:

1. Should mobile operate in the same way as desktop? To me, this seems needed for consistency across these platforms
2. Is the differing behaviour in the All Search with different search strings shown above intended?

Thanks, Graham

Graham Criddle

Any thoughts on this from the developers?

Thanks, Graham

Graham Criddle

Hi @Jason Stone (Logos) - are you able to flag this to the developers to get their comments please?

I'm concerned about inconsistent behaviour across different plaforms and it would be good to hear if this is intentional or not?

Thanks, Graham

Anna Adent

Sorry for not getting a response to you sooner, @Graham Criddle.

Smart Book or All search with a query entirely wrapped in quotation marks will switch to precise search.

That portion of our release notes was inaccurate and has since been updated. There was a bug found that influenced this behavior, but a fix for that went out on Tuesday. Smart Book and All search queries delimited with quotations will no longer be sending you to Precise search.

Should mobile operate in the same way as desktop?

Yes. If you are finding inconsistencies between Mobile and Desktop, we would want to know about them. Thank you for what you've already mentioned here! Let me address them individually:

it does switch if the entry is a Bible reference but does not inform the user that this has happened

This is working as expected. Two scenarios could give you this behavior: If your query is only a Bible reference, no quotes, then you should be switched to Precise for just that query and since the engine is working on your behalf to give the best results we choose not to pester you with a notification. If your query is something like bible:"John 3:16", and All Search has already switched to precise before running this query (i.e. if you do it twice in a row), we do not notify again on Android or iOS

It does not switch if the entire query is in Greek or Hebrew

This is a bug. I'll get a case written up for it.

It does switch if special syntax is used and informs the user that this has happened

This is correct.

It does not auto-switch if the exact phrase is in quotes

This is correct behavior and consistent with the changes to Desktop and Web that we shipped on Tuesday.

Graham Criddle

Thanks @Anna Adent - really appreciate the clear and helpful response

Graham