tutorial on syntax search

Howard,

The best way to learn syntax searches is to model a search of a verse and to keep asking questions. Rick Brannan also has some posts from 3.0 about syntax searching that are very helpful: http://blog.logos.com/archives/syntax/.

Here's a "tutorial" of sorts for a search on John 3:16. There's additional information in this post after the pictures about using the plus signs to add search components.

First click to add a new search item. Add a "Clause" (1)

If you hover over the "clause," you will see four plus marks, which specify where you would like to add a new element. We're going to need to add 4 Clause components and a conjunction(adjunct, conjunction, predicator, subject, and complement). All of these are to the right of the primary clause, just like in the Clause visualization (2). As a result, we want to add the first element to the right of the clause. So we can click on the plus sign on the right hand side and choose "clause component" (3).

Let's add the rest of the clause components. Because the rest of the items are beneath the first component (again, see the clause visualization) (4), they need to be added from the plus sign beneath clause component 1. So add a conjunction by clicking on the plus sign beneath clause component 1 (5). Notice how the conjunction is beneath 1, but is subordinate to Clause 1. Visually this tells us it is a member of clause 1 (linked by an arrow), but must follow clause component 1 (because it is beneath). Again, notice how this matches the clause visualization of John 3.16. Go ahead and add another three clause components, using the plus signs beneath the conjunction and the added clause components (6).

Now we can specifiy the basic elements of the search by clicking on the appropriate boxes and specifying what they are. Notice how it matches the clause visualization (7).

Finally, let's run the search!

It's a success! 8 hits, including John 3:16 (8)!

1)

 2)

 3)

 4)

 5)

 6)

 7)

 8)

Here's some more information about how the plus signs work when adding search components:

Right plus signs: The right plus sign adds a subordinate or "child" element.

Left plus signs: The left plus sign adds a superordinate (is that a word?) or "parent" element.

Left and right plus signs add parents and children, respectively.

Down plus signs: The down plus sign adds an element that is at the same level of subordination as the item above it, but it must follow the item above it (unless it is in an unordered group). It has the same parent as the item above it.

Up plus signs: the up plus sign adds an element that is at the same level of subordination as the item below it, but must precede the item above it (unless it is in an unordered group). It has the same parent as the item below it.

Up and down plus signs add siblings. When you click on one, you will add an item that has the same parent as the item it comes from.

Hopefully that is a helpful way to understand how to connect items.

No problem!

Yes! I'd reccomend using Logos' keyboards. Information is here: http://www.logos.com/support/downloads/keyboards

Once installed, you can switch between the keyboards easily. They can not only be used within Logos, but any program (such as MS Word).

Dave Hooton said:

Would you be prepared to "flesh it out" if I put it there?

I'll do my best! Let me know when you post it. I should have some free time this week because of the Holiday.

Dave,

I just uploaded the images and made one small change (I reversed the order of Opentext and Cascadia in the Title area because in all the pictures I placed Cascadia first. I also made an addition in the unordered group section. Let me know if the pictures give the information you were thinking and are correct. I tried to match your diagrams exactly.

Yes the wiki you've updated looks great!

one suggestion also: put a little note at the top that Cascadia is for those who own Scholar's Silver edition and higher.

it might keep some from getting frustrated when they cannot find it.