Search

Catalogues and Specifications User Guide

A search facility is provided as an extension to several forms within PARAGON. The Search window can be invoked from a number of other windows such as the Tasks sub windows of the Create Specification, Draft Symbol Sets or Create Part World.

Using this Search is different from the Search available by selecting Display > Search from the main menu. Refer to Common Functionality User Guide for further information.

The example below shows the Search window invoked from the Draft Symbol Set window

The individual components of the search window (DB Type, Element Types, and so on) will be pre populated by the displayed window. However these values can be adapted by the user.

The DB Type drop-down allows the user 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 customised the project.

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

In the Element Types field enter a space delimited list of elements types to search. Clicking the box to the right of this will display the Select Element Types to search for window.

The list of elements displayed in this window are dependant on the Database Type, selected in the DB Type drop-down list.

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.

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

Click OK to return to the search window.

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

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

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

Use the grid part of the window 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 displayed window.

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.

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).

To remove an entry from the list of search criteria click Remove Statement.

Click Choose Result Cols to display the Search Results Presentation Settings window allowing the user to alter the presentation of the search results:

In the Search Result Presentation Settings window select the required attributes to be displayed in the search results by selecting the check box beside the attribute.

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

The list of attributes is dependant on the Element Types.

Click Referenced Attributes to display the Choose Referenced Attributes for xxxx window allowing Referenced Attributes to be displayed in the search results.

The Referenced Attributes are dependant on the Element Types.

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

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

Click OK to return to the search window.

When all fields of the search window 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 window will be displayed as follows:

Results are displayed in a grid list.

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

Click Use Result to pass the selection back to the window that invoked the search form.

Click Close to exit the Search window.