Custom Properties no longer searchable

[Tim Weaver]

We are running Developer 6 and a few weeks ago we noticed that searches on the Custom Properties (which we are sure used to work), are no longer yielding any results. I have tried just about everything and hoped that upgrading from 6.1.3 to 6.1.4 would cure the problem, but it hasn't!

There are two main instances of this:

1. Property: Exam, Type: Text, Custom Property Name: EXAM

Set in Site Defaults with default text as Use as CUSTOMVAR and Searchable,
then set to required text for specific products, e.g. 70-190, and "-" is added to the Word Character Set in Search Settings.

CUSTOMVAR:EXAM is then included in the Act_ExtendedInfo template.

2. Property: Details, Type: Text, Custom Property Name: DETAILS

Set in Site Defaults with default text as Use as CUSTOMVAR, Searchable, File Name, Use File Content,
then set to required file name for html snippet for specific products.

CUSTOMVARETAILS is also included in the Act_ExtendedInfo template.


Neither of these are picked up when searching from either simple or standard search. is this in some way due to them being in the Extended Info and if so is there a way around this please?

Site is at www.wise.co.uk/acatalog/

Try searching for 70-292 which is both the Exam & the Details snippet file.
Then try the product code WT0009B, click through to more details to see the actual instances of 70-292.

I have also tried substituting the exam number with ABC and it makes no difference at all.

[cdicken]

Neither of these are picked up when searching from either simple or standard search. is this in some way due to them being in the Extended Info and if so is there a way around this please?

This won't be the problem. My guess is that your *.fil files have got into a mess so my suggestion is to remove all *.fil from your 'Site1' folder and from the 'acatalog' folder online and then do a 'Web | Refresh Website'.

[Tim Weaver]

Chris

Just deleted every instance of *.fil in acatalog and in the local site directory, refreshed and it makes absolutely no difference!

[cdicken]

Hmmm. I'm out of ideas I'm afraid.

You really need someone here to test your snapshot for you. If you have Actinic Cover then give us a ring. Otherwise you can register for an email support question here.

[Tim Weaver]

OK, we have a Developer Subscription so I called support and spoke to Tracy, to whom I have provided a snapshot.

[Tim Weaver]

As a postscript to this problem, I now have the answer from Tracey in Support and it is rather surprising...

Apparently following a long discussion with the developers, custom properties are not actually searchable from the quick search form!

They say that it has never worked this way, and only works with the drop-downs on the main search page.

This comes as a surprise to me, but they are planning to modify the help files to clarify it. However, Tracey is adding the facility to the wish list.