Re: database search question...

Tim,

We have a "keyword in context" type search for our four major master
files (item, customer, vendor, employee) and use a trigger to maintain
the lookup index.  It is, IMHO, the fastest method of retrieval.  The
logic is not that difficult and it permits partial word and wild card
searches.  We have selectable choices on name, address, phone number,
zip code, etc.

This is possibly the best excuse I've come up with for the use of
triggers.  File synchronization.

BTW, I've used it for 1M+ item files and if you do page at a time
subfile loads your users will not be disappointed.  The only trick is
teaching the users to ask in a manner, just like SQL or OPNQRYF, that it
eliminates entries with the fewest tests.  So if they want a list of
green cars, depending on the data base, ask for green first, car second.
If you sell more green things than cars, reverse the test sequence so
you ask for car first, green second.

> "Hatzenbeler, Tim" wrote:
> 
> How does ebay do it?  And can the as/400 do it?  Or do I just need a
> super fast computer with a ton of memory...
> 
> The question is this....
> 
> I have a product file...  About 20,000 items... And I have end users
> who want to be able to preform partial word searches on the
> description field...  Seems simple enough, but the problem is speed...
> 
<<snip>>
> 
> So my question is this, does any one have a suggestion?  My 1st
> thought is something like this.   Program a word index creator, that
> would run nighlty.
>
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