Improved search facility - ancestry

[kiterunner]

Just seen this:
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/cs/us/SearchConsolidation

They say "we’re adding a new "Category exact" mode to the current search experience. This new feature:
• offers a simple search form with a “match all terms exactly” option
• allows you to specify a range of years for your search
• displays results in a categorized view"

You can try it out if you "update your Site Preferences to select “Category exact mode” in the Search Preferences at the bottom of the page."

It looks as though there should be some screenshots to show us how to do this but the screenshots aren't displaying for me at the moment. They are asking people to try it out and send feedback - they say that "A link for feedback will be available in simple form on the search home page, once you select the category exact mode."

Off to try it out...

[kiterunner]

Ooh, that looks quite good! Make sure you have the "Categories" tab selected when you view the results. And click on the "Edit search" button to prioritise "UK and Irish" collections and tick "Show only records from these collections" if that's what you want.

[ElizabethHerts]

Where is the "Categories" tab, Kate?

I can't find the Site preferences either.

[kiterunner]

I don't think you will see the "Categories" tab until you view the search results, Elizabeth.
To get to the Site Preferences, hover the cursor on your user name at the top right-hand corner of the ancestry screen. You should get a dropdown menu with Site Preferences being the third of five choices.

[kiterunner]

Well, at last I can specify a birth date range when searching Public Member Trees, instead of having to put the exact year!

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Kate. Got it now.

[Mary from Italy]

Originally Posted by kiterunner

Well, at last I can specify a birth date range when searching Public Member Trees, instead of having to put the exact year!

That's a huge improvement.

[Kit]

Use category exact mode (simulates old search)

I love the last bit of this quote. Thanks for bring this to our attention Kate.

[Merry]

I have forced myself to exclusively use this new set up for the past four days.

I'm finding it OK, but everything takes longer (mostly because the advanced search box is massive and the Search button itself is right at the bottom - clicking Enter doesn't work) and there are more pitfalls for the unwary - eg It might be tempting for someone to enter the whole of the mother's name instead of mmn for a birth reg, but then there are no results returned!

[Mary from Italy]

I don't think I'll bother, then.