Using Search Profiles

Using the Query Builder
The query builder (QB) is a generalized search utility for querying the datasets within a OSF instance. The QB has three purposes:
 * 1) It is a basis for learning about the structured data within a OSF instance
 * 2) It is a testbed for exploring the effect of attribute and value boostings on the ranking order of search results sets, and
 * 3) It is a means to refine queries and then generate query code that can be embedded into Web pages and templates.

General Overview and Operation
The QB consists of a top-line search box, followed below by a series of expand-and-collapse panels. Specialized actions take place within these panels. The operations of each of these panels is described below. Each panel also has a help icon, which when clicked brings up contextual help for that panel.

Upon invoking a search, a results listing appears at the bottom of the standard panels. Please make sure and review the  section since how results are presented in the query builder is one of its benefits.

The overall screenshot for the query builder is as follows:

Search Box and Input
Any standard site query may be entered into the search box. For legal and available query syntax, see the Search Syntax page.

A search is conducted upon invoking the  button. The resulting results set is then listed at the bottom of the page in scoring rank order. A  causes all settings throughout the QB to be returned to its default (start-up) settings, as if the application were reloaded. The one exception is that if a query had been entered into the top-line search box, it is kept.

The gear icon at far right turns inferencing on or not. By default, inferencing is on. To test the effect of inferencing, conduct the same search with inferencing on or not and select the 'type' attribute in one of the lower panels. When inferencing is on, generally the results set is much larger since matches to related (inferred) concepts are brought into the results.