Browse vs Search

Broken link? Feature request? Anything related to the Spectrum Computing website here.
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Joefish
Rick Dangerous
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Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2017 10:26 am

Browse vs Search

Post by Joefish »

Take a look at how the LEGO-Set browsing is done on http://brickset.com/sets
I think a system like this would be a great way to view games.

You're given a set of initial fields you can filter on (Theme, Year Category) and when you pick one, the full list is shown with that choice applied as the primary filter.
The field headings then become drop-downs in their own right, so you can pick extra filters or turn filters off. Not every field is listed, just major ones that people are most likely to want to research. You can always use 'Search' if you want to get specific.

There's also a list of sorting options; they don't cover every possible option, just common ones you might expect (including up/down options).
In the ZXDB case, you might also want a 'detail' setting, e.g. Title only / Title Screen / In-Game Screen / Details.

So in the case of ZXDB you might offer 'Title A-Z' as the first filter option, 'Genre', 'Year' as other options to pick first, or later. Maybe have publisher or author as first an A-Z choice, then a sub-menu if you want to choose someone specifically.
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PeterJ
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Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:19 pm
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Browse vs Search

Post by PeterJ »

Thanks [mention]Joefish[/mention]

Interesting. That is the way our Reporting Services developers do Business Analysis reporting at work. So you filter down your content to narrow down the search. It's a bit beyond my development skills currently but certainly something for the future. Any volunteers with PHP MySQL and JavaScript?

Peter
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Morkin
Bugaboo
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Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:50 am
Location: Bristol, UK

Re: Browse vs Search

Post by Morkin »

I usually like those expanding menus in principle, but I found it difficult to use the way that site has implemented it.

First I hovered over the menu, nothing seemed to happen, then it appeared about a second later, at which point I'd clicked already so it disappeared.

Then I tried again but the menu expanded too far down the screen as the big ad at the top had suddenly appeared shifting everything down, so I had to click off it, and adjust the scroll bar.

I hovered over it again, but the multiple columns made it difficult for me to find anything. I clicked on one option and got taken to a new screen which didn't seem to have any useful information on it.

I failed to find Lego Batman. If it wasn't for the DC comics under the 2018 'new' list I would have given up.
My Speccy site: thirdharmoniser.com
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