By Dan Reber

We have made significant progress since the last newsletter and are on target to deliver a Pilot Program release of Worksheets and Searches in the 2nd quarter of 2010. In the last article, I explained why Idaho was chosen as the project code-name and mentioned data mashing and a cleaner user interface as key development areas for our upcoming version. We are making great strides in accomplishing those goals with a new Search interface as one of the most significant.

The Search Interface

Our Search interface has certainly evolved over the years - from the Search being its own module and having to close the worksheet you were working on in order to edit the search (early adopters will recall), to the addition of the Quick Search and finally the current design with the ability to edit the Search from within each module. Each evolution of the Search interface has made analyzing your data much easier.

The current interface is great for standard Search items, but when it comes to Nested and Stacked Searches (multiple search windows open while editing nested upon nested upon nested) it tends to become confusing. This activity is predominantly required when analyzing clinical data.

Enter the Search Tree --

 

 

Figure 1 - The Search Tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2 - Edit Area

 

 

 

 

With the Search Tree, your whole Search will be displayed along with the definition for each Nested and Stacked Search. You will be able to edit any item within any level of the Search hierarchy, see Figure 1. An area to edit the currently selected search item will be displayed to the right of the Search Tree, see Figure 2.

This Search Tree, along with other Search UI changes, will make the creation of your Searches much easier. Stay tuned for more updates on Idaho in upcoming news articles. Idaho will also be featured on Microsoft’s Channel 9.