Re: Any package for boolean search?

[Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support>]

* Joel Reicher <joel.reicher@gmail.com> [2024-12-27 02:16]:
> Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support> writes:
> 
> > * Joel Reicher <joel.reicher@gmail.com> [2024-12-26 09:03]:
> 
> [...]
> 
> > > Is there an Emacs or elisp aspect to this question I might be
> > > missing?
> > 
> > I don't know what you mean. I am looking for some ready package that
> > provides maybe string searching within other strings, by using boolean
> > operators.
> 
> Why are you expecting this to be a package? Strings are a native/primitive
> elisp datatype.

Thanks, though, I do not expect, I am asking if someone knows about
it. Those AND, OR, NOT are pretty classic, not so?

> (info "(elisp) Text Comparison")

I can't find there anything related, sure as basic functions is very
useful, but doesn't parse the query.

- cat dog -- I would use this with AND automatically; but maybe add OR
  on the end of results;

- cat and dog -- this is ONLY AND, without OR results

- cat dog OR giraffe in Africa -- here I would parse it as:
                 
     - cat AND dog -- is it there?
     - but it can be also "giraffe AND Africa" 

There are too many combinations and I have to make it so that I can
first parse the query into smaller pieces.

Then this query is dispatched to more basic functions.

> and also string-match at (info "(elisp) Regexp Search")

Sure! Thanks much. I am using those functions and it is useful let's
say, if I need to search with "OR" some few words.

But what if there are complex queries:

cat plays with dog OR dog plays with dogs NOT giraffe

or maybe this way:

(cat plays with dog) OR (dog plays with dogs) NOT giraffe

Then I have to parse it, separate it:

- NOT giraffe
- is there any result for cat? But no giraffe
- or any result for dog? But no giraffe

I hope you understand the meaning by that example.

It is called Boolean query parser, but when I started this question I
did not know the title. Now I know it.

Here is example in PHP

skipperbent/pecee-boolean-query-parser: Convert a boolean search query into a query that is compatible with a fulltext search.
https://github.com/skipperbent/pecee-boolean-query-parser

As there is apparently no such ready package in Emacs, then I will go
slow and start with functional examples:

1. For any query, find all occurences matching exactly; for query "cat
   plays" it will find "Cat plays with ball"

2. Parse words and find all occurences matching same words but with
   AND: for query "cat plays" it will also find "Cat likes doggy which
   plays with the ball"

Then I can think from there how to develop OR and NOT.

-- 
Jean Louis