From: David Bremner <david@tethera.net>
To: Gaute Hope <eg@gaute.vetsj.com>, Austin Clements <aclements@csail.mit.edu>
Cc: notmuch <notmuch@notmuchmail.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] WIP: regexp matching in 'subject' and 'from'
In-Reply-To: <1465662533-astroid-3-6vuqm3zu54-1296@strange>
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Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2016 13:49:39 -0300
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Gaute Hope <eg@gaute.vetsj.com> writes:

>
> Maybe we could check if the search string contains a regexp and decide
> whether to pre-process it on the background of that? I think that would
> make the interface more user-friendly. You'd just always use search
> whether you decide that you need to put in some regexp or not.
>

There are some technical limitations of the xapian query parser (and
field processors in particular) that mean we'll probably have explicitly
ask for regex expansion.

> I would rather have double the db and be able wildcard beginning of
> terms. If it is not too much maintaining overhead it might be made
> optional?

perhaps. If that's really your primary goal, regexp search is
overkill. Maybe you should discuss with xapian upstream the possibility
of having xapian support more general wildcards. I have a vague memory
of olly once saying it was not out of the question. But I might be wrong
about that, it's just a half-remembered IRC discussion.

d