Search & Manage Data

The "Search & Manage Data" screen can be opened via Application Menu.

The main purpose of the "Search & Manage Data" screen is to allow the user to find graph elements and start a visualization with these elements or add them into the currently opened visualization. Fulltext node search with additional conditions can be used, or Cypher queries, or Templates from the Repository. The user can search and view only data to which he has been granted access. Only a user with permission "Read all data" can search and view all data or run Cypher queries and Templates.

All searches (queries) are organized in tabs. There are several types of tabs that can be created:

  • Node Filter: this type of search tab is used for fulltext searching for nodes together with a query builder that can be used to filter the nodes based on labels or property values. The found nodes are printed in a table with configurable columns and sorting. Rows representing nodes can be selected and visualized in a graph.

  • Cypher: this type of tab lets the user enter any Cypher query (based on user's permissions only ready Cypher queries can be executed or any Cypher query if the user has the "Read all data" permission).

  • Template: custom Cypher queries presented to the user in a human-readable form with dynamic parameters (with suggestions) that the user can use to change and use the query without any Cypher knowledge.

Search screen elements

images/download/attachments/57183109/GLDOC_search_01_comments.png

1.Header buttons

Add query from Repository

Global Repository is used to store common search queries for quick access by all users of the system. Queries in the Global Repository are managed by the administrator of the system on the Settings page.

Import File

Data (nodes or relationships) can be imported from CSV or XLS files with this button. See Import file for more details.

2.Search Queries (tabs)

Tabs are used to organize and save search queries. For example, if your domain is Configuration Management then you can create separate tabs for Services, Applications, Servers and Racks as in the picture above. If you enter a string into the Search field then the full-text search runs only within the data defined by the currently selected (active) tab.

3.Add new query

New query (tab) can be created with this button. The new query is created as a copy of the active tab.

4.Query panel toggle

The Query Panel can be turned on or off with this button. The Query Panel is used to change the query in the active tab.

5.Query Builder panel

Query Builder panel contains all configuration options for the selected query (tab). Any change in the query configuration is saved after the "Run Query" button is clicked.

The Query Builder consists of several parts:

  • Title and Description - can be edited with the pencil icon in the right top corner

  • Query configuration - specific options depending on the type of the query:

    • Node Filter: configuration of the condition and columns in the Query Result.

    • Cypher: input for the custom Cypher query

    • Template: textual representation of the Template query and dynamic parameters of the Template.

6.Query Result panel

The Query Result panel contains all data returned by the query which can be used to create a new visualization or can be added to the currently opened visualization. The result is shown in different ways depending on the type of the Query. Please look at the next chapters for examples and feature description.

Query Types

Node Filter query

images/download/attachments/57183109/GLDOC_search_01.png

Query Builder

When the type of active tab is set to "Node Filter" the user can specify columns of the results table (every column is one property of the found nodes), construct a simple condition for filtering nodes and combine it with the full-text search of indexed properties. The condition that can be constructed with the query consists of sub-conditions on labels and/or properties. Multiple properties can be added and for every property, multiple values can be specified. In order to pass the condition the node has to have at least one of the specified labels (OR between labels) and for every specified property (AND between properties) at least one of the values (OR between property values). For the setting in the picture above the condition can be read as follows: Return the properties (specified as columns) of all nodes with the label ("Application Component" OR "Database") AND with the property "Information System" set to value "System A".

The resulting table has columns in the order as specified in the columns picker. If you want to reorder columns in the table you can do it by reordering the columns picker values.

Query Result

The Query Result panel contains all data that meet the combined search criteria defined by the full-text search field and the Query Panel.

The header of the Result table includes:

  • Button Visualize - start new visualization for selected elements. See Visualization.

  • Button Add To Opened Visualization - add selected elements into current visualization. See Visualization.

  • Search field - full-text search input:

    • If the search is configured to work automatically, the searching starts automatically every time the text in the Search field is changed (can be configured, see Graph Connections#FulltextSearchConfiguration)

    • If the search is configured to work manually, press "Enter" to start a full-text search with the current input in the Search field

    • Which properties can be searched is configured in Graph Connections#FulltextSearchConfiguration

    • Both settings, Search mode and Node full-text index can also be configured directly on the Search page with the Search Settings widget (cogs icon images/download/thumbnails/57183109/cogs_icon.png next to the Search field)

  • CSV export - exports result in CSV format (can be opened in Microsoft Excel or other CSV editing tools). Exported columns, column names and the maximal number of exported rows can be configured (see Export).

Nodes in the table can be selected:

  • select 1 element: click on the record

  • select more elements: hold CTRL and click on several records

  • select more consecutive elements: click on the first record, then hold SHIFT and click on the last record - every record between the first and the last record will be selected

Selected nodes can be used to start new visualization, can be added to the current visualization or export. Export options can be configured (see CSV export).

The table contains only some properties of nodes (selected in Query Builder). To view all properties press detail icon on the right side of the record. Tabs of the detail panel can be configured (see Data schema).

If there are too many columns in the result table, some of them are automatically hidden (page is responsive). Press "+" icon on the left side of a record to show the hidden properties.

Sorting of any column can be changed by pressing arrows next to the column title.

Cypher query

Tab with Cypher query

images/download/attachments/57183109/GLDOC_search_02.png

Query Builder

When the type of active tab is set to "Cypher," the user can execute Cypher queries and start a visualization with nodes and relationships in the query result as starting points for visualization.

Note that:

  • read Cypher queries are available for users with the "Read all data" permission

  • write Cypher queries are available for users with the "Read all data" and "Data management" permissions

  • full-text search and CSV export are not available in combination with Cypher queries

    • you can export nodes or relationships as a CSV file in the visualization - just click "New visualization" and then export the data

Query Result

The result of the Cypher query is summarized in the Query Result panel. The counts of the different record types are displayed, and a simple result viewer (JSON viewer) is available for further inspection of results if needed. If there is at least one node, relationship or path in the result then the "Visualize" and "Add To Opened Visualization" buttons are enabled.

Query Template

images/download/attachments/57183109/GLDOC_search_03.png

Query Builder

Custom Cypher query presented to the user in a human-readable form with dynamic parameters (with suggestions) that the user can use to change and use the query without any Cypher knowledge.

Query Result

The result of the Template query is summarized in the Query Result panel. The counts of the different record types are displayed, and a simple result viewer (JSON viewer) is available for further inspection of results if needed. If there is at least one node, relationship or path in the result then the "Visualize" and "Add To Opened Visualization" buttons are enabled.