206558 - semantics of multiple selections from pulldown list are unclear

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Bugzilla :: Documentation, defect)

Description

[Rahul]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.4b) Gecko/20030516 Mozilla Firebird/0.6
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.4b) Gecko/20030516 Mozilla Firebird/0.6

The bugzilla query page has many pull-down lists.  On these lists the user can
select (a) no items, or (b) one item, or (c) multiple items.  In the case of
a and c, it's not clear what the semantics are for the search.

For example, in the Product list, suppose we select three items: Browser,
Bugzilla, and Calendar.  Will a search now show bugs relating to any of these?
Or will a search try to find a bug that relates to all of these?

What if no item is selected in the Product list -- will a search find
bugs not relating to any of the listed products?  Or will the search simply
ignore the Product attribute and search on the basis of other query options?

As another example, suppose from the Hardware list we select three different
platforms.  Will a search find bugs that apply to all three?  Or to any of
the three?

Suppose we select no Hardware platform.  Will a search look for bugs not
relating to any of the listed platforms?  Or will a search look for any bug
ignoring its Hardware platform?

Whenever multiple selections are possible, the user should know whether they
will be ORd together or ANDed together.  The documentation does not specify.

Whenever nothing is selected from a list, the user should know how this will
affect the search.  Will that list be ignored?  Or will only those bugs be
found that do not relate to any item in the list?

And so on.

I have not found the answers in any of the Bugzilla documentation

-- Rahul

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Go to the search page.


Actual Results:  
I was mystified.

Expected Results:  
More detailed documentation is needed.

Comment 1

[Vlad Dascalu]

I plan to add 4 lines in which to documentate the "OR" behaviour in the patterns
described above.

Comment 2

[Vlad Dascalu]

Attachment: Adds 4 lines documenting the "OR" behaviour of Bugzilla in cases of multiple choices. Also removes a dead link.

The patch adds 4 lines documenting the "OR" behaviour of Bugzilla in cases of
multiple choices. Also removes a dead link.

Jake, can you take a look at this and say if it's good enough for checkin or it
needs improvement? Thanks.

Comment 3

[Jacob Steenhagen]

-> Patch Author

Comment 4

[Jacob Steenhagen]

Comment on attachment 127873 [details] [diff] [review]
Adds 4 lines documenting the "OR" behaviour of Bugzilla in cases of multiple choices. Also removes a dead link.

Looks good to me...
r=jake

Comment 5

[Jacob Steenhagen]

Checking in using.xml;
/cvsroot/mozilla/webtools/bugzilla/docs/xml/using.xml,v  <--  using.xml
new revision: 1.14; previous revision: 1.13
done