Re: [htdig-dev] htfuzzy -a

[Gilles D. <gr...@sc...>]

According to Greg Fenton:
> htfuzzy does not have a "-a" flag.  This means that one cannot build
> fuzzy databases until after the words databases have been "made live".
> 
> So, for example, if I am trying to rebuild the databases offline (not
> usable by htsearch), then I have to do some scripting tricks to rebuild
> the fuzzy dbs or I have to build the dbs in one directory and move to
> another for searching (thus eliminating the benefit of "-a" on other
> programs).
> 
> Wouldn't it make sense to add a "-a" flag to htfuzzy, or am I just
> missing something?

It makes sense, for the so-called "word algorithms" that make use of
word_db (i.e. accents, soundex and metaphone).  However, even these
algorithms do all their work in memory, and only write out their databases
at the end, so doing this over a "live" database collection wouldn't put
these fuzzy algorithms out of commission for long.  These aren't needed
for endings and soundex, which use static dictionaries, nor the other
fuzzy algorithms which don't use databases.  It would complicate your
indexing scripts somewhat too, as you'd have up to 3 more .work files
to move into place.

Still, I think adding -a handling to htfuzzy is a good idea.

-- 
Gilles R. Detillieux              E-mail: <gr...@sc...>
Spinal Cord Research Centre       WWW:    http://www.scrc.umanitoba.ca/
Dept. Physiology, U. of Manitoba  Winnipeg, MB  R3E 3J7  (Canada)