#5 Search examples: remove need to click Search button

[Antony Quinn]

I like the sample searches on the home page, although
the first time I tried them I found it a bit confusing.
When I clicked a link (eg. NEWT:9606 or IPI00295313)
nothing happened. I then realised that the search box
had been updated and I had to click the Search button.

Running the search when you click the link would be
more intuitive (ie. you click the link and you see the
results - no need to click the Search button).

[RCote]

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it was a design decision. I added a blurb to inform users
that the links will only populate the search box.

[Phil Jones (EBI)]

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Just to explain the design decision - the purpose of the
examples is to show the user how to use the search box, and
give them some 'starter' examples that they should then be
able to edit to get what they really want (e.g. click on
PRIDE_EXP:0000001, then it is a very quick edit to change
this to experiment 3 for example).

Having the links go directly to the search results
illustrates nothing to the user.

Richard's solution to add documentation to the page to
explain this to the user is the most appopriate modification
here.

Phil.

[Antony Quinn]

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OK, I think this has highlighted an improvement that could
be made to the search page. Most people are familiar with
Google. The nice thing about Google is that:
- it shows your query in search box on the results page so
you can refine your search without going back to the
previous page
- the query is sent as a GET request, so you can bookmark
the results or email them to colleagues or friends (eg.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=IPI00031045\)

Most of the major bioinformatics websites work this way
(Ensembl, integr8, Entrez).

I think PRIDE search could work in the same way:
- show query in the search box on results page
- change form to do GETs rather than POSTs, eg.
http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride/search?q=IPI00031045

You could then change the home page so the search examples
point to search?q=X. Clicking the link would take you to the
results page, which is the behaviour one would expect. See
top right of http://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/ and
http://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/geneview?gene=ENSG00000074319
for examples in Ensembl.

[Antony Quinn]

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Checked this again. As far as I can tell all databases at the EBI providing search examples will do the search when you click the link, for example:
http://www.ebi.ac.uk/chebi/
http://www.ebi.ac.uk/interpro/
http://www.ebi.ac.uk/intact/
http://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/

PRIDE seems to be the only exception.