The search function in the work list (or any other filter list) returns processes containing a specified text in selected search areas (e.g. description, memo, JCL member name, etc.). The selection of the search areas allows the user to specify more precisely for what shall be searched and it avoids a lot of trash (uninteresting processes) returned by the search function. The classification of process data into the search areas is realized by the definition of the search areas and their association with the input fields of the process forms. Values filled in such input fields are stored (after submission of the forms) in a way, that the search function knows in which stored values it shall search for the specified text depending on the selected search areas.
There is no need to define search areas for all process data. Useful searches are for: object name, JCL account parameter etc. See also filter functions.
The association between search areas and input fields in process forms can be done for common process forms in the Global definitions and Process definitions dialogs. If the process forms are generated by proprietary php scripts the association can be done by using ProcMan API functions defined in the httpd/htdocs/hwm_api.php script in the ProcMan installation directory. The API functions are documented in the script itself, but this way to build the associations is dedicated only for advanced php developers.
The search areas in ProcMan can be organized in a hierarchy of search area groups. This allows clustering of search areas which logically belong together and provides the user with a possibility to select/deselect a whole group of search areas in the work list search function by one click. Any group can be a root group (has no parents) or a child group of another group. Any group can contain an arbitrary count of search areas and/or child groups. The search area group hierarchy can be arbitrarily deep.
By clicking on the Search areas menu item the search area administration dialog is being started.
After the dialog has been started, the list of already defined search areas and groups is displayed (see picture below). If there are no search areas and/or groups defined a message informing about this fact is displayed instead.
This dialog can be left by clicking the Cancel button. It can also be left at any time, even in the search area definition forms for new and edited search areas, by selecting another function from the ProcMan menu. If this happens in the forms the last changes done in the forms are discarded.