Yeah, your post just got me to wondering what could be different. Roon at least collates the results of searches of different sources. That means some core code. There can be differences in dependency libraries and versions across platforms, so it’s a feasible guess is all.
Another, much trickier, possibility is some difference in local library/db contents changes the results, or the processing of them.
This has wandered a little, it’s got nothing to do with search pedantry. This is different Roon instances showing non-deterministic search results. Knowing everyone is running the same version is another possibility. Debugging stuff like this is often guess and experiment to rule out. Rinse and repeat…
I agree with the unforgiving nature of Search. And will chime in I sure wish they’d restore a full size keyboard when searching. That tiny keyboard is a pain to use!
I work on search at Roon. There have been many questions here, so I’ll try to answer most of them here.
There are two main “sub searches” happening simultaneously when you search with the magnifying glass (after pressing enter):
Library search: this one happens on your own machine and this one is very tolerant and searching within most of the metadata that is available. That’s also the one that is currently displaying results when typing in the search box.
Streaming search: here we search the whole catalog. What is returned here is somewhat dependent on whether you use Qobuz or Tidal, and your location (UK, US, EU, etc.).
So for you who are finding “Moodymann” when typing “Moodyman”, it’s because you have it in your library. I agree streaming search is indeed too unforgiving in this case, I’ll see what I can do in the upcoming week and write an update here. Search features are in general being developed right now, so there should be more frequent changes in the future happening anyway.
The difference between user’s local libraries and the subscribed streaming services might make search seem “non-deterministic”, however there’s definitely no randomness anywhere in the pipeline.
Other features like boolean searches and wildcards would probably make sense in the context of Roon, but it’s not a high priority yet.
@James_Heckman I’ll pass your comment about the keyboard to our frontend devs. Which device are you using?
Yeah, my use was maybe a bit sloppy, although I did emphasize it was across instances. I do seem to remember that @Geoff_Coupe didn’t think he had Moodymann in his library, but I’d guess the answer to that might be more “subtle” as he could appear on work by other artists?
Hi @zenit thanks for your explanation. Yes Geoff did mention he did not have him in his library but like Carl says perhaps he’s a contributor on another? But I also don’t have moodyman in my library at all yet he shows up under artists when moodymann inst a choice, surely it should be?
But how is one to find artists not in your library then if you have to use exact spelling and interpretation of the name. Most online services give you clues. When I was using Qobuz Moodymann comes up as a choice way before I have finished typing it, same for many other artists I can type Vinie instead of Vini in Qobuz and Vini Reily is an option in Roon go past Vini and no chance . The helpful shortcuts that pop up doesn’t work for non library items , perhaps it should to help with this.
Indeed - that is the case here. He doesn’t appear as an artist in his own right in my library, but he is credited on Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia album - which is in my library…
Exact same situation for me as well. He’s not in my library but I do have the same Dua Lipa album. Gotta say, this sure makes Search seem kind of random though.
@zenit It is great that you have replied to this thread and are aware of issues with search; thank you, it makes a big difference to know that folk at Roon are listening. Here’s another example of what you might call excessive pedantry in the current search algorithm. This month’s BBC music recommends a cd called “Bach: Klavierwerke” by Rinaldo Alessandrini. I go to Roon search and type in “Bach Klavierwerk Alessandrini”. No useful results, because I have missed the “e” from the end of Klavierwerke. When I repeat the search with the correct spelling Roon nails it. But “Bach Klavier Alessandrini” gets it in Qobuz. So more often than I should have to I find myself using Qobuz to find stuff rather than Roon because it is more forgiving and seems to have better intuitions about what I am looking for.
Perhaps it would help adding a section at the bottom of the search results that shows everything in core and file metadata with the combination of characters, with buttons to display as artist/album/track/other metadata/all.
So if you search “bac” it will show everything with Bach (in artist), abacus (in track, even if not in Roon core and only in file), bachata, etc. found on either file metadata or Roon core.
Kinda like Google shows you everything with those (and similar) combinations of letters but with option to display as artist/album/track/other metadata/all.
After the latest build 806 update where there was talk of improved searches I was hoping the pedantry may have been improved but it seems not. It looks like there is too much emphasis on common words like ‘The’ rather than the generally more unique second word of a band’s name that take this form.
Yes I realise I need to learn to spell but The Proclaimers didn’t appear anywhere in the list of suggested artists at all but interestingly if I remove ‘The’ all is good.
but The Proclaimers didn’t appear anywhere in the list of suggested artists at all but interestingly if I remove ‘The’ all is good.
