IDOL 12.13

# Optimize IDOL Fields

You can optimize `FieldText` queries by configuring field processes. These processes define how the IDOL Content componentstores fields, to optimize the retrieval of the data that the field contains. For example, if the field contains a number, configure the field as a numeric field to allow IDOL server to quickly process and retrieve values for that field.

Micro Focus recommends that you use field processes to identify types of fields appropriately. For details of how to set up field processes, refer to the IDOL Server Administration Guide.

The following table lists the field properties that optimize `FieldText` specifiers, and the specifiers that they optimize.

Field Property | Optimized Field Specifiers | Optimized Sort Operations
--- | --- | ---
`MatchType` | `ARANGE` `BIASVAL` `EMPTY` `EXISTS` `EQUALCOVER` `MATCH` `MATCHALL` | `MATCHCOVER` `NOTMATCH` `NOTSTRING` `NOTWILD` `STRING` `STRINGALL` `WILD` | `fieldname:alphabetical` `fieldname:decreasing` `fieldname:increasing` `fieldname:reversealphabetical`
`NumericType` | `BIAS` `EMPTY` `EQUAL` `EQUALALL` `EQUALCOVER` | `EXISTS` `GREATER` `LESS` `NOTEQUAL` `NRANGE` | `fieldname:numberdecreasing` `fieldname:numberincreasing` `fieldname:decreasing` `fieldname:increasing` `Distcartesian` `Distspherical`
`NumericDateType` | `BIASDATE` `GTNOW` | `LTNOW` `RANGE` | `fieldname:decreasing` `fieldname:increasing`
`GeospatialType` | `BIASDISTCARTESIAN` `BIASDISTSPHERICAL` `DISTCARTESIAN` `DISTSPHERICAL` | `GEOCONTAINS` `GEOINTERSECTS` `GEOWITHIN` `POLYGON` | `Distcartesian` `Distspherical`
`CountType` | `EQUALCOVER` | `MATCHCOVER` |
`BitFieldType` | `BITSET` |

## Index Fields

The IDOL Content component processes index fields linguistically. It removes stop words, and stems each term before storing the terms. This process allows IDOL to return documents that match a conceptual query or contain keyword search terms.

Define fields that contain document content as index fields. For example, the document title and body. When performing `Text` queries, IDOL checks Index fields for matching terms and concepts.

Micro Focus recommends that you do not store URLs or content that you are unlikely to query as Index fields. Micro Focus also recommends that you use Match fields, rather than index fields, for fields where you query only the whole value of the field.

## Match Fields

The IDOL Content component stores the value of match fields in a fast look-up structure in memory. You can define fields as match field when you frequently want to retrieve documents using the whole value of this field. For example, you might define the Author field of a document as a Match field so that users can search for the author.

You can also use match fields to allow users to search for values in an alphabetical range. For example, when you define the Author field as a Match field, users can search for books alphabetically by author.

Match fields also optimize the `Sort` action parameter when sorting on a the value of a field.

## Numeric Fields

The IDOL Content component stores the value of numeric fields in a fast look-up structure in memory. You can use numeric fields to allow users to search for values or ranges of values. For example, you might make a Price field a numeric field so that users can restrict results to products within a price range.

## Numeric Date Fields

The IDOL Content component stores the value of numeric date fields in a fast look-up structure in memory. You can use numeric date fields to allow users to search for a date or range of dates. For example, you might make a Date field a numeric date field so that users can restrict results to those between two dates.

## Geospatial Fields

The IDOL Content component stores the value of geospatial fields in a fast look-up structure in memory. These fields can store point locations and regions. You can use geospatial fields to allow users to search for particular locations and regions, and intersections between regions. For example, you might make a CountryBorders field a geospatial field, so that users can restrict results to those that occur in a particular country.

## Count Fields

The IDOL Content component stores the number of occurrences of count fields. You can use count fields to allow users to search for more than one string in a given field.

## Bit Fields

Typically, bit fields contain information about the sets that a document belongs to. You can use bit fields to allow users to search for documents that only occur in a particular set. For example, you might make a Workbook field a bit field so that users can search for documents that occur in a particular workbook.

## Parametric Fields

You can use parametric fields to allow users to restrict a search to certain parameters. For example, you might make a Model field a parametric field so that users can restrict a search to products of a particular model.

You might also want to make a field both `ParametricType` and `MatchType` to allow you to list the available values and then restrict by those values.

NOTE: You can configure a field as simultaneously `MatchType` and `ParametricType` only if you set `ParametricNumericMapping` to `false`.

## Field Check Fields

The IDOL Content component stores a checksum hash of the value of a field check fields. This option allows especially fast retrieval when you restrict results to the exact value of the field. For example, you might make a Category field a field check field so that you can restrict a search to a particular category.

Field Check fields are also useful for the `Combine` operation. In a `Query` action, you can combine results that have the same value of the field check field. The IDOL Content component then returns only one document for this field check value.

NOTE: Each document that you index into the IDOL Content component must contain only one `FieldCheckType` field.

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Version 12.13 | Last updated October 2022

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Product: IDOL 12.13

Topic Title: Optimize IDOL Fields