New RCE Course Documents Search Enhancement

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The search box in the new RCE is driving me crazy.  I have courses with hundreds of files and need to search to find the file to link to it in a module.  I start typing the file name, and after 3 characters the typing pauses and the list of files updates, then maybe I can type one more character...pause again...but since I don't know it is not registering my keystrokes, I end up typing jibberish since it registers what I type only after the file list randomly refreshes.  Can you please let us type a fill search string and hit ENTER before the search actually starts working?  I am wasting so much time trying to get files linked.

6 Comments
Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
Status changed to: Moderating

@wags117  Thanks for sharing this. So far, though, I haven't been able to replicate it. What I'm seeing is that if a file doesn't exist that includes the first three letters I've typed in the search field, the search results quickly populate with a "no results" message, whereas if I am typing in a long file name the search waits and does not refresh or recycle until I've keyed in enough letters to reveal substantive results. I was just able to enter about 20 characters without being interrupted.

Have you asked Canvas Support to look at your instance to see what is going on? If you have, would you provide the case number for the interaction?

wags117
Community Member

The issue is that many, many files begin with the same string since faculty use a last name or a date to begin file names. There are literally dozens of files each time I search. If the search bar would register each character I type as it searched, it would be fine, but it doesn't register key strokes pressed as the list  refreshes. 

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

@wags117 I navigated to a course that has many files that start with the same string of characters, and the search field did not impede my typing progress until I stopped typing on my own. I then slowly typed each character in, one at a time, and the search results reflected that with each change I keyed in.

This sounds like it needs to be examined by Canvas Support; they might need to create an engineering ticket depending on the environment in which it is occurring. (For reference, I'm using the latest version of Chrome on a Macbook.)

RobDitto
Community Champion

@wags117, we're getting similar reports.  Your description is already helpful to me in understanding what exactly to report to Canvas Support.  Once I have a case number, I'll be sure to share it here as  @Stef_retired suggests.

Two misbehaviors I'm already pretty sure of:

  • Files imported from another course will be shown with a 1969 date RCE search results (when it works -- it doesn't always as noted above!).
  • Users with admin rights may see search results from unrelated courses when an "All" selection is made (to search both course and user files).
Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni

@RobDitto Thanks, Rob! Having case numbers will be very helpful.

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
Status changed to: Archived