Search and archive
Search is how Andon turns your past work into something useful. Archiving keeps finished projects out of the way while leaving them fully searchable.
What search looks through
Search covers both active and archived projects, and looks in:
- project names and descriptions
- task names and descriptions
- the full text of every note
- folder names
It ignores letter case and accents, so "mongodb" finds "MongoDB" and "etude" finds "étude". What you type is searched as one piece of text: "server migration" finds those two words side by side, in that order, not each word on its own. Search does not look inside attached files or Yi Jing readings, except a reading saved to the notes.
Search from the project list
- Type in the search box at the top of the project list.
- Results appear as you type, with a count such as
3 result(s) for "migration". - Click a result to open it.
Each result shows whether it is a project or a task, which project it belongs to, when it was last updated and its current status color. When you open a task found in its notes, the matching words are highlighted in the note.
Results from archived projects carry an Archived label and open in the archive view. Results from a branch project show where it was branched from (chapter 12).
To clear the search, delete the text or click the ✕ in the search box.
Search from inside a project
The main search box is only on the project list. Inside a project you have two options:
- Ctrl+Shift+F, or the search button in the toolbar, opens a search panel beside your work, with its own search box. It searches everything, like the main search, without leaving the project. Close the panel to return to the task you were on.
- Ctrl+F searches within the note you have open (see chapter 7).
Search tips
- Search for the problem, not the solution. Words like "timeout", "licence" or "migration" find the red tasks where those problems were met.
- Use the words you would write. Search matches text, so consistent naming in task names and notes pays off.
- Look at the colors in the results. A red result is a lesson; an orange one is something still waiting.
Archive a project
- Open the project's menu (⋮ in the list views, right-click in the icon view).
- Choose Archive and confirm.
The project leaves the active list with everything intact: tasks, notes, note history and attachments. Tasks it shares with another project stay in that project as well, and the archived project gets them back when you restore it.
Browse the archive
Click the Archives button in the toolbar to see archived projects, each with the date it was archived. Click Back to active projects to return.
Open an archived project to read it. Two buttons are available:
- Restore moves the project back to the active list, as it was.
- Delete Project removes it permanently, after a confirmation.
When to archive
Archive a project when there is nothing left to do in it, or when it is paused for the foreseeable future. Keep the active list for work you are actually doing, so the colors on the project list stay meaningful.
Delete a project only if it has no lasting value, for example a test project. Everything else is worth keeping for search.