Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. I just created a field, why doesn't it show up in my list?

A1. You are viewing a cached copy of the page. Most browsers cache copies of the pages that you view by default. That is, browsers keep a copy of the page on your local machine so that the page loads quicker the next time you view it. However, since the page that you are viewing on subsequent "visits" is from your local machine rather than a new copy served from MGI, you will see the same list of database fields when the page reloads. To avoid this problem you can change the cache settings on your browser. To view the newest copy of any page, you can force reload the page by holding down the Apple key (Mac) or Control Key (PC) while you click the "Reload" or "Refresh" button on your browser.

Q2. What is indexing?

A1. An indexed field can be used to order search results. Indexing does not pre-determine the order of your results. Rather, it denotes that a particular database field can be entered in the orderByField parameter of mgiSearchDatabase to order search results. If a non-indexed field is entered in this parameter, an error is displayed. Only fields that will be used to order search results should be indexed (see below).

Q3. Is there a limit to indexed fields?

A1. Yes, 3 indexed fields is a practical limit. Indexing a field adds overhead to the database processing. You should only index fields that you will use to order search results via the mgiSearchDatabase tag. Do not index all fields in your database! Indexing more than 5 fields may affect the performance of your database.


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