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RT - Searching

RT's main search Interface

The search interface is available within every queue. Click Ticket -> New Search from the Left Hand navigation column to start a new search. One important point to be aware of is every ticket listing is a search of some description. The default search criteria set for every queue is to show all tickets matching:

• Status = open
• Status = new

for whichever queue you are viewing. The current search criteria is always listed under Current search criteria. In the example below current search criteria is blank as s no search has been requested.

Searching is pretty intuitive however there are some points worth noting:

• As mentioned above clicking queue links takes you to a search page that displays search results for new and open tickets in that queue. That search can then be further refined.
• Searches, by default, are sticky. That is, if you return to the Search page during a session, it will display the most recent search. To start a search over again click New Search or return Home and then re-enter the queue from the main screen.
• Searches are, by default, limited to 50 results per page.
• Searches are iterative -- you build them up. If you search for tickets owned by Helpdesk, then search for open tickets, you'll get open tickets owned by Helpdesk.This iterative process includes the original default search criteria as described above. All your search criteria are clearly listed and are individually deleteable so you have very granular control of your searching.
• The search engine uses the Perl module Time::ParseDate which provides for very flexible time based searching.
• Searches are bookmarkable. If you do a fairly complex search pattern or one that you perform often it can be bookmarked for future use. Use this procedure to bookmark:
  • Click Bookmarkable URL for this search at the foot of the Current search criteria column.
  • This will turn the search pattern into a static bookmarkable URI which you can see in your Browser address field
  • The search is not bookmarked at this point - we have just converted it into an address than can be bookmarked.
  • Using your browser bookmark or save the URI as you would with any other web page
  • You may need to edit the actual title or name of the saved URI to make it more descriptive.
• When RT displays multiple search results, it will also display Previous, Next, First, and Last links for navigating through the matching tickets.

Time and Date searching criteria

The Time::ParseDate module allows for numerous time and date formats to be used in search criteria. This make it very easy to search for tickets relative to the current date and/or time.

Absolute formats:

Because we are UK based, UK style dates take precedence if there is a potential clash with USA style dates. All the following formats are valid date strings where:

dd = numeric day, mm = numeric month, yy = 2 digit year, yyyy = 4 digit year, mon = 3 char month, month = full name of month

Relative Formats:

We have units of 'days', 'weeks', 'months' and 'years' and a prefix action of 'last' or a numeric. Can also use 'now', 'today' and 'yesterday'. Postfix of 'ago' can also be used. Relative units are specific to the current time of day. So 'yesterday' means from this time yesterday.

Times can also be treated in a similar fashion:

The format for absolute time specification is:

• hh:mm where hh = the hour of the day and mm = the minute of the hour. The strings 'noon' and 'midnight' can also be specified.

The format for relative time specification is the same as for date specification

• nn hours
• nn minutes
• nn seconds
• nn hours ago
• nn minutes ago
• nn seconds ago

Things to Note

Whenever a search is performed the parameters of the search are always listed in the Current Search Criteria field (see above). Individual search criteria can be deleted which will update the view of tickets accordingly.

Time and date searches always return the time in seconds since January 1st 1970 (known as epoch time). This is then converted into a readable date and time string and will be shown with the other search parameters in the Search Criteria field. If you have entered a time/date search parameter incorrectly then the result returned will be shown as 1970-01-01 00:00:00 GMT. If you get this simply delete and start again.

Date/time ranges can be searched in two stages. Specify one date to search from then search again for another date to search to. This will work because the searches are sticky.

The above examples will probably suit >95% of searches but Time::ParseDate does allow for other syntax. For full details of this refer to the documentation for Time::ParseDate on CPAN.