You use the query rule details output type to test how the search engine applies the redirection, exclusion, and positioning rules defined in a search configuration. This output also displays the results of any custom rules defined in Search Administration. When you create a test, the query rule details output is selected by default.
A query rule appears in the query rule details output only if it was triggered by the search test. A search configuration might contain additional rules that do not appear here because they were not triggered by the current search.
Redirection Rules Triggered
This section appears if a redirection rule is triggered by your test. It shows the definition of the rule and the target URL where users are redirected when they perform this search. If the search criteria match the requirements for more than one redirection rule, the one that is actually applied is highlighted and appears first in the list.
If a search triggers a redirection rule, site users do not see the search results page, they see the page at the target URL. The test output still includes the results list, though, so you can review the outcome of the search and decide if you want to keep the redirection rule.
Exclusion Rules Triggered
This section appears when the search test triggers one or more exclusion rules. It shows the definition of each activated exclusion rule in the order that it is applied.
If you want to view the excluded items, click Show excluded results. When you click the button, the following updates are made to the test output:
Excluded items appear in the results list with a strike through the item’s name. For an example, see Positioning and Exclusion Rules in the Results List.
The table of triggered exclusion rules is updated to show each excluded content item in the current page of results along with its position number and item ID, as shown in the figure below.
You can look at where the excluded item would have appeared in the results list to analyze whether the rule is useful and has the intended effect. If an excluded item is not on the current page of results, look at the number of items excluded to determine if it might appear on other pages.
All triggered exclusion rules are listed in the query rule details output, even if the excluded items are not returned by the search. In this case, when you click Show excluded results,the rule appears in the list, but no item IDs appear next to it, and the number of items excluded is zero. You can use this information to determine whether the exclusion rule is necessary.
To remove the excluded items from view, click Hide excluded results. The excluded content items no longer appear in the output.
Positioning Rules Triggered
This section appears if items have been moved to the top of the results list because the search test triggered one or more positioning rules. It shows the definition of each positioning rule applied to the search results along with a list of the items repositioned because of the rule. You can click an item to view its properties.
If you want to view the results as they would appear without the positioning rules, click Show results without Positioning Rules. To apply the rules, click Show results with Positioning Rules.
When a search triggers multiple positioning rules, the test output shows the rules in reverse order of application, from last applied to first applied, the same way they appear in the search configuration. The rule that is applied last and has the most effect appears first in the list. The rule that is applied first and has the least effect is shown last in the list.
To change the order of the repositioned items at the top of the search results, edit the search configuration to change the order in which the rules are applied. See Specifying the Order of the Rules.
If more than one positioning rule affects the same item, only the last rule applied appears in the test output. Other positioning rules applied to that item do not appear because they have been overridden. If you want to edit which rule has the final impact on the item, you can remove the overriding rule or change the order in which the rules are applied.
Positioning rules inherited from a base search configuration are applied before rules in the standard search configuration, and therefore have less importance. If you want a positioning rule from a base search configuration to have higher importance, move it from the base search configuration to the standard search configuration, or remove the rules from the standard search configuration.
Other Query Rules Triggered
This section lists any rules created in Search Administration that are triggered by the search test. For each triggered rule, the output table shows the pattern used to trigger the rule, the actions taken, the rule group name, and the rule name. Rules are shown in the order that they are applied. For more information, see the Query Rules chapter of the ATG Search Administration Guide.
Note: A query rule that you create in Search Administration must be deployed and indexed on the target search testing environment in order to appear in test results.
