A key aspect of Faceted Search is the use of refinement configuration files. These are the XML files that define sets of facets and the facet values or ranges. These files are generated and submitted to Search after an indexing operation. When Commerce issues a query to Search, it determines which refinement configuration file should be applied, and specifies it in the query.

Depending on the structure of your product catalog and the number of facets merchandisers have specified in Merchandising, the number of refinement configuration files generated can vary greatly. If your catalog has a large number of catalog items and you have created many facets, hundreds or even thousands of refinement configuration files may be required. Therefore, the generation of these files is handled through an automated process that inspects the product catalog and the refineElement repository items, determines the set of refinement configuration files needed, generates those files, and submits them to Search.

Generating the refinement configuration files is managed by the /atg/commerce/search/refinement/CatalogRefineConfigAdapter component, which is a post-index customization adapter associated with the indexing project in Search Administration. This adapter is automatically invoked after each indexing operation. You can also invoke it without reindexing; this is useful if you have changed your facet definitions in Merchandising without making any changes to your catalog.

For information about setting up the CatalogRefineConfigAdapter, see the ATG Search Installation and Configuration Guide. For information about invoking post-index customizations, see the ATG Search Administration Guide.