Searches on a particular dimension can be made hierarchical or non-hierarchical by setting to true or false the isHierarchicalDimensionSearchEnabled attribute of that dimension's definition in the index-configuration.json file. For information about how to set these attributes, see Introduction: configuring dimensions and Endeca record properties .

If isHierarchicalDimensionSearchEnabled=false, only the leaf dimension values are searched, and only a leaf dimension value can be returned as a match.

If isHierarchicalDimensionSearchEnabled=true, all dimension values can be searched, and any dimension value can be returned as a match. The search term can include any dimension value or combination of dimension values. The ancestors of the matching dimension value can be listed in the result as ancestors of the returned dimension value.

Suppose that a dimension contains the following dimension value hierarchy:

men's clothing -> cargo -> pants

If isHierarchicalDimensionSearch=false, then:

If isHierarchicalDimensionSearch=true, then, for example:

For example, the following screen shot illustrates the results of a dimension search made with isHierarchicalDimensionSearchEnabled set to true:

The results list contains three matching dimension values:

An application can print the ancestors of each matching dimension value, as in this example.

At least one of the matching dimension values, camera accessories & supplies, cannot be a leaf node, because, as the other matches show, it has child dimension values (that is, camera docks and underwater camera housings).

Record searches can be made hierarchical or non-hierarchical by setting to true or false the isHierarchicalRecordSearchEnabled attribute of dimension definitions in the index-configuration.json file. The setting of this attribute affects only the results returned for any dimensions that are members of the search interface through which the record search is performed. It has no effect on the results returned for properties that are members of the search interface.

If isHierarchicalRecordSearchEnabled=false, only leaf dimension values are searched, and only records tagged to leaf dimension values that match the search term are returned.

If isHierarchicalRecordSearchEnabled=true, any dimension value in the hierarchy can be searched. In any case, the results include only the records that are tagged to dimension values that match the search term.

Suppose that a dimension contains the following dimension value hierarchy, with records tagged to each dimension value:

men's clothing -> cargo -> pants

If isHierarchicalRecordSearchEnabled=false, then, for example:

If isHierarchicalRecordSearchEnabled=true, then, for example: