Preprocessor
Preprocessor entries are used to replace search terms internally, so that FACT-Finder searches for the replacement term rather than the term originally entered by the customer. This replacement is transparent to the user.
There are two advantages to the Preprocessor in comparison with the Thesaurus:
- The ability to replace multi-word terms ("dirt bike" → "dirtbike")
- The option of using wildcards and a specialist search syntax (operators).
For example, if you want search terms to be separated in order to increase search similarity, you can use the * symbol.
So an entry Mens* -> Mens * would ensure that instead of searching for menswear the system would search for mens wear instead.
Same as the Thesaurus, preprocessor entries can be edited by entering Edit Configuration mode and clicking the areas marked with 
.
The group identifier for Preprocessor entries (1) is used to combine rules that should not all be enabled at the same time. If a Preprocessor entry in a given group is found to apply, all further rules in the group are ignored. The Preprocessor attempts to apply the entries and groups in the sequence in which they are listed in the editor. You can change the sequence by dragging and dropping.
A test environment (2) is provided to allow you to test your entries. As soon as an entry matches, it is displayed along with the new search term in bold.
Ideally, you should attempt to improve poor search results using a Thesaurus entry first. The Preprocessor has a greater effect on performance, and a large number of Preprocessor entries may slow down the search function.