example queries for nnir

[Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com>]

A small request for nnir users with some experience, to post a few
sample queries  using the `glimpse' or `wais' engines.

Very unfamiliar with wais here, so any examples would be very usefull.

Glimpse queries can be difficult since glimpse doesn't allow full
regexp in the actual query string.

This can make something like searching for a subject where you don't
know the full string difficult since ^Subject:.*KEYWORDS won't work.

In fact even when you do know the subject line in toto the glimpse
syntax in nnir usage can be elusive.

Maybe, if some nice generic broad usage examples showup someone (like
me) will sort/edit them and submit a patch to Kai for possible
inclusion in the nnir comments.

Also some clear examples of how the nnir variables might be set would
be a good inclusion in that document's comments.

An example that can be confusing is(from nnir.el):

;; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The
;; second variable to set is `nnir-search-engine'.  Choose one of the
;; engines listed in `nnir-engines'.

This is not really a list of engines at all but lisp code:
nnir-engines's value is 
((glimpse nnir-run-glimpse
	  ((group . "Group spec: ")))
 (wais nnir-run-waissearch nil)
 (excite nnir-run-excite-search nil)
 (imap nnir-run-imap nil))


When the needed variable setting for glimpse is:
 (setq nnir-search-engine `glimpse)

Not immediately apparent what is needed unless you know lisp.

Showing some example settings would be a little less confusing.

A final query.. Does anyone know of a search tool that uses a database
but also allows full regexp use in the queries?  This seems to be
mutually exclusive, or something.