Unity home lens restricts results to only files after a search returning only files

[Mike Doherty]

After doing a search in the home lens (the one that returns both files and applications for a search), if your search returned files, then the next search will return files too, even if it should be returning applications.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Press the super key to bring up the dash
2. Type a search query that will return only files
3. Go away, perhaps by opening the file you searched for, or pressing the super key again
4. Press the super key to bring up the dash
5. Replace the previous search term with a search query that should return applications
6. Notice that it actually returns only files

I expected the 2nd search to return applications (and maybe files) -- but certainly not just files.

The workaround is to delete the search query before beginning to type to replace the search term.

I have a video showing the error. Let's see if I can attach it...

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: unity-scope-home 6.8.2+13.10.20131003-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-12.19-generic 3.11.3
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-12-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2.1
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat Oct 26 01:31:47 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-01-12 (286 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release amd64 (20121017.5)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: unity-scope-home
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to saucy on 2013-10-23 (2 days ago)

[Mike Doherty (doherty)]

Here's another example with the filter section expanded. As you can see, when searching with a query that returns several kinds of results, the filters don't change. But when searching with a query that returns only files, the filters are automatically changed to just files. To get search results for a query that should return applications, I have to either include applications in the filter, or remove files from the filter, which switches back to the default filters, which includes applications.

The same thing happens with other categories. In the example, I used 'chrom' as a search term, which should return google-chrome. But it also returns some files. If I use a search term that only returns applications -- 'google-chrome' -- then the categories are restricted to applications (instead of files).

So, it looks like the issue is really that the dash is changing the filters based on what kinds of results are being returned by your query -- and then not putting the filters back to the default when you do your next query.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[vanadium (ftack)]

The issue remains there after more than three years. It is perhaps a small issue, but it is an issue that is intrusive. It disrupts the workflow. Rather than quickly launching, for example, gedit, the Dash does return nothing or just some files. In the worst case, the user already pressed enter and some random file is launched. The user can then start to close that file and focus on the Unity dash: call it up again, press Escape and then enter the query again.

Unique and novel concept, the Unity dash. However, such details and the care for them determine whether a software is outstanding or not.

[Paweł Stołowski (stolowski)]

I think the cause of this problem are filters, they are apparently not reset correctly in this scenario. If you expand the filters on the 2nd search and select Applications, it works as a workaround too.