Bug 512499

SUMMARY

When I search for an absolute path starting with "/" I can still get an application listed first.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

1. Have "Applications" search module as a favorite. (In order to avoid other stuff coming first when all you want is start a certain application.) 
2. Have media player Haruna installed.
3. Press Alt-Space to invoke KRunner.
4. Search "/spiele".

OBSERVED RESULT

Haruna is shown before the path "/spiele". Which does match the "Applications" search module being a favorite, but IMHO still is wrong. See below as to why.

EXPECTED RESULT

The path "/spiele" is shown first. The path exists (as a mount point) and is a clear 100% match. I believe 100% matches should always be first result.

Aside from that: A path is a path is a path is a path. I can never be an application. The application search module should not even return a match. Haruna is described as "Medienspieler" (media player) in German language. But from "/spiele" to "Medien spiele r"… I do not believe any user would expect such a behavior.

I see that after the path also all other search modules return results. However I searched for "/spiele" not "spiele", so in my point of view that is wrong behavior. I get that it does some fuzzy matching. But if the user input with a "/" they mean a path. Period. Over. And out. That is at least my take on it.

What I could still understand would be when it shows some files or directories which are located under that path, but for general matching that is to broad. However, it could show recently used / opened files or directories whose absolute paths start with "/spiele".

I know it is challenging to get this sort result ordering right and it will likely never be right for everyone. And I am aware there have been several iterations of "fixing" it. Thanks for that! I even bet there can be valid reasons on why Baloo currently behaves this way. Still wanted to share my take on it. I think it is important not to clutter results with clearly irrelevant results which do not match what an user would expect.

I am not sure whether that functionality exists, but it would be nice if search modules can claim certain inputs to themselves only or to themselves and other search modules that claim it only. And there should be special treatment of 100% matches. A 100% match comes before non 100% matches.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS

Linux/KDE Plasma: Devuan GNU/Linux Ceres (based on Debian GNU/Linux Sid)
KDE Plasma Version: 6.5.3
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.20.0
Qt Version: 6.9.2