Bug 504503 - Short text fragments (less than 3 chars) aren't searched in application description or tags or generic name, only in app name
Summary: Short text fragments (less than 3 chars) aren't searched in application descr...
Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 490972
Alias: None
Product: krunner
Classification: Plasma
Component: general (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: git-stable-Plasma/6.3
Platform: Arch Linux Linux
: NOR minor
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-05-19 08:35 UTC by Michał
Modified: 2025-05-19 16:37 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

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Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


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Description Michał 2025-05-19 08:35:19 UTC
SUMMARY
There is a desktop app called CoBang for scanning QR codes. I expect it to appear in the search after typing "qr", but that doesn't happen. It seems that only app names are matched with 1-2 characters, but other fields only if 3+ are typed in (for example typing "co" shows "CoBang" just from app name). See the bottom of the bug report for more detailed example.


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Install CoBang (from FlatHub in my case)
2. Search "qr" in the search bar

OBSERVED RESULT
No search results.

EXPECTED RESULT
I would expect the CoBang app to appear, since it's a QR code scanner, and it mentions that in keywords, generic name and the comment. I remember I have an app for "qr", but not necessarily its name.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma: Arch Linux
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.14.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The exempt of app's desktop file:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=CoBang
GenericName=QR code scanner
X-GNOME-FullName=CoBang QR code scanner for GTK desktop
Comment=Scan and decode QR from camera or static image
Keywords=qr;code;qr-code;qr-decoder;qr-scanner;

It mentions "qr" in a few places.
To get the app to appear, I have to type in something like "qr-" or "qr c" or "qr f" (heck, even "qr s" or any random letter apparently!), which suggests to me that all of the other fields (other than Name), are getting matched to search, but ONLY if at least 3 characters were typed in. Notably, just "qr " (qr followed by space) does not yield any results either, so it must be trimming the query.
But if I type just "co" (2 characters), I do get CoBang in the search results on the other hand.

To me the conclusion from above experiments is that only the Name field is searched in unless at least 3 characters were typed in. But as a user, I'd want CoBang to appear in the results after typing in just "qr", since it's easy to remember I have a QR code scanner app, but hard to remember the name (the whole reason for existence of keywords and description and generic app names!). But empty search result is confusing, and I can't be expected to intuitively remember to type in something extra after "qr"...

This is my first KDE bug report, so forgive me for any mistakes, and I hope I placed it under the correct category and that the title makes any sense :)
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2025-05-19 16:37:16 UTC

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 490972 ***