Unlike most web-based search engines, searching within WordLinks does not take place on the web server. Instead, the files to be searched are sent to the user's web browser and the searching takes place on your computer. This was done in order to allow full searching capabilities when using the WordLinks CDROM without an internet connection. The disadvantage is, at present, it essentially prohibits searching over the internet--except over high performance connections.
In the future, a server-based search capability may be put in place to facilitate more efficient searching over the internet.
The following controls are unique to searching. (See the top-level Help for information about controls which all windows share in common.)
When the search criterial include Strong's numbers, the search result verses include Strong's numbers, otherwise they are hidden.
Individual words, Strong's numbers, and phrases found within each verse are displayed in bold.
(As the search criteria logic becomes more complex, searching will take longer. The most "expensive" logic operator is NOT.)
h7307 = spirit:227, wind:81, breath:27, winds:11, mind:5, side:5, spirits:5, blast:4, vain:2, air:1, anger:1, breath(h5397):1, cool:1, courage:1, quarters:1, sides:1, spiritual:1, tempest:1, whirlwind:1, windy:1
In the example above, the results include another Strong's number h5397. Where this occurs, it indicates that the Strong's number in the search criteria is combined with the other Strong's number to produce the word shown.
When Strong's numbers are included in the search criteria, the matching verses are display with full Strong's numbering. When Strong's numbers are not specified, the Strong's numbers are suppressed from the results.
Strong's numbers operate like any other words and can be arbitrarily combined with each other and English words. For example: (h430 OR h7307) AND darkness
The only limitation when using Strong's numbers with searching is the inability to combine Strong's numbers with phrases.
When Strong's numbers are used without English words, if Strong's numbers corresponding only to Hebrew or only to Greek words are specified, then the search range automatically narrows to only include the Old Testament (Hebrew words) or NT (Greek words).
As mentioned above, searching is a very resource-intensive operation--especially the way it is done in WordLinks where the entire search is performed within your web browser. This kind of searching is generally impossible because a web browser does not allow direct access to data files on your computer (or on a web site). By packaging up the search data within hidden web page controls, we allow WordLinks to read the raw Bible text--but the cost is greatly reduced performance when compared with a commercial Bible Study search capability which installs and runs directly on your machine.
With some patience, the flexible search capabilities provided here can still be very valuable. Especially because of the way in which the search results are automatically linked to other Bibles within WordLinks. Clicking on any search result takes you immediately to the specified verse within a Bible.
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