Fields: Character Mapping

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Fields: Character Mapping

Path: Search Configuration > Character Mapping

Character Mapping lets you map special characters, such as diacritics, to character pairs that are easier to enter with a standard keyboard. When you create a mapping, the character you map will be normalized both during indexing and also when users input search terms. For more information, see Managing character mappings.

The software will allow you to map any Unicode character. If you need help entering characters not found on your standard keyboard, refer to the help for your operating system. In some cases, it may require a special tool (such as the Character Map application on Windows systems).

Be careful how you map characters. You can, for example, map a space in a Maps To value. However, the result will be that the mapping will break the word.

Character Mapping includes these fields.

Character

Specifies a single Unicode character that you want to map to a 1-2 character combination.

Character is required. You must specify a character before choosing Add.

A character can only be mapped once. The software will warn you if you specify a character that is already mapped.

Characters you map are case-sensitive. For example, Ä requires a different mapping than ä, even if you map them to the same Maps To value.

It is not necessary to map all diacritic characters to normal characters. By default, the indexing engine normalizes diacritic characters; for example, ä and a are equivalent. For examples of when you might want to map a character, see Managing character mappings.

Maps to

Specifies the 1-2 character combination that you want to map the Unicode character to. Choose Add to add the character mapping. You can map multiple characters to the same 1-2 character combinations.

Typically, you will type normal, unaccented characters in the Maps To field. If you enter characters with diacritics, the diacritics will be ignored during indexing. For example, ä and a are equivalent. Similarly, most punctuation is either dropped or replaced with a space.

If you need to preserve diacritics that are essential to the meaning of the words (for example, in Swedish Anden and Ånden are very different words), do not use character mappings. Instead, contact SirsiDynix to configure diacritic support for your search indexing.

Maps To is a required field. You must specify one or two characters before choosing Add.

For examples of when you might want to map a character, see Managing character mappings.

Specified Mappings

Displays a list of the character mappings that have been defined for this instance of Portfolio.

To add a character mapping to the list, enter the Unicode character that you want to map in the Character field, and the characters you want to map to in the Maps To field, then choose Add.

To remove a mapping from the list, select the mapping from the list, then choose Remove. The Remove option is only active if you select one or more character mappings from the Specified Mappings list. Ctrl+click to select more than one mapping; Shift+click to select a range.

Note: You must choose Add to define a mapping. If you specify a value for the Character and Maps To fields, but do not choose Add to add the mapping to the list of specified character mappings, that mapping will not be saved.

Choose OK to save your mappings. Choose Cancel to close Character Mapping without saving changes.

In order for changes to character mappings to take effect, you must re-index your data and then click Refresh Cache.