Index configuration

The most simple plain index defition contains the path pattern of the index files and reference of the source the index would use.

index sakila_film {
        path = /var/lib/manticore/testplain
        source = sakila_film
}

Let's look at the source. The first parameter defines the connector type, in our case 'mysql'. Next are the connection parameters to the database we connect.

The 'sql_query_pre' directive is set here to ensure the result set values will use UTF8 values, as the search engine uses on utf8 character sets.

The engine doesn't necessary have to get data from a single table, instead a query is used, which can join data from multiple cases.

The first column should be always the document id, which should have unique values.

The rest of the source parameters define the attributes taken from the sql_query result. Anything not declared here will be considered a fulltext field.

Fulltext fields are only indexed, not stored, so we can search them, but their values will not be returned in the results.

The sql_field_string is a combo field/attribute and it's values are both indexed, but also stored.

source sakila_film {
        type = mysql
        sql_host = 127.0.0.1
        sql_user = user
        sql_pass = pass123
        sql_db = sakila
        sql_query_pre = SET NAMES utf8
        sql_query =  SELECT film.film_id, title, description,category_id, release_year,rental_rate from film join film_category on film.film_id=film_category.film_id
        sql_field_string = title
        sql_field_string = description
        sql_attr_uint = release_year
        sql_attr_uint = category_id
        sql_attr_float = rental_rate
}

Indexing

Our index 'sakila_film' is created in sphinx.conf but has no data. Searchd will complain about this when starts, this is normal.

To populate the index we use the indexer tool:

indexer sakila_film

The utility will output information about the created index, like how many document were found and how fast indexing was.

Now let's start the searchd daemon:

searchd

Perform queries

Let's connect to Manticore Search

mysql -P9306 -h0

And check the indexed available

SHOW TABLES;

And perform a first query on our index:

SELECT * FROM sakila_film;

And run a simple fulltext search:

SELECT *,WEIGHT() FROM sakila_film WHERE MATCH('a secret agent and a dentist');

SELECT * FROM sakila_film WHERE MATCH('a secret agent and a dentist') ORDER BY rental_rate DESC;

Refreshing data in the index

Plain indexes are immutable, this means if we want to refresh the content in it we need to reindex it enterely.

For attributes it is possible to use 'UPDATE' statement (just like in MYSQL), however for new rows, modified fulltext fields or make content dissapear, we need to reindex.

Unlike the first time we indexes, now the searchd daemon runs and have the index loaded. This means it puts a lock on the index.

To be able to make a new version of the index, the 'indexer' utility will create a new copy and when ready it will inform the daemon about it.

This is done adding the '--rotate' parameter.

exit

indexer sakila_film --rotate