Which search to use?

[ddelapasse]

I am a little overwhelmed by the various search options (4.2.f).  I need an api to search my repo's custom types for custom metadata values and also by content.

I am ok with configuing Solr, but if I need to do that can it work with my local Alfresco (http not https)?  And while I find several configuration guides I don't find any guidance on getting to Solr via Alfresco.  Maybe you don't use Alfresco and you hit Solr directly???

So far I have found these api's (but, of course, all the 4.2 docs are marked as obsolete so not sure what to believe):
share/page/search (geared towards Share - points only at sites doesn't search the entire repo)
share/proxy/alfresco/slingshot/search
alfresco/service/api/query (can not find an example of the parameters)
alfresco/api/-default-/public/cmis/versions/1.1/browser?cmisselector=query&q={queryGoesHere}

Please advise…this is maddening!  Just looking to build a very generic search page (outside of Alfreso) so our users can easily search our custom types/metadata/content.

[kaynezhang]

About relationship between solr and alfresco please refer to http://docs.alfresco.com/community/concepts/solr-overview.html
About how to install and configure Solr please refer to http://docs.alfresco.com/4.0/tasks/solr-install-config.html

You don't need to search solr directly ,you can use opencmis api and cmis query language to search alfresco,alfresco will deal with solr thing.

[ddelapasse]

@kaynezhang,  I realized that even when I am searching using the nodeBrowser panel my searches are logged into solr.log.  I'm using 4.2.f.  I haven't done ANYTHING to configure solr.  Is it the default search for this version?

My Nodebrowser dropdown is set to "fts-Alfresco".  How can I tell if that is using Lucene or Solr?

One further question:  Is there any way to search ALL the metadata fields at once?  I know I can do "contains" for content searches, but that doesn't seem to search the metadata.  Would ANY of the search mechanisms allow that?

[ddelapasse]

I found this "Solr 4 is the default search mechanism for new installations installed with the Setup Wizard. " so I guess that is what 4.2.f is using by default. I am running on Windows and used the setup wizard.  On Linux I guess you have to install it separately?