Summary
SanitizeFtsQuery (DbSearchReader.cs:28-31) splits a multi-term query like cdidx search foo bar baz on whitespace and joins them into an FTS5 expression, producing implicit AND semantics. This works fine — but the behavior is documented nowhere. Users typing foo bar expect "match foo or bar" or "match the phrase foo bar" depending on their mental model from grep / Google / GitHub search, not "match files containing both foo and bar". The result: surprising empty results, then trial-and-error.
Where
src/CodeIndex/Database/DbSearchReader.cs:28-31 (SanitizeFtsQuery)USER_GUIDE.md (search section — silent on this)
Suggested approach
(1) Document the implicit-AND behavior in the USER_GUIDE search section with a clear example: cdidx search foo bar ≡ foo AND bar (FTS5 semantics). (2) Add the same sentence to the search tool description (cross-link the just-filed #1810 — tool examples). (3) When the user provides multi-term input that returns zero results, surface a recovery hint (cross-link the just-filed #1812 — recovery hints): "No file contains all of: foo, bar, baz. Try --fts 'foo OR bar OR baz' to widen, or --phrase \"foo bar\" to require adjacency". (4) Add a --phrase flag (or document the existing FTS5 "foo bar" quoted-phrase syntax) for users who mean adjacency. (5) Cross-link with #1772 (kind taxonomy), #1582 (did-you-mean) — same family of "agent guesses wrong" gaps.
Summary
SanitizeFtsQuery(DbSearchReader.cs:28-31) splits a multi-term query likecdidx search foo bar bazon whitespace and joins them into an FTS5 expression, producing implicit AND semantics. This works fine — but the behavior is documented nowhere. Users typingfoo barexpect "match foo or bar" or "match the phrase foo bar" depending on their mental model from grep / Google / GitHub search, not "match files containing both foo and bar". The result: surprising empty results, then trial-and-error.Where
src/CodeIndex/Database/DbSearchReader.cs:28-31(SanitizeFtsQuery)USER_GUIDE.md(search section — silent on this)Suggested approach
(1) Document the implicit-AND behavior in the USER_GUIDE search section with a clear example:
cdidx search foo bar≡foo AND bar(FTS5 semantics). (2) Add the same sentence to thesearchtool description (cross-link the just-filed #1810 — tool examples). (3) When the user provides multi-term input that returns zero results, surface a recovery hint (cross-link the just-filed #1812 — recovery hints): "No file contains all of: foo, bar, baz. Try--fts 'foo OR bar OR baz'to widen, or--phrase \"foo bar\"to require adjacency". (4) Add a--phraseflag (or document the existing FTS5"foo bar"quoted-phrase syntax) for users who mean adjacency. (5) Cross-link with #1772 (kind taxonomy), #1582 (did-you-mean) — same family of "agent guesses wrong" gaps.