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Overview

DSpace offers two options to index content for Browsing & Searching:

Traditional Browse & Search (via Lucene & Database indexes) - this is enabled by default
Faceted/Filtered Browse & Search (via Solr & DSpace Discovery) - disabled by default

This particular page only describes the "Traditional Browse & Search" indexing processes. For more information on Faceted/Filtered Browse & Search, please see DSpace Discovery, in particular Discovery Solr Index Maintenance .

Creating the Browse & Search Indexes

To create (or recreate) all the various browse/search indexes that you define in the Configuration Section there are a variety of options available to you. You can see these options below in the command table.

Command used:	`[dspace]/bin/dspace index-init`
Java class:	org.dspace.browse.IndexBrowse
Arguments short and long forms):	Description
`-r` or `-rebuild`	Should we rebuild all the indexes, which removes old tables and creates new ones. For use with `-f`. Mutually exclusive with `-d`
`-s` or `-start`	`-s <int>` start from this index number and work upwards (mostly only useful for debugging). For use with `-t` and `-f`
`-x` or `-execute`	Execute all the remove and create SQL against the database. For use with `-t` and `-f`
`-i` or `-index`	Actually do the indexing. Mutually exclusive with `-t` and `-f`.
`-o` or `-out`	`-o <filename>` write the remove and create SQL to the given file. For use with `-t` and `-f`
`-p` or `-print`	Write the remove and create SQL to the stdout. For use with `-t` and `-f`.
`-t` or `-tables`	Create the tables only, do no attempt to index. Mutually exclusive with `-f` and `-i`
`-f` or `-full`	Make the tables, and do the indexing. This forces `-x`. Mutually exclusive with `-f` and `-i`.
`-v` or `-verbose`	Print extra information to the stdout. If used in conjunction with `-p`, you cannot use the stdout to generate your database structure.
`-d` or `-delete`	Delete all the indexes, but do not create new ones. For use with `-f`. This is mutually exclusive with `-r`.
`-h` or `-help`	Show this help documentation. Overrides all other arguments.

If you are using the Solr Browse DAOs it is not required to run this script as the data are stored in the Solr search core that need to be recreated using the Discovery maintenance script

Running the Indexing Programs

Complete Index Regeneration

Because this command actually deletes existing Browse Index tables, you must stop Tomcat (or your Servlet Container of choice) before executing index-init. After the indexing command completes, you can restart Tomcat.

In many Oracle based DSpace installations, index-init often malfunctions because of Oracle specific permissions. It is therefore advised to stick to index-update instead

By running [dspace]/bin/dspace index-init you will completely regenerate your indexes, tearing down all existing tables and reconstructing with the new configuration.

[dspace]/bin/dspace index-init

Updating the Indexes

By running [dspace]/bin/dspace index-update you will reindex your full browse & search indexes without modifying the DSpace table structure. (This should be your default approach if indexing, for example, via a cron job periodically). Because it does not "tear down" the existing tables, this command can be run while DSpace (and Tomcat or similar) is still running.

[dspace]/bin/dspace index-update

If you are using the Solr Browse DAOs you don't need to run this script as the data are stored in the Solr search core. You need to recreate the indexes using the Discovery maintenance script

Destroy and Rebuild Browse Tables

This is really not recommended unless you know what you are doing.

You can destroy and rebuild the database, but do not do the indexing. Output the SQL to do this to the screen and a file, as well as executing it against the database, while being verbose.

At the CLI screen:

[dspace]/bin/dspace index -r -t -p -v -x -o myfile.sql

Indexing Customization

Browse Index Customization

DSpace provides robust browse indexing. It is possible to expand upon the default indexes delivered at the time of the installation. The System Administrator should review Browse Index Configuration to become familiar with the property keys and the definitions used therein before attempting heavy customizations.

Through customization is is possible to:

Add new browse indexes besides the four that are delivered upon installation. Examples:
- Series
- Specific subject fields (Library of Congress Subject Headings). (It is possible to create a browse index based on a controlled vocabulary or thesaurus.)
- Other metadata schema fields
Combine metadata fields into one browse
Combine different metadata schemas in one browse

Examples of new browse indexes that are possible. (The system administrator is reminded to read the section on Browse Index Configuration )

Add a Series Browse. You want to add a new browse using a previously unused metadata element.
- webui.browse.index.6 = series:metadata:dc.relation.ispartofseries:text:single
- Note: the index # need to be adjusted to your browse stanza in the _dspace.cfg_ file. Also, you will need to update your Messages.properties file.
Combine more than one metadata field into a browse.You may have other title fields used in your repository. You may only want one or two of them added, not all title fields. And/or you may want your series to file in there.
- webui.browse.index.3 = title:metadata:dc.title,dc:title.uniform,dc:relation.ispartofseries:title:full
Separate subject browse.You may want to have a separate subject browse limited to only one type of subject.
- webui.browse.index.7 = lcsubject.metdata:dc.subject.lcsh.text:single

As one can see, the choices are limited only by your metadata schema, the metadata, and your imagination.

Because Browse Indexes are stored in database tables, remember to run index-init after adding any new definitions in the dspace.cfg to have the indexes created and the data indexed.

Since DSpace 3.0 a Solr DAOs implementation of the browse engine is provided. If you are using the Solr DAOs you don't need to run the script described in this page but instead use the Discovery maintenance script. Browse indexing in Solr is done within the Search Indexing process.

Search Index Customization

For information about configuring new Search Indexes, please refer to Configuring Lucene Search Indexes.