I’m baffled with smart groups. On the surface they seem so simple; in practice, I have difficulty understanding how my library is creating groups based on the criteria I am setting.
For example, one smart group I’ve created SHOULD filter my library of references+attached PDFs+notes for any mentions of “prospect theory”. I have attempted to use the operators “contains” and “is” to this end. The final result is a group that includes PDFs in which the term “prospect theory” is NOWHERE to be found. I am certain of this because when I attempt to find the term in the attached PDFs (in EndNote and in Adobe Reader), I simply can’t. Yet, EndNote is routinely including articles that do not seem to meet criteria.
Why is this happening? Do I not understand how to use the operators correctly? I have experimented with them so many times and watched multiple tutorials, all to no avail. I’m really confused and discouraged on this point.
Separately, the words prospect and theory can both be found. That’s why I started experimenting with the operator “is”: to focus search results on the phrase, rather than the individual words. I have also attempted searching the term “prospect theory” with quotation marks, as I would in a database I am searching, but that doesn’t seem to make a difference, either.
FYI, I have another group that does seem to filter successfully on the basis of this term. However, that is the only criteria for that group. This group is a bit more complex. In addition to “prospect theory,” in general (because I keep tweaking the criteria in an effort to problem solve), I am using the operators & terms:
And / PDF / Contains motivation* And / PDF / Contains approach Or / PDF / Contains avoid*
Again, though, it’s as if the first line of search re: prospect theory is irrevant, regardless of which operator I choose. Limiting my search simply to attached PDFs versus all fields makes no difference, either. I’m flooded with countless references, the vast majority missing the key term.
No, I have not used the “Go to” tool and am unaware what it is for. I see it, but it’s gray/unclickable, whether I am in All References or a specific group. What does this tool do and how can I make it usable?
I usually do searches and if they work convert them to smart searches. I also create searches to make groups and then combine the groups to get what I want in a final group.
The “go to” (basically the find tool since ctrl F does something different in endnote) only works once you open a record. I also don’t now if it “goes to” the match in the PDF though…
