LucidWorks Enterprise supports the creation and use of multiple "collections". A collection is a set of documents that are grouped together with the same indexing and query rules. There are times, however, when multiple index rules need to coexist in the same system, perhaps to index very different types of content (books vs. movies, for example), or when you need to be more confident in limiting user access to some documents.
The concept of collections in LucidWorks Enterprise is very similar to the concept of cores in Solr. Under the hood, a collection is the same as a core in Solr, however we have added functionality to the LucidWorks Enterprise GUI to make configuring collections straight-forward and navigating between collections simple.
You can configure the following items for each collection individually:
- Datasources
- Fields
- Query settings
- Search UI
- Search Filters
- Schedules
- Solr Admin
- Alerts
After you have created additional collections, you should pay special attention to the collection name you are working with so you edit the proper configuration files or make the correct API calls. This is particularly true when using the REST API or several of the advanced configuration options discussed later in this Guide, but it also applies to the various screens of the Administration User Interface (Admin UI). Modifying the wrong collection out of context may have unexpected consequences including poorly indexed content or an inconsistent search experience for users.
The following items are system-wide and can only be configured for the entire LucidWorks Enterprise installation:
- Collection definition
- Access to user interfaces
- Users
- Help
Creating Collections
LucidWorks Enterprise must always have at least one collection: the default collection is called "collection1". You cannot rename a collection. However, after you have created a second collection, the default collection can be deleted.
You can add a new collection by clicking Add Collection on the Collections screen. Enter the new collection name, then click Create in the Add Collection dialog box.
The Collections screen provides shortcuts to other parts of the UI for convenience. You can also access the other parts of the UI using the UI tabs, if you prefer.
Navigating the User Interfaces with Multiple Collections
Administration User Interface
After you have configured multiple collections, navigating the Admin UI is much the same as navigating the UI with a single collection. However, where collection-specific information or configuration parameters are available, LucidWorks Enterprise provides guideposts to help you understand where you are. For example, a bar appears under the first level of navigation that displays the collection name you are working with. A pull-down menu appears on the upper right to allow you to quickly switch collections.
Search User Interface
In the Search interface, a new pull-down menu will appear next to the query box to allow the user to choose the collection to search
 | You cannot currently limit user access to a specific collection within the Administration User Interface or Search User Interface. You can only restrict access to the specific component (Admin UI, Alerts, or Search UI) by using the form found in the section of this guide titled Configuring UI Authorization. |
Deleting a Collection
To delete a collection, click Delete on the collection's row.
| When you delete a collection, LucidWorks Enterprised does not automatically delete its associated alerts at the same time. To delete those alerts, you must remove them manually using the Alerts API. |