"Multi-Select" and/or "Exclude" Options for Filtering Show Database

JenniferEmilson wrote 9 years ago: 1

You have some great options for filtering shows to one's own taste while browsing you database. However, while searching your site for new series' to get into, I've come across a slightly annoying issue. Currently there is no way to multi-select options from your filter menus, and, more importantly (for me, anyway) there is no way to exclude certain things in the lists. As an example, let's say I am not a fan of reality television. It would be extremely helpful to exclude that particular genre of show type from my results in order to massively narrow down the list of television shows I would like to start watching. As for a "multi-select example" let's say I'm really into sci-fi/fantasy tv that doesn't take itself too seriously. If it were possible to select 3 genres or show types at once - Sci-fi, Fantasy and Comedy and have results that fall under all 3 categories, this site would become immensely more efficient. if these two options were available for every category in the filter options, I've no doubt that TV Maze would quickly become one of the most important go-to tools for television fans all over the globe!

dc1 wrote 9 years ago: 1

Nice suggestion. A quick way to implement this would be to change the dropdowns to <select multiple> and then support passing in the multiple parameters instead of one :)

JenniferEmilson wrote 9 years ago: 1

deanclatworthy wrote:
Nice suggestion. A quick way to implement this would be to change the dropdowns to <select multiple> and then support passing in the multiple parameters instead of one :)

You're absolutely right. This would fix both issues (really, just a single problem with two sides) perfectly. Wonder if they'll ever implement it. Here's hoping! :)

MichaelDeBoey wrote 9 years ago: 1

I think this is a good idea, but isn't that easy to implement.

If you choose 3 genres, what do you expect to see?
Only shows that have that 3 genres?
Only shows that has 1 (or more) of the 3 genres?
Or a combination of both?

That's also important if you want to exclude 1 (or more) genre(s).
If you just select all except the one(s) excluded (see implementation above) or if you can just say "this one(s) I don't want in my query".

JenniferEmilson wrote 9 years ago: 1

That's a good point. Exclude function seems much simpler and would be the most helpful option (for me, anyway).

dc1 wrote 9 years ago: 1

I disagree with exclude. It's not a normal design pattern. When you select a filter you expect it to include. Therefore if you choose 3 genres, it should only return shows that match all 3.

JenniferEmilson wrote 9 years ago: 1

I personally don't give a hoot how they do it. I just want to stop my searches for new shows to watch being littered with a billion reality TV shows. It really makes it frustratingly tedious and take forever to comb though all that (what I consider to be) junk to find the good stuff.

Melissa wrote 9 years ago: 1

Actually, "a combination of both" would be the second option of the noticed by MichaelDeBoey – "shows that has 1 (or more [3 :)]) of the 3 genres".
So, it would be great if we could filter "shows that has one or more of the chosen genres/countries/languages...".
+1 for "Multi-Select".

I would go further with the "Exclude" filtering options and would make them (on/off) on the profile options level, like "never show me (exclude) the shows that has these (place a check mark) genres, countries, older than ---- year" and etc. Or "show me only the shows that has these (place a check mark) ..." ... well, you understand :).