glx add search

Append a search to a research log

Synopsis

Append one search entry to an existing research log.

--log is required and must name an existing research log. At least one of --source, --repository, --collection, --query or --citation says what was searched. --result is validated against the search_result_types vocabulary (found, not_found, inconclusive, partial, not_searched, ... plus any values the archive adds). --source, --repository and --citation must reference existing entities; a --citation is also added to the log's own citations list.

Only the file that holds the log is rewritten; the rest of the archive is not touched. The log ID is printed to stdout.

glx add search [flags]

Examples

  # Record a negative search
  glx add search --log rl-death --source source-findagrave \
    --query "Lewis Little d. 1816-1836 Illinois" --result not_found \
    --date 2026-09-17 --archive ./archive

  # Record a hit with its citation
  glx add search --log rl-death --repository repository-familysearch \
    --collection "Illinois, Probate Records, 1819-1988" --result found \
    --citation citation-probate-lewis-little --archive ./archive

  # Plan a search for later
  glx add search --log rl-death --collection "Rowan County, NC, Wills" \
    --result not_searched --archive ./archive

Options

  -a, --archive string      Archive path (directory) (default ".")
      --citation string     Citation ID produced by the search
      --collection string   Collection name, when there is no Source entity for it
      --date string         Date the search was performed (GLX date string)
      --dry-run             Print what would be changed without writing files
  -h, --help                help for search
      --log string          Research log ID to append to (required)
      --note stringArray    Free-text note about this search (repeatable)
      --query string        Search terms used
      --repository string   Repository ID searched
      --result string       Outcome (vocabulary key in search_result_types)
      --skip-validate       Skip whole-archive validation after adding (vocab and reference checks still run)
      --source string       Source ID searched

Options inherited from parent commands

  -q, --quiet   Suppress non-error output (where supported)

SEE ALSO

• glx add - Create entities (person, place, event, …) from CLI flags