# \[SOLVED\] Channel switch search include user name fields, mid-field support

**URL:** <https://forum.mattermost.com/t/solved-channel-switch-search-include-user-name-fields-mid-field-support/3065>\
**Category:** Design Feedback Request\
**Created:** [March 20, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/solved-channel-switch-search-include-user-name-fields-mid-field-support/3065 "2017-03-20T15:17:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gklandes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mattermost.com/gklandes/32/1190_2.png) [@gklandes](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/gklandes)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/solved-channel-switch-search-include-user-name-fields-mid-field-support/3065/1 "2017-03-20T15:17:46Z")

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I find that switching conversations is difficult when trying to select private conversations by the user’s name. The difficulty is in the channel search which limits search to the text of the user’s username. EX:

I want to look up “John Doe” (first, last names) whose username is “jdoe”

- Cmd+K to open switch channel search
- Enter “John”, “Doe” or even “doe” produces no results

What I would _like_ to see is

- all name fields/columns should be included in the search (“John”)
- mid-string matching should also be allowed (“doe”)

A looser matching paradigm would be more viable in channel searching b/c the search pool tends to be far smaller than that of the convo history.

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**Author:** ![eric](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mattermost.com/eric/32/242_2.png) [@eric](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/eric)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/solved-channel-switch-search-include-user-name-fields-mid-field-support/3065/2 "2017-03-23T17:38:37Z")

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Thanks @gklandes. Totally agree, we are working on a [complete re-design of the channel switcher](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15T3xH2kqHXN5kHrVWVJjR_vjfawRviaT5DPfr9tlaKc/edit#slide=id.p) including the ability to search on more fields and partial text. Please feel free to browse through the spec and add any comments.

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**Author:** ![jasonblais](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mattermost.com/jasonblais/32/720_2.png) [@jasonblais](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/jasonblais)\
**Post date:** [March 25, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/solved-channel-switch-search-include-user-name-fields-mid-field-support/3065/3 "2017-03-25T23:36:26Z")

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@gklandes Which Mattermost server version are you running? This should be working in Mattermost v3.6 and later.

If not, there might be a bug where the search result doesn’t appear.

PS: To find out the Mattermost version, go to the Mattermost three-dotted menu, and select “About Mattermost”

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**Author:** ![gklandes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mattermost.com/gklandes/32/1190_2.png) [@gklandes](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/gklandes)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 11:55am UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/solved-channel-switch-search-include-user-name-fields-mid-field-support/3065/4 "2017-03-27T11:55:32Z")

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Aha! It was just upgraded (to 3.7 from ???) and that feature is now in! This is really great! Thanks!

Now if I can get the rest of the company to finish filling out their name, this will be great.

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**Author:** ![lindy65](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.mattermost.com/lindy65/32/1811_2.png) [@lindy65](https://forum.mattermost.com/u/lindy65)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 10:24am UTC](https://forum.mattermost.com/t/solved-channel-switch-search-include-user-name-fields-mid-field-support/3065/5 "2017-03-29T10:24:20Z")

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Glad your issue is resolved @gklandes!