Change Details

**Steps to replicate the issue** (include links if applicable): * Go to Wikimedia Commons and click on its search bar (maybe from a category one intends to populate / check if it's complete) * For example search for `Squirrel nut -deepcategory:"Animals with nuts"` in either [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Squirrel+Nut+-deepcategory%3A%22Animals+with+nuts%22&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image | the modern well-usable wall-of-images search]] where cat-a-lot does not work or [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Squirrel+nut+-deepcategory%3A%22Animals+with+nuts%22+filetype%3Abitmap&title=Special:Search&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&advancedSearch-current=%7B%22fields%22%3A%7B%22filetype%22%3A%22bitmap%22%7D%7D&ns6=1 | the special search]] where cat-a-lot does work **What happens?**: Many files somewhere in the subcategories show up ([[ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nut_Grab.jpg | example ]]) **What should have happened instead?**: These should not show up, especially in this example case where there are only few subcategories and few files. The deepcategory operator works just fine for other cases but here it doesn't work – even worse without it being clear to the user that and why it doesn't work. **Software version** (on `Special:Version` page; skip for WMF-hosted wikis like Wikipedia): **Other information** (browser name/version, screenshots, etc.): Firefox

**Steps to replicate the issue** (include links if applicable): * Go to Wikimedia Commons and click on its search bar (maybe from a category one intends to populate / check if it's complete) * For example search for `Wikimedia -deepcategory:"Videos about Wikimedia"` in either [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Wikimedia+-deepcategory%3A%22Videos+about+Wikimedia%22&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=video | the modern well-usable wall-of-images search]] where cat-a-lot does not work and no error shows or [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Wikimedia+-deepcategory%3A%22Videos+about+Wikimedia%22&title=Special:Search&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1 | the special search]] where cat-a-lot does work and the error below shows **What happens?**: In the special search this error shows instead of any results "//A warning has occurred while searching: Deep category query returned too many categories//" **What should have happened instead?**: The deepcategory operator works just fine for other cases but there are problems with large categories. Instead of showing no results it should show as many as possible. For example, there could be a max number of files to scan or max number of categories. I think ultimately it would be very useful if it worked without limiting the number of subcategories to scan and shows some option if the number is large (it could be set to a low maximum by default). It could also keep checking against subcategories until it reaches a subcategory with a very large number of files or surpassed the files number threshold and calculate the default using that. **Software version** (on `Special:Version` page; skip for WMF-hosted wikis like Wikipedia): **Other information** (browser name/version, screenshots, etc.): Firefox

**Steps to replicate the issue** (include links if applicable): * Go to Wikimedia Commons and click on its search bar (maybe from a category one intends to populate / check if it's complete) * For example search for `Squirrel nut`Wikimedia -deepcategory:"Animals with nutsVideos about Wikimedia"` in either [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Squirrel+NutWikimedia+-deepcategory%3A%22Animals+with+nutsVideos+about+Wikimedia%22&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=imagevideo | the modern well-usable wall-of-images search]] where cat-a-lot does not work and no error shows or [[https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Squirrel+nut+-deepcategory%3A%22Animals+with+nuts%22+filetype%3Abitmap&title=Special:Search&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&advancedSearch-current=%7B%22fields%22%3A%7B%22filetype%22%3A%22bitmap%22%7D%7D&nsWikimedia+-deepcategory%3A%22Videos+about+Wikimedia%22&title=Special:Search&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1 | the special search]] where cat-a-lot does work and the error below shows **What happens?**: Many files somewhere in the subcategories show up ([[ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nut_Grab.jpg | example ]]) In the special search this error shows instead of any results "//A warning has occurred while searching: Deep category query returned too many categories//" **What should have happened instead?**: These should not show up, deepcategory operator works just fine for other cases but there are problems with large categories. Instead of showing no results it should show as many as possible. For example, there could be a max number of files to scan or max number of categories. especially in this example case where there are only few subcategories and few filesI think ultimately it would be very useful if it worked without limiting the number of subcategories to scan and shows some option if the number is large (it could be set to a low maximum by default). The deepcategory operator works just fine for other cases but here it doesn't work – even worse without it being clear to the user that and why it doesn't workIt could also keep checking against subcategories until it reaches a subcategory with a very large number of files or surpassed the files number threshold and calculate the default using that. **Software version** (on `Special:Version` page; skip for WMF-hosted wikis like Wikipedia): **Other information** (browser name/version, screenshots, etc.): Firefox