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« on: February 23, 2023, 07:43:43 AM »
Hrm. Interesting question.
It depends on how you want to 'normalize' the document metadata, so that you can ensure the maximum level of success in FINDING a document you're searching for.
In the vanilla thick client & ICN, since there's not a lot of options for modifying queries entered by end users to match specific formats (like a US Social Security Number or phone number) it's probably best to just store them as a series of digits in a string. It doesn't make sense to treat them as numbers -- because you won't be doing comparisons like greater-than or less-than.
If you ensure that SSNs are loaded with spaces, dashes, or dots removed, then ensure that spaces, dashes, or dots are removed at query time, you're dramatically increasing the chance that someone can find what they're looking for.
Hope that helps.
-JD.