Expanded search and find user interface

A computer readable memory device containing computer-readable instructions for providing an expanded email search functionality to a local computing device, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a remote processing device, causing the remote processing device to perform steps comprising:

• providing instructions to the local computing device to display a user interface including a list pane and a search pane, the list pane initially including an unfiltered listing of email items, and the search pane initially being in a simplified form and including a first textbox;
• receiving a request from the local computing device to initiate a first search query based on an alphanumeric first search query entered in the first textbox;
• executing the first search query and providing instructions to cause the local computing device to display a first results list in the list pane, the first results list including one or more of the email items that match the first search query;
• in response to receiving a request from the local computing device for an expanded form of the search pane, providing instructions to cause the local computing device to display the first textbox and a plurality of additional drop down menus, each of the additional drop down menus being associated with a pre-selected property of the email items that defines a search criteria associated with the additional drop down menu, each pre-selected property being represented by a label adjacent to its associated additional drop down menu;
• receiving a request from the local computing device to initiate a second search query based on a selection of a menu entry from at least one of the additional drop down menus;
• providing instructions to cause the local computing device to redisplay the simplified form of the search pane so that the first textbox is displayed without the additional drop down menus, and further providing instructions to populate the first textbox with a syntax and structure of the second search query in response to redisplaying the simplified form of the search pane;
• and
• executing the second search query and providing instructions to cause the local computing device to display a second results list in the list pane, the second results list including one or more of the email items having instances of the pre-selected property matching the menu entry in the second search query.

A computing device comprising:

• a display;
• a processing unit;
• and
• a system memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, configure the computing device to:
• display an email user interface including a list pane and a search pane, the list pane initially including an unfiltered listing of email items, and the search pane initially being in a simplified form that includes a first textbox;
• receive entry of an alphanumeric first search query in the first textbox;
• receive a request to initiate the first search query;
• execute the first search query and display a first results list in the list pane, the first results list including one or more of the email items that match the first search query;
• receive a request to display an expanded form of the search pane that includes the first textbox and a plurality of additional textboxes, each of the additional textboxes being associated with a pre-selected property of the email items that defines a search criteria associated with the additional textbox, each pre-selected property being represented by a label adjacent to its associated additional textbox;
• receive entry of a search string in at least one of the additional textboxes;
• receive a request to initiate a second search query that includes the search string entered in the at least one additional textbox;
• remove the expanded form of the search pane and redisplay the simplified form so that the first textbox is displayed without the additional textboxes, wherein the first textbox is populated with a syntax and structure of the second search query in response to removing the expanded form of the search pane and redisplaying the simplified form;
• and
• execute the second search query and display a second results list in the list pane, the second results list including one or more of the email items having instances of the pre-selected property matching the search string in the second search query.