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Search syntax and operators

When searching on multiple words, the search engine interprets the search text based on how it is constructed. Search results may be more precise if the criteria is quoted, or if you included Boolean operators.

Boolean operators

You can specify search criteria more precisely using Boolean operators. Boolean operators define the relationships between words or groups of words. You use them to specify if all words or if any of the words will satisfy the criteria, or if objects containing specified words should be eliminated from satisfying the criteria. For example:

To search forOperatorExamplesResult
Both terms in the same object

AND

&

+

content AND management

content & management

content + management

Objects that contains both words content and management.
Either term in a object

OR

|

,

<space>

content OR management

content | management

content, management

content management

Objects that contain the word content, the word management, or both.
Objects that do not contain the term

NOT

!

-

NOT management

!management

-management

Objects that do not contain the word management.

You can combine operators to define a more complex search string. For example, the following search string can be used to search for objects with the word content but not management: +content -management.

Grouping characters

Use parenthesis to ensure that a search containing different operators performs as you intend. The parenthesis group Boolean strings so that you can use them as separate criteria.

For example:

To search for:Example:The results include:
(word1 and word2) or word3(content and management) technologiesAll objects that contain the word content and the word management, or objects that contain the word technologies.
(word1 not word2) and word3(content not management) and technologiesAll objects that contain the word content but not the word management, and must also contain the word technologies.

An even more complex string may be defined, for example, to search for objects with either the words research and development in that order or customer service in that order, but not objects that contain the RWS: ("research and development" or "customer services" support) -RWS

Quotes

Quotes affect the search results in the following ways.

  • If you enter the search string in quotes, the exact phrase is used as the search criteria. The result shows objects that contain all the words in the exact order as entered.
  • If you enter unquoted text, each individual word in the search string is used as separate criteria. The result shows any object containing any of the words.

For example:

If the search criteria is:The result is:
content management technologiesObjects with the words "content" or "management" or "technologies" in it.
"content management technologies"Objects with the phrase "content management technologies" (words in that exact order) in it.

You can combine quoted criteria and non-quoted criteria to define a more complex search string. For example the following search string can be used to search for objects with the exact phrase, content management technologies, or with the word CMS: "content management technologies" CMS

By default, some words and characters have a special meaning for the search engine and are not interpreted as part of the criteria unless they are enclose them in quotation marks ("). The special words and characters fall into three categories as discussed above.

  • Boolean operators
    CharactersAre interpreted as the Boolean operator:
    + (plus sign) & (ampersand)AND
    , (comma) | (bar)OR
    - (minus sign) ! (exclamation point)NOT
  • Grouping characters
    CharactersAre interpreted as:
    (open parenthesisBeginning of a criteria 2 group, to be evaluated together before proceeding to the next criteria
    )closed parenthesisEnd of the criteria group
  • Wildcard characters
    CharactersAre interpreted as:
    *asteriskMulti-character wildcard.