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Please Enter Keywords
Using simple queries
The simple query is the default
query type and is appropriate for the vast majority of searches. When entering
text on a search form, you perform a simple query by entering a word or comma-delimited
strings, with optional wildcard characters. Verity treats each comma as a logical
OR. If you omit the commas, Verity treats the expression as a phrase.
Caution: Many web search engines assume
a logical AND for multiple word searches, and search for a phrase only if you
use quotation marks. Because Verity treats multiple word searches differently,
it might help your users if you provide examples on your search page or a brief
explanation of how to search.
The following table shows examples
of simple searches:
|
Example |
Search result |
|
low,brass,instrument |
low or brass or instrument |
|
low brass instrument |
the phrase, low brass instrument |
|
film |
film, films, filming, or filmed |
|
filming AND fun |
film, films, filming, or filmed, and
fun |
|
filming OR fun |
film, films, filming, or filmed, or
fun |
|
filming NOT fun |
film, films, filming, or filmed, but
not fun |
Composing search expressions
Wildcard Characters
* is the wildcard character
? is the single letter wildcard character
Case sensitivity
Searches are case-sensitive
only when the search term is entered in mixed case. For example, a search for
zeus finds zeus, Zeus, or ZEUS; however, a search for Zeus finds only Zeus.
Prefix and infix notation
By default, precedence is implicit
in the expression; for example, the AND operator takes precedence over the
OR operator.
You can use prefix notation with
any operator except an evidence operator (typically, STEM, WILDCARD, or WORD). In prefix notation,
the expression explicitly specifies precedence. Rather than repeating an operator,
you can use prefix notation to list the operator once and list the search targets
in parentheses. For example, the following expressions are equivalent:
- Moses <NEAR> Larry <NEAR> Jerome <NEAR> Daniel <NEAR> Jacob
- <NEAR>(Moses,Larry,Jerome,Daniel,Jacob)
The following prefix notation example
searches first for documents that contain Larry and Jerome, then for documents
that contain Moses:
OR (Moses, AND (Larry,Jerome))
The infix notation equivalent of
this is as follows:
Moses OR (Larry AND Jerome)
Commas in expressions
If an expression includes two or
more search terms within parentheses, a comma is required between the elements
(whitespace is ignored). The following example searches for documents that
contain any combination of Larry and Jerome together:
AND (Larry, Jerome)
Precedence rules
Expressions are read from left to
right. The AND operator takes precedence over the OR operator; however, terms
enclosed in parentheses are evaluated first. When the search engine encounters
nested parentheses, it starts with the innermost term.
|
Example |
Search result |
|
Moses AND Larry OR Jerome |
documents that contain Moses and Larry,
or Jerome |
|
(Moses AND Larry) OR Jerome |
(same as above) |
|
Moses AND (Larry OR Jerome) |
documents that contain Moses and either
Larry or Jerome |
Adapted from http://livedocs.macromedia.com
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