Using Operators and Connectors in Full-Text Searches

Full-text searching can sometimes seem complicated, because in order to create powerful searches that identify very specific combinations of text within files, multiple search criteria must be connected together. Full-text searching uses “operators” and “connectors” to do this. It is easiest to view the various operators and connectors as options that you can use to build pieces of an overall search.

Operators and Connectors available for use in Full-Text Searches within FileCenter include:

AND

Use the AND connector in a search request to connect two search criteria, both of which must be found in any document retrieved.

Examples: apple pie and poached pear would retrieve any document that contained both phrases. (apple or banana) and (pear w/5 grape) would retrieve any document that (1) contained either apple OR banana, AND (2) contained pear within 5 words of grape.

OR

Use the OR connector in a search request to connect two expressions, at least one of which must be found in any document retrieved.

Example: apple pie or poached pear would retrieve any document that contained apple pie, poached pear, or both.

W/# (within)

In the within connector, # represents a digit used to designate the number of words that one word or phrase must occur within of the other.

Examples: apple w/5 pear would retrieve any document that contained apple within 5 words of pear. (apple or pear) w/5 banana would retrieve any document that contained either apple or pear within 5 words of banana. (apple w/5 banana) w/10 pear would retrieve any document that contained apple within 5 words of banana, and that same apple within 10 words of pear.

Some types of complex expressions using the W/N connector produce ambiguous results and should not be used. The following are examples of ambiguous search requests:

(apple and banana) w/10 (pear and grape)

(apple w/10 banana) w/10 (pear and grape)

In general, at least one of the two expressions connected by W/N must be a single word or phrase, or a group of words and phrases connected by OR.

Examples:

(apple and banana) w/10 (pear or grape)

(apple and banana) w/10 orange tree

NOT W/# (not within)

The “not within” connector allows you to search for a word or phrase that is not within a certain number of words of a second word.

Example: apple not w/20 pear retrieves any document that contains an apple that does not appear within 20 words of pear.

Unlike the W/ operator, NOT W/ is not symmetrical. That is, apple not w/20 pear is not the same as pear not w/20 apple. In the apple not w/20 pear request, SIRE searches for apple and excludes cases where apple is too close to pear. In the pear not w/20 apple request, SIRE searches for pear and excludes cases where pear is too close to apple.

AND NOT

Use NOT in front of any search expression to reverse its meaning. This allows you to exclude documents from a search.

Example: apple sauce and not pear would retrieve any document that contained apple sauce and did not contain pear.

NOT standing alone can be the start of a search request. For example, not pear would retrieve all documents that do not contain pear.

If NOT is not the first connector in a request, you must use either AND or OR with NOT:

apple or not pear retrieves any document that contains apple or does not contain pear. not (apple w/5 pear) retrieves any document that does not contain apple within 5 words of pear.

()

Using () around a search will set an order of precedence.

Example: (apple or pear) and banana will retrieve any document that contains the words apple and banana or any document that contains pear and banana.

““

Using quotes around a search to will make it an exact phrase search.

Example: “apple tree” will retrieve only documents that have apple tree displayed exactly how it was entered in the search.