Boolean and Proximity Operators
Wildcards
Free-Text Queries
Vector Space Queries
Property Value Queries
Query Examples
List of Property Names
You can search for any word or phrase on a Web site by just ust typing the word or phrase into a query form and clicking the button to execute the query (for example, the Execute Query button on the sample query form). Searches produce a list of files that contain the word or phrase no matter where they appear in the text.
This list gives the rules for formulating queries:
Boolean and proximity operators can create a more precise query.
To Search For | Example | Results |
---|---|---|
Both terms in the same page | access and basic —Or— access & basic | Pages with both the words “access” and “basic” |
Either term in a page | cgi or isapi —Or— cgi | isapi | Pages with the words “cgi” or “isapi” |
The first term without the second term | access and not basic —Or— access & ! basic | Pages with the word “access” but not “basic” |
Pages not matching a property value | not @size = 100 —Or— ! @size = 100 | Pages that are not 100 bytes |
Both terms in the same page, close together | excel near project —Or— excel ~ project | Pages with the word “excel” near the word “project” |
Hints:
a AND b OR c
c OR a AND b
c OR (a AND b)
(c OR a) AND b
Note The symbols (&, |, !, ~) and the English keywords AND, OR, NOT, and NEAR work the same way in all languages supported by Index Server. Localized keywords are also available when the browser locale is set to one of the following six languages:
Language | Keywords |
---|---|
German | UND, ODER, NICHT, NAH |
French | ET, OU, SANS, PRES |
Spanish | E, O, NO, CERCA |
Dutch | EN, OF, NIET, NABIJ |
Swedish | OCH, ELLER, INTE, NÄRA |
Italian | E, O, NO, VICINO |
Wildcard operators help you find pages containing words similar to a given word.
To Search For | Example | Results |
---|---|---|
Files that match free-text | $contents how do I print in
Microsoft Excel? | Pages that mention printing and Microsoft Excel. |
The query engine supports vector space queries. Vector queries return pages that match a list of words and phrases. The rank of each page indicates how well the page matched the query.
To Search For | Example | Results |
---|---|---|
Pages that contain specific words | light, bulb | Files with words that best match the words being searched for |
Pages that contain weighted prefixes, words, and phrases | invent*, light[50], bulb[10],
"light bulb"[400] | Files that contain words prefixed by “invent,” the words “light,” “bulb,” and the phrase “light bulb” (the terms are weighted) |
Property value queries can be used to find files that have property values that match a given criteria. The properties over which you can query include basic file information like file name and file size, and ActiveX properties including the document summary (abstract) that is stored in files created by ActiveX-aware applications.
There are two types of property queries:
If no property name is specified, @contents is assumed.
Properties available for all files include:
Property Name | Description |
---|---|
All | Matches any property |
Contents | Words and phrases in the file and textual properties |
Filename | Name of the file |
Size | File size |
Write | Last time the file was modified |
Property Name | Description |
---|---|
DocTitle | Title of the document |
DocSubject | Subject of the document |
DocAuthor | The document’s author |
DocKeywords | Keywords for the document |
DocComments | Comments about the document |
For a complete list of property names, see the List of Property Names later on this page.
Relational operators are used in relational property queries.
To Search For | Example | Results |
---|---|---|
Property values in relation to a fixed value | @size < 100 | Files whose size matches the query |
Property values with all of a set of bits on | @attrib ^a 0x820 | Compressed files with the archive bit on |
Property values with some of a set of bits on | @attrib ^s 0x20 | Files with the archive bit on |
To Search For | Example | Results |
---|---|---|
A specific value | @DocAuthor = Bill Barnes | Files authored by “Bill Barnes” |
Values beginning with a prefix | #DocAuthor George* | Files whose author property begins with “George” |
Files with any of a set of extensions | #filename *.|(exe|,dll|,sys|) | Files with .exe, .dll, or .sys extensions |
Files modified after a certain date | @write > 96/2/14 10:00:00 | Files modified after February 14, 1996 at 10:00 GMT |
Files modified after a relative date | @write > -1d2h | Files modified in the last 26 hours |
Vectors matching a vector | @vectorprop = { 10, 15, 20 } | ActiveX documents with a vectorprop value of { 10, 15, 20 } |
Vectors where each value matches a criteria | @vectorprop >^a 15 | ActiveX documents with a vectorprop value in which all values in the vector are greater than 15 |
Vectors where at least one value matches a criteria | @vectorprop =^s 15 | ActiveX documents with a vectorprop value in which at least one value is 15 |
Regular expressions in property queries are defined as follows:
Example | Results |
---|---|
@size > 1000000 | Pages larger than one million bytes |
@write > 95/12/23 | Pages modified after the date |
Apple tree | Pages with the phrase “apple tree” |
"apple tree" | Same as above |
@contents apple tree | Same as above |
Microsoft and @size > 1000000 | Pages with the word “Microsoft” that are larger than one million bytes |
"microsoft and @size > 1000000" | Pages with the phrase specified (not the same as above) |
#filename *.avi | Video files (the # prefix is used because the query contains a regular expression) |
@attrib ^s 32 | Pages with the archive attribute bit on |
@docauthor = John Smith | Pages with the given author |
$contents why is the sky blue? | Pages that match the query |
@size < 100 & #filename *.gif | Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) files less than 100 bytes in size |
These properties are always available for queries. Additional properties may also be available depending on the configuration of the Web server.
Friendly Name | Datatype | Property |
---|---|---|
Access | DBTYPE_DATE | Last time file was accessed. |
All | (not applicable) | Searches every property for a string. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
AllocSize | DBTYPE_I8 | Size of disk allocation for file. |
Attrib | DBTYPE_UI4 | File attributes. Documented in Win32 SDK. |
ClassId | DBTYPE_GUID | Class ID of object, for example, WordPerfect, Word, and so on. |
Change | DBTYPE_DATE | Last time file was changed (includes changes to attributes). |
Characterization | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Characterization, or abstract, of document. Computed by Index Server. |
Contents | (not applicable) | Main contents of file. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
Create | DBTYPE_DATE | Time file was created. |
DocAppName | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Name of application that created the file. |
DocAuthor | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Author of document. |
DocCategory | DBTYPE_STR | Type of document such as a memo, schedule, or whitepaper. |
DocCharCount | DBTYPE_I4 | Number of characters in document. |
DocComments | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Comments about document. |
DocCompany | DBTYPE_STR | Name of the company for which the document was written. |
DocCreatedTm | DBTYPE_DATE | Time document was created. |
DocEditTime | DBTYPE_DATE | Total time spent editing document. |
DocKeywords | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Document keywords. |
DocLastAuthor | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Most recent user who edited document. |
DocLastPrinted | DBTYPE_DATE | Time document was last printed. |
DocLastSavedTm | DBTYPE_DATE | Time document was last saved. |
DocManager | DBTYPE_STR | Name of the manager of the document’s author. |
DocPageCount | DBTYPE_I4 | Number of pages in document. |
DocRevNumber | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Current version number of document. |
DocSubject | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Subject of document. |
DocTemplate | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Name of template for document. |
DocTitle | DBTYPE_STR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Title of document. |
DocWordCount | DBTYPE_I4 | Number of words in document. |
FileIndex | DBTYPE_I8 | Unique ID of file. |
FileName | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Name of file. |
HitCount | DBTYPE_I4 | Number of hits (words matching query) in file. |
HtmlHRef | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Text of HTML HREF. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
HtmlHeading1 | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Text of HTML document in style H1. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
HtmlHeading2 | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Text of HTML document in style H2. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
HtmlHeading3 | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Text of HTML document in style H3. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
HtmlHeading4 | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Text of HTML document in style H4. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
HtmlHeading5 | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Text of HTML document in style H5. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
HtmlHeading6 | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Text of HTML document in style H6. Can be queried but not retrieved. |
Path | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Full physical path to file, including file name. |
Rank | DBTYPE_I4 | Rank of row. Ranges from 0 to 1000. Larger numbers indicate better matches. |
RankVector | DBTYPE_I4 | DBTYPE_VECTOR | Ranks of individual components of a vector query. |
SecurityChange | DBTYPE_DATE | Last time security was changed on file. |
ShortFileName | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Short (8.3) file name. |
Size | DBTYPE_I8 | Size of file, in bytes. |
USN | DBTYPE_I8 | Update Sequence Number. NTFS drives only. |
VPath | DBTYPE_WSTR | DBTYPE_BYREF | Full virtual path to file, including file name. If more than one possible path, then the best match for the specific query is chosen. |
WorkId | DBTYPE_I4 | Internal ID for file. Used within Index Server. |
Write | DBTYPE_DATE | Last time file was written. |
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