DocuShare Search Tips

DocuShare search features let you run quick searches from the navigation bar as well as create advanced search queries to get better search results.

Basic search tips

Using the Search area on the navigation bar, you can run quick searches by entering one or more search words (separate words with a space), choosing a search scope, and clicking Search.

When running a basic search follow these tips to improve your results:

• DocuShare searches are not case-sensitive.
  Note: If you want to find content that includes an exact match of a word, prefix the word with a tilde (~). For example, ~DocuShare.
• You can use the asterisk character (*) to represent any number of alphanumeric characters in one word and the question mark (?) to represent a single character.
• You can combine search words using the logical operators AND, NOT, and OR. Type the operator in uppercase letters and type a plus sign (+) before and after the operator instead of a space.
  For example, fruits+AND+vegetables; fruits+AND+vegetables+NOT+produce; fruits+OR+vegetables.
• To speed searches, DocuShare ignores certain common words (referred to as stop words) such as the, are, it, to. Do not use only stop words in a search term.
• Note: If you want to find content that includes numbers such as dates, it is better to run an advanced search.

Advanced search tips

Using the Advanced Search page, you create a search term by specifying three pieces of information:

1. Operator, which can be one of the following:

Contains: Finds objects whose property value or content includes the search word or words.

Not Contains: Finds objects whose property value or content does not include the search word or words.

Contains Characters: Finds objects whose property value or content includes the search character or characters.

Not Contains Characters: Finds objects whose property value or content does not include the search character or characters.

Equals: Finds objects whose property value or content matches the search word or words. Useful in finding exactly what you are looking for if you know exact text.

Not Equals: Finds objects whose property value or content does not match the search word or words.

2. Search text: One or more words separated by spaces. You can use the asterisk character (*) to represent any number of alphanumeric characters in one word and the question mark (?) to represent a single character.
3. Location of search text: The menu provides a list of object properties, including custom properties, Document Content, and Any Part (search all properties and content).

Examples:

Contains example: The title of a document is Around the World in 80 Days. A search for "contains 80 days in Title" would find the document, as well as any other documents with the words 80 days in their titles. A search for "contains ar* world in Title" would find the document.

Equals example: The title of a document is Around the World in 80 Days. A search for "equals around the world in 80 days in Title" would find the document.

Combining search terms

To further refine a search, you create additional search terms and combine them using logical operators.

And: Searches for objects that contain all of the search terms.

Or: Searches for objects that contain one of the search terms.

And Not: Searches for objects that contain one search term and not the other.

Note: When creating an Or search and the first search term is "contains <text> in Any Part or Document Content", use the contains operator in the second search term.

Searching by relative dates

You can search for objects using a date range that is relative to today. The examples below show relative date search terms and results.

Examples using August 25 as today's date:

Create Date is after 3 days ago
Finds objects with dates of: August 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, …

Create Date is after 3 days from now
Finds objects with dates of: August 29, 30, …

Modified Date is before or on 3 days ago
Finds objects with dates of: …, August 20, 21, 22

Modified Date is before or on 3 days from now
Finds objects with dates of: …, August 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Approval Date is on 3 days ago
Finds objects with the date: August 22

Approval Date is on 3 days from now
Finds objects with the date: August 28

To create a search term that uses today as a start or end date, click + add range to create another search term with 0 in the days field.

Example:

Modified Date is after 3 days ago + Modified Date is before or on 0 days ago
Finds objects with dates of: August 23, 24, 25

Using non alphanumeric characters

To find objects that include other non alphanumeric characters, such as a parenthesis or an equal sign (=), use the equals operator and select the specific property name.

Examples:

To search for (650) 123-4567, enter: equals (650) 123-4567 in (User) Phone

Finding objects by handle number

To find an object using its handle, enter the complete handle: for example, collection-276. You also can use the asterisk character (*76) , but DocuShare may find more than the single object.

Solution Published:  June 5^th, 2012

Solution ID:  1133