Help:Search: Difference between revisions

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====Limiting results====
====Limiting results====
* '''Any word''': BelieveTheSign's default search mode will turn up results with '''''any''''' of the words in your query. For instance, <tt>[http://www.BelieveTheSign.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=serpent+seed&fulltext=Search serpent seed]</tt> will turn up results containing only "serpent" but not "seed" or only "seed" but not "serpent" in addition to the ones you probably wanted, which contain both words.  
* '''Any word''': BelieveTheSign's default search mode will turn up results with '''''any''''' of the words in your query. For instance,  
* '''All words''': To limit to results that include '''''all''''' words, put a "+" at the beginning of each word: <tt>[http://www.BelieveTheSign.org/w/wiki.phtml?search=%2Bserpent+%2Bseed +serpent +seed]</tt> returns only pages containing both words, like Google's default mode.  You can also do a phrase search by enclosing words in quotes: <tt>[http://www.BelieveTheSign.org/w/wiki.phtml?search=%22serpent+seed%22 "serpent seed"]</tt> turns up a smaller set of results, which not only have both words but have them in order.
  serpent seed
* '''Exclude words''': To exclude results that include some words, put a "-" at the beginning: <tt>[http://www.BelieveTheSign.org/w/wiki.phtml?search=serpent+-seed serpent -seed]</tt>
will turn up results containing only "serpent" but not "seed" or only "seed" but not "serpent" in addition to the ones you probably wanted, which contain both words.  


Boolean search is also possible, using words including "AND", "OR", and "NOT".
* '''All words''': To limit to results that include '''''all''''' words, put a "+" at the beginning of each word:
  +serpent +seed
returns only pages containing both words, like Google's default mode.  You can also do a phrase search by enclosing words in quotes:
  "serpent seed"
turns up a smaller set of results, which not only have both words but have them in order.
 
* '''Exclude words''': To exclude results that include some words, put a "-" at the beginning:
  serpent -seed
 
*Boolean search is also possible, using words including "AND", "OR", and "NOT".


====Avoid short and common words====
====Avoid short and common words====
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====Wildcards====
====Wildcards====
You can use some limited wildcards if you really want to. Look up "[http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/fulltext-boolean.html fulltext search]" on http://www.mysql.com/ and look down under 'boolean search' for the details. However, wildcard searches are slower, so go easy on the poor server.
You can use some limited wildcards if you really want to. Look up "[http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/fulltext-boolean.html fulltext search]" on mysql.com and look down under 'boolean search' for the details. However, wildcard searches are slower, so go easy on our poor server.


====Words in single quotes====
====Words in single quotes====
If a word appears in an article with single quotes, you can only find it if you search for the word with quotes. Since this is rarely desirable it is better to use double quotes in articles, for which this problem does not arise. See the [[BelieveTheSign:manual of style|manual of style]] for more info.
If a word appears in an article with single quotes, you can only find it if you search for the word with single quotes. This should not occur often as we have tried to exclude this from the site.


An apostrophe is identical to a single quote, therefore Mu'ammar can be found searching for exactly that (and not otherwise). A word with apostrophe s is an exception in that it can be found also searching for the word without the apostrophe and the s.
An apostrophe is identical to a single quote, therefore Mu'ammar can be found searching for exactly that (and not otherwise). A word with apostrophe s is an exception in that it can be found also searching for the word without the apostrophe and the s.