Searching for entries using full text and all fields

In IBM® Cognos® Connection, when you search for entries using the Full text and all fields option, you search for entries in an index that was created by your administrator. The search results can be refined after the initial search results are generated.

Before you begin

Before you can search for an entry, the search index must be created.

About this task

Search operators refine your search criteria so that the search can return more relevant results. Without the operators, when using more than one word in a search, the result includes entries that contain all of the search keywords and entries that contain only one of the search keywords.

Use the following operators in the same way that you use them in other search engines:

Plus sign (+)
Minus sign (-)
Double quotation marks (") and (")
Asterisk (*)

You can search by specified fields. The currently supported fields are name and description. This type of search gives more control over the search results and eliminates less relevant matches, such as metadata and data matches. Special characters, such as a question mark (?), an ampersand (&), a percent sign (%), and so on, are ignored during the search.

The following table shows the supported search strings and associated search examples and search results.

Table 1. Search examples
Search string	Search example	Search result
Single term	Sales	Returns entries that include Sales.
Multiple terms	Sales Performance	Returns entries that include Sales or Performance.
Phrase	`"`Sales Performance`"`	Returns an exact phrase "Sales Performance". For example, a report entitled "Sales Performance for North America" is included in the results.
+	Sales +Performance	Returns entries where Performance must be present while Sales is optional.
-	Sales -Performance	Returns entries where Performance must be absent while Sales is optional.
*	Perform*	Returns entries that start with Perform. For example, Performance, performing.
-prompt:	Sales -prompt:	Returns entries that include Sales, but excludes entries that are part of prompts.
+language:`lang`	Sales +language:ja	Returns entries that include Sales, and match only entries with language metadata = ja
-language:`lang`	Sales -language:ja	Returns entries that include Sales, but excludes any entries with language metadata = ja
+name:`term`	+name:Sales	Returns entries that include Sales in the name.
-name:`term`	-name:Performance	Returns entries that do not include Performance in the name.
+description:`term`	+description:Sales	Returns entries that include Sales in the description.
-description:`term`	-description:Performance	Returns entries that do not include Performance in the description.
+name:`term1` +description:`term2`	+name:Sales +description:Performance	Returns entries that include Sales in the name and Performance in the description.
+name:`term1` -description:`term2`	+name:Sales -description:Performance	Returns entries that include Sales in the name and do not include Performance in the description.
-name:`term1` +description:`term2`	-name:Sales +description:Performance	Returns entries that do not include Sales in the name and include Performance in the description.
-name:`term1` -description:`term2`	-name:Sales -description:Performance	Returns entries that do not include Sales in the name and Performance in the description.
`term1` -name:`term2` -description:`term3`	Product -name:Sales -description:Performance	Returns entries for Product that do not include Sales in the name and Performance in the description.

Tip: No space should be provided between the operator (+,-,*) and the search term.

Procedure

From the Search Options, select the Full text and all fields search option.
Click the search icon in the toolbar.
In the search box, type the phrase that you want to search for.
Click Advanced.
In the Search for type box, click the type of entry to search for.
Click Search.
To refine your search further, use the options in the Refine by pane.
- Result - Shows or hides report parts only.
- Type - The type of an IBM Cognos entry, such as a dashboard, a report, or a query.
- Part - The type of report, such as a crosstab, list, or pie chart
- Date - The year of creation
- Owner - The owner of the entry.
- Metadata - The metadata or packages that were used to create this entry.
The options that are available to you to refine your search depend on the search privileges granted by your administrator. For more information, see Search results.