Query Syntax
A simple query may involve searching for documents that contain a particular word or phrase or searching for a date.
For example, to search for documents that contain the word “Envisat”, enter “Envisat” in the “Search for” text box.
EMITS also supports a range of query syntax options that enable you to conduct more sophisticated searches.
| Syntax Element | Description | Example |
| * (Truncation stem) | Use an asterisk * to truncate a word | Enter comput* to find computer, computers, computation, computing etc. |
| ! (Single character masking) | Use exclamation mark ! to mask a single character | Enter "wom!n" to find both woman and women. |
| "..."(Phrase) | To search for a phrase, enclose it in double quotes | Enter "spacecraft attitude" to find exactly spacecraft attitude |
| [...](Proximity) | Enclose words in square brackets to find them within 40 characters of each other in any order. | Enter [using attitude] to find Spacecraft Attitude Determination Using GPS |
| Meta-hyphen | Hyphens are always converted into meta-hyphens | Enter "micro-computer" to find micro-computer, microcomputer or micro computer |
| AND | Separate words by spaces to retrieve records that contain all of them, in any order and position. (AND is the default operator between words, so you don't need to type it.) | Enter "spacecraft determination" to find documents that contain both the words spacecraft and determination in any position. |
| OR | Enter words separated by OR to search for documents that contain either word. | Enter "budget or finance" to search for documents that contain either of the words budget or finance. |
| NOT | Enter words separated by NOT to search for documents that contain the first word but not the second word. | Enter "budget not finance" to search for documents that contain the word budget but not finance. |
Table 3 – Query Syntax
You can combine syntax elements to create complex queries.
For example, enter "attitu* control" OR [control steering] to search for documents that contain either the string attitu (including attitude, attitudinal and so on) or both of the words control and steering.
