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Foxtrot Query syntax for exclusion not working? [message #1249] Sat, 14 August 2021 21:42 Go to next message
Atlas
Messages: 130
Registered: August 2009
Senior Member
I want to exclude a certain phrase from my searches, and this phrase may appear in content or title, so I used the syntax -"web session" using the Foxtrot query option, and I see this is still a valid syntax from Foxtrot's help menu. However, the search result seems to show only files that CONTAIN that phrase, rather than exclude it. I've reset the index and double checked my syntax, and I don't see why -"web session" doesn't do the proper exclusion.

Please help? Thank you.
Re: Foxtrot Query syntax for exclusion not working? [message #1252 is a reply to message #1249] Thu, 19 August 2021 12:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FoxTrot Engineering
Messages: 383
Registered: April 2020
Senior Member
This should work, assuming that you actually use the [matches the foxtrot query] criterion, and not [includes all of the words]. Maybe you can send a screenshot of your query. Also, make sure you use strait quotes, not curly ones, and the normal "hyphen-minus" character (U+002D) and not a variant.

Jérôme - FoxTrot Engineering
Re: Foxtrot Query syntax for exclusion not working? [message #1258 is a reply to message #1252] Sun, 22 August 2021 06:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Atlas
Messages: 130
Registered: August 2009
Senior Member
I don't use special characters in my search syntax, only my filenames. So my search syntax in this example is only -"Web Session", and you can copy that to verify that I'm using only standard characters. Attached is the screenshot of my search syntax and results. I'm happy to provide additional info. As you can see, it looks like the results include only files with "Web Session" instead of excluding it. Perhaps this has something to do with the latest version that attempts to index special characters? I've tried to email you about this issue via email weeks ago, but didn't see response so I'm posting it again here. Sorry if it seems like I'm double posting, but not having boolean operator working correctly is a problem.

[Updated on: Sun, 22 August 2021 06:32]

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Re: Foxtrot Query syntax for exclusion not working? [message #1259 is a reply to message #1258] Sun, 22 August 2021 16:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FoxTrot Engineering
Messages: 383
Registered: April 2020
Senior Member
Excluded words, or excluded quoted strings, can only be used in addition to other non-excluded words or quoted strings. If there is really no positive word to search for, you can however use an advanced filter to do this:
[all items of type] [any file or folder]
[then apply advanced filter] [contents or any metadata] [does not contain the string] [ignore case, ignore accents] [web session]
This type of query may take a few dozens of second to perform on a large index.


Jérôme - FoxTrot Engineering
Re: Foxtrot Query syntax for exclusion not working? [message #1260 is a reply to message #1259] Mon, 23 August 2021 07:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Atlas
Messages: 130
Registered: August 2009
Senior Member
I've tried that previously. Including a non-exclude criteria along with the exclusion doesn't help to perform exclusion. In this example I've attached, I want to exclude "web session" and include "algebra" by using the syntax [-"web session" "algebra"]. However, as you can see, it's return contents with "web session". In fact, the search result is exactly the same as ["web session" "algebra"]. The - symbol that's supposed to execute exclusion doesn't anything. Since no one else seems to have the same problem, am I missing something simple here?
Re: Foxtrot Query syntax for exclusion not working? [message #1261 is a reply to message #1260] Mon, 23 August 2021 08:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
FoxTrot Engineering
Messages: 383
Registered: April 2020
Senior Member
Well, here there is a real bug: the - operator apparently has no effect when used on the first word (or quoted string) of the query. Searching for [algebra -"web session"], or ["algebra" -"web session"] should however work as expected. Thanks for the report!

Jérôme - FoxTrot Engineering
Re: Foxtrot Query syntax for exclusion not working? [message #1262 is a reply to message #1261] Mon, 23 August 2021 10:25 Go to previous message
Atlas
Messages: 130
Registered: August 2009
Senior Member
Wow, you're right. I'm glad there's a simple workaround until the bug is fixed. Happy I can help.
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