---
title: "Wildcard search"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/AIP/10257291/Wildcard%20search"
format: markdown
---
> Macro (aura-html)

This guide explains how to use wildcard characters for advanced searches in Asset Navigator. Wildcards allow you to find assets that match specific patterns within their names or descriptions. This functionality is especially helpful when you're unsure of the exact wording but have a good idea of what you're looking for.

> ✅ These features are updated in AIP v7.0.3. The wildcard search functionality using `*` and `?` is also compatible with older versions.

## Supported wildcards

Search has special characters and a reserved word:

- `*` : Multiple character wildcard searches
- `?`: Single character wildcard search
- `"`: Used for partial or exact search
- `NOT`: Capital letter NOT excludes the following term. If you want to search for "Not", use lowercase `not`.

## Search for wildcard text searches 

Text fields in Asset Navigator support wildcard searches. Here's how they work:

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| The single-character wildcard search looks for terms that match that with the single character replaced. For example, to search for `text` or `test`, you can use the search: | `te?t` |
| Multiple-character wildcard searches look for 0 or more characters. For example, to search for `test`, `tests`, or `tester`, you can use the search: | `tes*` |
| You can also use wildcard searches in the middle of a term. | `te*t` |

## Escaping special characters for text search

Lucene, the search engine behind Asset Navigator, uses some characters for its own purposes. It supports escaping special characters that are part of the query syntax. The current list of special characters are: `*`, `?`, `\`.

To escape these characters, use `\` before the character. For example, to search for `Ab\Cd*xZ`**,** use the query: `ab\\cd\*xz`.

**Example 1:**

We have the following assets, and their names are:

- Server alpha **test**
- Alpha server **test**
- App **tester** beta

When we search:

| **Search keyword** | **Result** |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| te* | <span style="color: #008000">All assets match</span> | Add an asterisk at the end. |
| test* | <span style="color: #008000">All assets match</span> |  |
| te | <span style="color: #800000">Nothing</span> |  |
| *est | - <span style="color: #008000">Server alpha </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">Alpha sever </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span> | Matches all words end with **est.***** ***<br>*(Leading wildcard is allowed at version 7.0.3)* |
| t*t | - <span style="color: #008000">Server alpha </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">Alpha sever </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span> | Matches all words starts with **t** and ends with **t**. |
| *es* | - <span style="color: #008000">Server alpha </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">Alpha sever </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span> | Matches all words with **es**. |
| test | - <span style="color: #008000">Alpha sever </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">Server alpha </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span> |  |
| server test | - <span style="color: #008000">Alpha sever </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">Server alpha </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span> |  |
| "server test" | - <span style="color: #008000">Alpha sever </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span> | Query between double quotes. |
| tester | - <span style="color: #008000">App tester beta</span> |  |
| teste* | - <span style="color: #008000">App tester beta</span> |  |
| tes? | - <span style="color: #008000">Alpha sever </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">Server alpha </span><span style="color: #008000">**test**</span> | Only one character matches for question mark, so "**tester**" does not return. |

- If you have an asset with the name `ab-x1`, you can search for `ab-*`
- To search for words starting with `"`, use query: `\"*`

**Example 2:**

We have the following assets, and their names are:

- New York one
- New York two
- New York two three
- New York Not Here

When we search:

| **Search keyword** | **Result** |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New york | <span style="color: #008000">All assets match</span> |  |
| "New york one" | - <span style="color: #008000">New York one</span> | Exact search |
| "new york" **NOT** two | - <span style="color: #008000">New York one</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">New York Not Here</span> | Must include "new york" but not two |
| "new york" **NOT** t* | - <span style="color: #008000">New York one</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">New York Not Here</span> | Must include "new york" but not a have word start with **t** |
| - not here
- not | - <span style="color: #008000">New York Not Here</span> | Lowercase not searches for "not", it is not an exclude operation |
| * NOT two | - <span style="color: #008000">New York one</span>
- <span style="color: #008000">New York Not Here</span> | All assets but not includes two |

### Exact term search

When you surround text search terms with double quotes (for example, "pandas and monkeys"), only exact matching results will be displayed.

| **Search keyword** | **Matching attribute value** |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| "pandas and monkeys" | pandas and monkeys<br>pandas and MONKEYS | Exactly must be the same. It’s not case-sensitive. |
| pandas and monkeys | pandas<br>monkeys<br>pandas monkeys<br>monkeys pandas | Any tokenized word will match. |

### Partial term search

- Surround the search term with double quotes and use it with other search terms: **"new york" one **matches having **"new york"** or **one**.
- To search only a partial search, add a plus (+) sign before the terms with double quotes: **+"new york". **This search matches all assets with **New York** but not **New Delhi.**
- Do not escape special characters if the search term includes them. **+"\"new york\""** wil match <span style="color: #172b4d">**"New york" is here.**</span>