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--- wiki:search [2026/02/10 16:33] – [Note that ''**\***'' is not a "wildcard". You can't use it _inside_ of a word. For example, searching ''\[ doku\*iki \]'' will not find anything for you.] bobbyk
+++ wiki:search [2026/02/18 15:13] (current) – [Grouping search] bobbyk
@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 .
 Note that ''**\***'' is not a "wildcard". You can't use it _inside_ of a word. For example, searching ''\[ doku\*iki \]'' will not find anything for you.
 ### The OR operator (|)
 By default, DokuWiki searches for _all_ the words in your search, but you can also search for _any_ of your search terms. (This is called a logical OR search.)
-OR searching is done by including ''|'' or ''or'' as a separator between your search terms.
+"OR" searching is done by including ''|'' or ''or'' as a separator between your search terms.
-For example, the query ''\[ event | show \]'' will find pages which contain either "plugin" or "template" or both.
+For example, the query ''\[ event | show \]'' will find pages which contain either "event" or "show" or both.
-The query ''\[ event or show \]'' will do the same thing.
+The query ''\[ event _or_ show \]'' will do the same thing.
-You can make use of OR as a way to find search terms with spelling variations, for example ''\[ capitol | capital \]'', or, ''\[ state capitol | state capital \]''.
+#### Examples:
+Suppose we are looking for volunteer Mary Magathan and Representative Duane Droge (both of Kansas)
+A search using the default "and" search of the two last names, `[ Droge magathan ]` , brings up only one result.
+{{:wiki:search\_droge\_magathan.jpg?300|}}
+*   mary\_magathan\_s\_district\_page\_txt\_pages\_20882
+A search using an "or" search, `[ Droge | magathan ]`, returns six results.
+{{:wiki:search\_droge\_or\_magathan.jpg?300|}}
+*   mary\_magathan\_s\_district\_page\_txt\_pages\_20882
+*   mary\_magathan\_is\_convention\_of\_states\_txt\_blogposts\_28290
+*   kansas\_district\_13\_txt\_pages\_16778
+*   2024\_general\_election\_candidate\_list\_txt\_pages\_25882
+*   april\_2025\_newsletter\_txt\_blogposts\_29033
+*   cos\_gains\_support\_from\_kansans\_for\_constitutional\_integrity\_txt\_blogposts\_19416
+You can make use of OR as a way to find search terms with _spelling variations_, for example ''\[ capitol | capital \]'', or, ''\[ state capitol | state capital \]''.
 \_
@@ Line 111: / Line 131: @@
 ''\[ (gun show) | event \]''.
-.
 But, if you needed to search for (gun show) or for (gun event), you could _not_ write it as ''\[ gun (show | event) \]''.
-Instead, use a grouping syntax as described below.
+Instead, use a _grouping search_ — as described below.
 ### Grouping search
 You can group search terms by enclosing terms with parentheses ''( ... )''. Having the highest precedence, parentheses may be used to force precedence.
-For example, the query ''\[ dokuwiki -(plugin | @plugin) \]'' will find pages which contain a word "DokuWiki" but not contain a word "plugin" and also are not within a namespace "plugin".
+For example, let's say we want to find Robert Cahaly mentioned, but not in the context of John Birch Society _nor_ in the context of Georgia.
+The query would be ''\[ Cahaly -(JBS | Georgia) \]'', and it will find pages which do contain the word "Cahaly" but not contain the word "JBS" and also not contain the word "Georgia".