Setting up synonyms in Search 360

Users can search using groups of words that are considered as equivalent (synonyms). When you have set up synonyms, users can choose whether or not to use those synonyms each time their search term includes one of the synonyms.

About this task

Search 360 is provided with synonyms suitable for the US and the UK. These synonyms are not necessarily suitable for other regions, although your supplier might provide localized alternatives. Synonyms are provided for the following types of text:
  • Given names, including variant spellings
  • Parts of full addresses
  • Common parts of organization names
  • Vehicle makes

Synonyms may be useful in these types of situation:

Searched text Example
Is from different sources Text may use a mixture of spellings from US and UK English and users may wish to treat color and colour or fender and bumper as synonyms.
May have known variations or errors in data entry Many drugs have a variety of names in formal and casual usage. Also, a name using accented characters may be presented in a different order or be spelled in different ways when converted to a form without accented characters: Müller and Mueller.
Is too precise for the purpose of the search A database of vehicles may hold color names specified by the paint manufacturer’s names, such as crimson, scarlet, flame, and so on, where the search term derived from a witness statement is simply red.

You must add synonyms in groups, even if you create only one group. Each group should contain words that users consider as being the same for the purposes of their search. For example, a synonym group named Firearm might have the values: Firearm, Shotgun, Rifle, Handgun, Revolver, Pistol.

If you create many groups and synonyms, you may prefer to export the synonyms to a file and edit that file in a text editing application.

To import a synonym list, you require a text file of the correct format in a known location on an accessible disk volume. This example defines a synonym group named Firearm with the values: Firearm, Shotgun, Rifle, Handgun, Revolver, Pistol:

[Firearm]
Firearm
Shotgun
Rifle
Handgun
Revolver
Pistol

You can export synonyms defined in one database for external editing or transfer to other databases. You can also transfer synonyms between Full text Search and Search 360.

Procedure

  1. Select Tools > Search > Search 360 Administration.
  2. In the synonyms page of the Search 360 Administration dialog, in the Groups area, click Add.
  3. Type a name for the group.
  4. To add a semantic type, click the Browse button, select the appropriate semantic type, and click OK.
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the Synonyms area, click Add.
  7. Type a synonym for addition to the group and click OK.
    If the name you chose for the group is one of the words to be considered as synonyms, you must explicitly add that word to the group. Any synonym you add must:
    • not be a blank value
    • must not exceed 20 characters in length
    • must be considered a valid word, that is it must not contain large numbers of symbols, for example !"£$%^&*
  8. Repeat this procedure from step 6 to add more words to the same group.
  9. Repeat this procedure from step 2 to add another group and its member synonyms.
  10. To export your synonyms to a text file:
    1. In the synonyms page, click Export.
    2. In the Export dialog, do one of the following:
      • In the File box, type the path and file name of the file you wish to create.
      • Browse to the location of an existing text file, which you must be willing to replace with the exported synonyms. Select the existing file and click Save.
    3. In the Export dialog, click Export.
    4. Once you have seen a message that the export was successful, click OK to dismiss the message and then click Close.
  11. To import synonyms from a text file:
    1. In the Synonyms page of the Search 360 Administration dialog, click Import.
    2. In the Import dialog, do one of the following:
      • Type the path and file name of the file you wish to import. Finish by pressing Enter.
      • Browse to the location of an existing text file. Select the existing file and click Open.
    3. Inspect the Preview window carefully to see that the file contains the expected data.
    4. To keep existing synonyms, turn on Merge with existing data. Use this option only if you are certain that all existing synonyms are as you want them.

      1. In the Import dialog, click Import. Click OK to dismiss the message saying that the import was successful.
      2. Click Close to dismiss the Import dialog. You should now be able to see the groups and synonyms in the Search 360 Administration dialog.
  12. Click OK to save the synonyms and close the Search 360 Administration dialog.

Results

Once you have created several groups, be careful to select the correct group in the Name list, before editing the group or its member synonyms. You can delete or rename existing groups and synonyms or add new ones.

If you create many groups and synonyms, you may prefer to export the synonyms to a file and edit that file in a text editing application.