Basic Search

The simplest way to use the search feature is to enter a value in the Search Terms entry box and press the "Search" button or the "Enter" key on your keyboard. The search function looks through the selected component for entries that contain, within the title or the description, an exact match of the value entered. If "United States of America" was entered in the Search Terms entry box, for example, and the search was run, an entry would only be displayed if "United States of America" appeared in the title or the description.

Case Sensitivity

The data tables used by the search function maintain all information in lowercase. Text you enter in the Search Terms entry box is converted to lowercase within the search function before the search is run. For example, "SMT" and "sMt" are considered by the search function to be equivalent.

Using the AND Operator

The AND operator allows you to search for words located anywhere within the title or description of the component but in no particular order. For example, to search for forum entries concerning BGA and testing, you would enter the following into the search string:

This would return all listings that have both the terms BGA and Testing in them.

Using the OR Operator

The OR operator allows you to search for entries that contain ANY of the words in your search. For example:

This search would return all entries that contain either BGA or Test. Use of the AND and OR operators can help you get the most out of your searches.

Using Wildcards

Wildcards can be used to extend your search range. For example, if you want to include in your search a portion of a word, type the first few letters followed or preceded by an asterisk:

This would return all entries that have "elec" in them, whether it is "electronic", "electric", or "electroplated". A cautionary note: using the asterisk wildcard will skew your results. Everything that is returned will score 100% relevancy.