After using the Advanced Search box for a while, you may notice that certain codes and prefixes are added to your search terms in the Encompass "Command Line." This guide will help you understand what those codes and prefixes mean, and how to create Advanced or Expert searches in the Encompass Command line.
There are many special codes you can use to expertly search Encompass. The following list contains only those selected as being especially and universally useful. (For the complete list, see the Link below)
The use of these codes followed by a colon (:) indicates a "word" --or keyword type of search which will locate the words in the search ANYWHERE in the record in any order. If you follow the codes with an equals sign (=) it indicates a "phrase" search which will locate ALL of the words IN THAT ORDER in the record.
| Index code | Search type | Searches for... |
| au: |
Author (or Name) |
Name anywhere in the record (including contents notes.) Includes people and corporations that have participated in the creation of the item, including sponsors, editors, directors, actors, illustrators, and many other roles. |
| ti: | Title | Title words in the record, including series titles and titles in contents. |
| su: | Subject | Any topic, including people and organizations, geographic areas, time periods, titles discussed, and taxonomic terms. Specifically defined for handling the subject of a work, real or fictitious. |
| ge: | Genre/form | Terms indicating the form, genre, and/or physical characteristics of the materials being described. Genre terms for textual materials designate specific kinds of materials distinguished by the style or technique of their intellectual content (e.g., biographies, fiction, essays, hymns, or reviews). |
The following Expert search codes can help you to refine or "filter" your search, especially if you are getting more results than you want, or if the results you are getting include items that you know are not relevant.
Add the following codes to your search using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) in CAPITAL letters.
| Index code | Search type | Limits to... |
| ln: | Language | Items including text (or soundtrack) in a certain language. Use ln= to search for items originally in the language specified (e.g. a video in spanish as opposed to video having spanish subtitles) |
| b8: | Branch/ Shelf location | Items within a specific collection (or "branch") at Trexler: See list of codes |
| x0: | Format | A specific list of formats, such as "Book" or "Video" See list of specific codes |
| x4: | Specific format 'facet' | (used in conjunction with x0:) Limits to a specific type of format, such as "Book, Digital" (that is: ebook) or "Video, Bluray" See list of specific codes |
| op:0 | Open Access | only items that are identified as "Open Access" |
| ge: | Genre/form | Items of the specific genre or form. Genre terms for textual materials designate specific kinds of materials distinguished by the style or technique of their intellectual content (e.g., biographies, fiction, essays, hymns, or reviews). |
| am: | Access Method |