RFC Index Search Engine Help

A. BASIC SEARCHING

To search the Internet Draft index, enter a search argument in the empty box and select "Search".

The search engine will display all index entries that match the argument. These index entries will include hyper-linked references to retrieve the corresponding Internet Draft text.

B. MATCHES
Matches are always case-insensitive. The search argument may in general contain one or more words separated by spaces. Multiple words must each match; that is, the match is by default the logical "AND" of multiple argument words. The default is to do "prefix" matching, that is, the argument word must be a prefix of a matching word in the index.
	Example of prefix match:
		Argument: "inet" will match RFCs whose titles include "inetOrgPerson" and "INETPhone".
However, "entire word" matching can also be requested.

C. RESULTS

You can select the maximum number of index entries to be shown on the screen at a time (default 25). Click the 'Next' button to show more results.

D. FIELDS

Each index entry includes the following fields:

(1) Document Name
(2) Title
(3) Author
(4) Working Group
(5) Date

The Search Field can be set to limit the search to any one of Author, Title, Date and Keywords in File Name

Examples:

Argument: "Smith" on Author field: 16 matches.

Argument: "A. Smith" on Author field: 2 matches

(This includes a bogus match: "D. Sitzler, P. Smith, A. Marine", because the two argument words "A." and "Smith" were matched independently)

Argument: "Smith" on Title field: 0 matches

Argument: "jan 2001" on Date Fields

(78 matches with "01/xx/2001" in the Date field).

Argument: "may 15 2001" on Date Fields (same as 05/15/2001 on Date Fields)

(4 matches with "05/15/2001" in the Date field). ** There is a conversion from non-numeric month info (ex: may) to numeric month info (ex: 05/xx/xxxx) on Date fields search)

Finally, the search field can be set to All Fields (this is the default). This effectively combines all the fields of each index entry into a single string for matching against the argument words.

Examples:

Argument: "Smith LDAP" on All Fields

(8 matches with "LPAP" in the Title field and "Smith" in the Author field).

Argument: "Smith 2000" on All Fields

(Note that the Date field is implicitly included in matches, although it cannot convert and match non-numeric month information with numeric month information:
ex) There is no conversion from Aug to 08/xx/xxxx on All fields search)

E. MORE DETAILS

1) Keywords in File Name

Note that some words in the File Name are considered as keywords.

2) Advanced Searches

If multiple words are included in the search argument, the search is normally a logical "and" of these words. However, this will become a logical "or" when the word "or" is explicitly included in the search argument.

Examples:

"rsvp lsp" has 5 match
"rsvp or lsp" has 55 matches

3) Search with Date information

You need to use 2 digit number for month and date search, and 4 digit number for year search.
You can also use non-numeric type information (like jan, feb ...) also when you select Date field search option.

Examples:

month: 01, 02, 03 ~ 12 or jan(uary), feb(ruary), mar(ch) ~ ,dec(ember)
date : 01, 02, 03, ~ 31
year : 1999,2000,2001

4) Abstract Information

You can also see abstract for each document by turning on 'show abstract' option from the form.

D. FIELDS Each index entry includes the following fields:
	(1) Document Name (2) Title (3) Author (4) Working Group (5) Date
The Search Field can be set to limit the search to any one of Author, Title, Date and Keywords in File Name
	Examples:
		Argument: "Smith" on Author field: 16 matches.
		Argument: "A. Smith" on Author field: 2 matches
			(This includes a bogus match: "D. Sitzler, P. Smith, A. Marine", because the two argument words "A." and "Smith" were matched independently)
		Argument: "Smith" on Title field: 0 matches
		Argument: "jan 2001" on Date Fields
			(78 matches with "01/xx/2001" in the Date field).
		Argument: "may 15 2001" on Date Fields (same as 05/15/2001 on Date Fields)
			(4 matches with "05/15/2001" in the Date field). ** There is a conversion from non-numeric month info (ex: may) to numeric month info (ex: 05/xx/xxxx) on Date fields search)
Finally, the search field can be set to All Fields (this is the default). This effectively combines all the fields of each index entry into a single string for matching against the argument words.
	Examples:
		Argument: "Smith LDAP" on All Fields
			(8 matches with "LPAP" in the Title field and "Smith" in the Author field).
		Argument: "Smith 2000" on All Fields
			(Note that the Date field is implicitly included in matches, although it cannot convert and match non-numeric month information with numeric month information: ex) There is no conversion from Aug to 08/xx/xxxx on All fields search)

E. MORE DETAILS 1) Keywords in File Name Note that some words in the File Name are considered as keywords.
2) Advanced Searches If multiple words are included in the search argument, the search is normally a logical "and" of these words. However, this will become a logical "or" when the word "or" is explicitly included in the search argument.
	Examples:
		"rsvp lsp" has 5 match "rsvp or lsp" has 55 matches
3) Search with Date information You need to use 2 digit number for month and date search, and 4 digit number for year search. You can also use non-numeric type information (like jan, feb ...) also when you select Date field search option.
	Examples:
		month: 01, 02, 03 ~ 12 or jan(uary), feb(ruary), mar(ch) ~ ,dec(ember) date : 01, 02, 03, ~ 31 year : 1999,2000,2001
4) Abstract Information You can also see abstract for each document by turning on 'show abstract' option from the form.