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Archiver > APG > 2003-06 > 1054755490
From:
Subject: Re: [APG] wildcards at ancestry.com
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2003 15:38:10 EDT
In a message dated 6/4/2003 1:21:15 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
> Normally the * will pick up varying number of characters as long as the
> entered specific letters match. If there is a limit to the number characters
> that can be "placed" in lieu of the * I'm not aware of it (or else it crossed my
> desk and I didn't notice it ;-).
>
Michael-
The * will pick up a minimum of zero characters and a maximum of 5 unknown or
missing characters. Doubling it to show ** will extend that number a bit but
doesn't seem to extend it consistently--and doesn't appear to double the
number of unknown/missing characters that will be picked up.
I should clarify that in some Ancestry literature I've read that the * should
pick up *six* characters max, but I know for the Message Boards it only picks
up a max of *five*. I think the search engine is the same for all databases
but I've only tested it on the Message Boards.
The ? wildcard always, consistently, picks up ONE and ONLY ONE missing
character for each ? shown.
Joan
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