KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q256216: Relational Wildcard Queries Return Unexpected Results

Article: Q256216
Product(s): Internet Information Server
Version(s): 2.0,2000,3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Index Server version 2.0 
- Microsoft Site Server version 3.0 
- Indexing Service, included with:
   - Microsoft Windows 2000 Server 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

If you use relational wildcard queries on text columns, you may get unexpected
results. The following example demonstrates this using a document with a custom
property value:

  "Folders/Switzerland/Basel/CP6/CP6.1/Andromeda/XYZ"

If you then query for this custom property value with wildcards at different
positions in the string using a query page, at some positions, the wildcard
query returns an empty result; however, in other positions, the resultset
includes the document. For example, a relational wildcard query on the following
does not return the document:

  @Custom_Property Folders/Switzerland/B*

However, a wildcard query on the following does return the document:

  @Custom_Property Folders/Switzerland/Basel/CP6*

RESOLUTION
==========

NOTE: This hotfix is only available for Site Server 3.0. For other products,
refer to the "Workaround" section.

A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to
correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to
computers that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive
additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem,
Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Site Server Service Pack that
contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services
to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services
phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft
Web site:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls
may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific
update will resolve your problem. The typical support costs will apply to
additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific
update in question.

The English version of the fix should have the following file attributes or
later:

Date         Version      Size      Filename       Platform
-----------------------------------------------------------
12-21-2000   5.0.1781.3   526,576   ocifrmwk.dll   x86
12-21-2000   5.0.1781.3   590,720   oquery.dll     x86




WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, do the following:

1. For these types of pattern matching queries, use regular expressions instead
  of the relational queries. To do this, use the following syntax:

  #Custom_Property Folders/Switzerland/B*


  When you use regular expressions, Microsoft recommends setting
  AllowEnumeration to TRUE. Please note that this may cause a performance
  penalty on your queries.

  For information on how to set AllowEnumaration, please refer to your Index
  Server and Site Server documentation.

2. Configure only the Neutral language resources. By default, properties are
  indexed with English resources. If you use Neutral resources, the advanced
  normalization behaves differently to the other language resources. As a
  result, the relational wildcard query returns the expected result.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that
are listed at the beginning of this article.


MORE INFORMATION
================

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q246701 Configuring Index Server to Use the Neutral Word Breaker


Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbSiteServSearch kbIdxServSearch kbAudDeveloper kbIdxServ100
Version           : :2.0,2000,3.0
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.