--- title: Proximity operators description: Proximity Operators are used within a search expression to search for terms within a certain distance from each other. --- [Skip to content](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/proximity-operators#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![Quartet logo (light)-1.png\]](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Quartet%20logo%20(light)-1.png?height=33&name=Quartet%20logo%20(light)-1.png) - Home - Products - Pricing - Blog - Company Open main navigation Close main navigation - Home - Products - Pricing - Blog - Company - English Show submenu for translations - [Open Quartet](http://quartet.ensembleip.com/) [Open Quartet](http://quartet.ensembleip.com/) How can we help? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Quartet Help](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet?hsLang=en) 2. [Inputs](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/inputs?hsLang=en) 3. [Operators](https://knowledgebase.ensembleip.com/migration/quartet/inputs?hsLang=en#operators) # Proximity operators ## Proximity Operators are used within a search expression to search for terms within a certain distance from each other. Proximity Operators may be used with text and party fields to search for terms within a certain distance from each other. This could be within a certain number of words, sentences, or paragraphs. | ***n*D** | Order Non-Specific Proximity Terms are within ***n*** spaces of each other, in any order, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (power **4D** battery) | | --- | --- | --- | | ***n*W** | Order Specific Proximity Terms are within ***n*** spaces of each other, in the order as written, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (anti **1W** aging) | | ***n*S** | Sentence Proximity Terms are within ***n*** sentences of each other, in any order, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (battery **1S** charging) ((proportion? 2W solid?) **3S** acid?) | | ***n*P** | Paragraph Proximity Terms are within ***n*** paragraphs of each other, in any order, & ***n*** must have a value of 1 or more. | (cupped **1P** jaw) ((insulat\* 2w ring?) **1P** (alkaline 2D dry)) ((batter\* 2D charg\*) **4P** ( electric\* 10D (car OR vehicle))) | | **"   "** (Double Quotes) | Phrase Proximity with Wildcards Searches for exact text, exactly as written within double quotes, however, wildcard operators will not be recognized. Double quotes will prevent search operators and truncation limiters from operating – example, searching for "3D technology" | **"**cell phone**"** *(Results include: cell phone; cell-phone; & cell. Phone)* | | **'     '** (Single quotes) | Phrase Proximity with Wildcards Searches for exact text, exactly as written within single quotes, however, wildcard operators will still be recognized. | **'**3D goggle?**'** *(Results include: 3D goggle & 3D goggles)* | | **\_** (Under-score) | Optional Space Proximity Text is searched as a single term and as two terms separated by a space or hyphen. **Notes:** Hyphens are treated as spaces within the system. A maximum of 5 underscores may be used at the same time. | anti**\_**lock *(Results include: antilock, anti lock, & anti-lock)*   *Underscores do not require parenthesis around the word to function properly* | Examples: **FT=((Lap\_top 3D battery) AND (battery 1S charger))** **(IN=(Thomas 2D smith))** **FT=”3D goggle” AND (virtual 3D reality)** Same sentence (nS) and same paragraph (nP) operators cannot be stacked. For example *((LAPTOP 1S SCREEN) 1P CHARGER)*  would not be an accepted input. When using Proximity Operators, a **period ( . )** counts as a **word** for the purpose of counting. For instance, in the phrase “A laptop with a removeable battery. The battery latches to the bottom.” “removeable” and “latches” are 5 words apart. Another example would be “Battery is connected to the laptop. Screen is connected via a hinge.” Laptop and screen are two words apart, so they would be returned with *LAPTOP 2D SCREEN* but not *LAPTOP 1D SCREEN*. 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