Index Search Tips

Using the index is a straight-forward process, however, understanding how to best enter keywords can make your index searches more rewarding.

General Guidelines

Scroll through the index entries. Not all topics are indexed the same way, and the one that could most help you might be higher or lower in the list than you expected.
Omit articles such as "an" or "the" because the Index window ignores them.
Reverse the words you enter if you do not find the entries you expect.

For example, if "debugging inline assembly code" did not display any relevant entries, try typing, "assembly code, debugging inline".
Use filters with the Index window to decrease the number of topics in the Index Results window.
Index keywords are case-sensitive. Lowercase entries appear before uppercase entries in alphabetical order.

If you do not find an entry for the word or phrase you entered, try the following:

Type the first few letters, or root, of the word. By entering a partial string, you can get to topics that have been indexed with search keywords that are singular or plural.

For example, enter "propert" to start your search above properties and property.
Enter gerund (-ing) forms of the verb for the task you want to complete. To find more specific index entries, append a word that describes exactly what you want.

For example, type "running" to get more entries or "running programs" to get fewer.
Enter standalone adjectives. To narrow the results, append a word that describes exactly what you want.

For example, enter "COM+" to get a wide range of entries or "COM+ components" to get fewer.
Enter a synonym of the word or verb you are looking for.

For example, if you entered the gerund "building" try "creating" instead.