Searching for objects by properties
You can search for data module objects by their properties. Localized property names and values are supported in the search.
The properties that you can use to search for objects include: Label, Identifier, Aggregate, Usage, Data type, Technical data type, Expression, Description, Comment, and Screen tip. For more information, see Object properties.
In data modules, the search is available where the metadata tree is used. For example, in the relationship editor, table editor (the editor for creating and editing custom tables such as views, aliases, shortcuts, or unions), and expression editor. The search is also available in dashboards and explorations where the metadata tree is used.
The following image shows the search field in the metadata tree. The data module was searched for objects whose Usage property is set to Summary. The search returned the Return reason table.

Search syntax
Use the following syntax to search for data module objects by their properties:
:{property}:{search term}
For example, to search for a description property that contains the word "blue" use the syntax
:description:blue
. However, :desc:blue
,
:desc:blu
, and :d:blue
are also valid because the search can
interpret partial values for the {property}
and {search term}
parameters.
Follow these guidelines when writing the search syntax:
- The property name is case-insensitive and locale-specific.
For example, ‘label’, ‘LABEL’, ‘LABel’, ‘Label’, and any other combination of uppercase and lowercase characters is valid for the property.
- The search term is case-insensitive and locale-specific.
For example, the labels ‘Return reason’, ‘return reason’, and ‘returnReason’ are all valid search terms.
- Partial matching
For properties with enumerated values, such as Usage or Aggregate, partial property name and search term are accepted.
For example, to search for objects with the Usage property set to Identifier, you can type
:usage:identifier
, or:u:i
, or something in-between.If the searched term is a partial match of two or more enumerated values, the first ordered value is returned. For example,
:aggregate:m
returns all objects with the Aggregate property set to Maximum. - If property names and values are similar, the search results display the first alphabetically
matched property name and search term.
If the match is ambiguous, you must keep typing until it is not ambiguous. For example, to search for an object with the data type Timestamp, you need to type at least times before the correct result is returned. Otherwise, only objects with Time data type might be returned.
- Space characters are supported in the search terms.
For example, you can use
:des:{space}
to search for space characters in the Description property string. - Localized property names and values are supported.
For example, the English search
:Data type:Integer
in German would be:datentyp:ganzzahl
. - If you don't specify any property name, or the property name does not match any property, the Label property search is done using the entire unmodified search string as the search term.
The following table shows examples of search syntax and related search results:
Search syntax | Search result |
---|---|
:label: |
Returns objects that can have a label. |
:label:abc |
Returns objects with a label that contains the string "abc". |
:label:: |
Returns objects with labels that are not set. Use this syntax to find undefined
Label properties where the value is shown as "Select an option". Note: The
"Select an option" value applies only to properties with enumerated values where you can select
options. For Label and other free-form string properties the {empty} value is
shown.
|
|
Returns objects with the Usage property set to Summary. |
|
Returns objects with the Aggregate property set to Maximum. |
:a:m |
Returns objects with the Aggregate property set to Maximum. The value Maximum is alphabetically before Minimum in the list of property values, which also applies to translated strings. |
:a:mi |
Returns objects with the Aggregate property set to Minimum. |
:usage:: |
Returns objects whose Usage property is not set. By default, this property is not set for tables. |
:des:{space} |
Returns objects where the Description property string contains a space character. |
:Des:.{space}{space} |
Returns objects where the Description property includes the period (.) character that is followed by two spaces. |
:a:count |
Returns objects with the Aggregate property set to Count. |
:a:count{space} |
Returns all objects with the Aggregate property set to Count distinct |
:datentyp:d |
In German locales, returns objects with the Data type property set to Datum (Datum precedes Dezimal in the list of enumerated values in German). |
:datatype:I |
Returns objects with the Data type property set to Integer (Integer precedes Interval in the list of enumerated values). |
:datentyp:I |
In German locales, returns objects with the Data type property set to Interval (Interval precedes Ganzzahl in the list of enumerated values in German). |
Search limitations
The following limitations apply to the property search:
- You can search only the property values of objects that are visible in the metadata tree.
For example, searching for the expression of an embedded filter that was created with the expression editor doesn’t return a result.
- You cannot search for the Represents property values.
- You cannot search for a string that contains the colon (:) character.
- You cannot search in the user interfaces where the modeling data tree is not used, as in the
following example: