Query Language Extension

To extend the semantic query functionality with lexical search capabilities, a query language has been implemented in Snow Owl. This language combines the Expression Constraint Language with a term filter that runs a prefix match.

The expressivity of Snow Owl's Query Language has been further improved to support searching for inactive concepts, and the refinement of description term filters by description status, description type, and language reference.

To author these query expressions, a file with the extension .ql needs to be created in the workspace (similarly to the .ecl files that allow ECL expression authoring).

The following filters/configuration are available:

Filter/Configuration

Description

active

To filter concept matches by their status

description.active

To filter description matches in a term filter by their status

typeID

To filter description matches in a term filter by their type concept ID (the value should be an ECL expression)

languageRefSetId

Accepts ECL expression, matches descriptions wherein the select Language Reference Set the description has a language reference set member with any acceptability value

acceptableIn

Accepts ECL expression, matches descriptions wherein the select Language Reference Set the description has a Language Reference Set member with acceptable acceptability value

preferredIn

Accepts ECL expression, matches descriptions wherein the select Language Reference Set the description has a Language Reference Set member with preferred acceptability value

term = regex

To enable regular expression mode when filtering descriptions by their terms

term = exact

To filter descriptions by searching for an exact phrase