Searching for patterns

You can search one or more repositories for patterns that meet your needs by using the Pattern Explorer view. By default, a search in the Pattern Explorer view covers only installed patterns. You can expand the search properties to search multiple repositories as needed.

Patterns are packaged and stored as RAS assets. A RAS pattern asset may contain more than one pattern. You must import the entire asset to use any of its patterns. When you search for assets, your keywords are matched to the metadata in both the asset and each of its member patterns.

Note: If you find a match to a pattern but you do not know to which asset it belongs, you can view the pattern in the Asset Explorer view. Right-click the pattern and click Show Properties View. The name of the asset should match the file name in the File Path property.

To search for patterns from the Pattern Explorer view:

  1. On the Pattern Explorer view toolbar, click the Search button Search icon. The Search window opens and displays the RAS Search page is displayed.
  2. Under the Search using, click Keyword and do any combination of the following steps:
    • Type one or more keyword strings separated by space.
    • Type a wildcard character (* or ?) with or without a partial keyword string.
    • Select a previously entered keyword from the drop-down list.
  3. Optional. To change the repositories that are searched, do one of the following options:
    • Click All Open Repositories.
    • Click Selected Repositories. If the repositories you want to search are not listed in the box, click Choose to select one or more repositories.

    The Search view opens and the matches are listed ranked by percentage. Assets are listed with an asset icon Pattern asset icon and the library assets are listed with a related assets icon RAS asset library.

    Partial serach window with matches.

  4. Optional. To re-sort the list, right-click the view, click Sort by, and then click one of the following menu items:
    • Asset Name
    • Repository Name
    • Ranking
  5. To open the pattern related to a match, right-click any of the matches, click Show in and then click one of the following menu items:
    • Pattern Explorer: This view is valid for any pattern or asset listed in the Pattern Repository.
    • Asset Explorer: All assets appear in the Asset Explorer view.
    The focus changes to the pattern in the selected view. If the Asset Explorer view was not open, it is opened for you.
Patterns that do not appear in the Patterns Repository or the Pattern Explorer view will need to be imported before you can apply them.
Related concepts
Reusable Asset Specification (RAS) pattern assets
Related tasks
Adding groups in the Pattern Explorer view
Adding folders in the Asset Explorer view
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