Pattern-Matching Strings

The following table describes the symbols that are used to define pattern-matching strings (wildcards), which enable you to search for patterns of characters or symbols in any Control-M application, except for Application Pack plug-ins and Control-M MFT.

Symbol

Name

Usage

*

Asterisk Wildcard

Defines any number of characters, including no characters. The * (asterisk) wildcard can be used in place of a string, in the middle of a pattern-matching string, or in the place of any number of characters.

If one or more of the filter criteria fields is not needed, it is more efficient to leave the field blank than to use the * wildcard. However, at least one filter field must contain a value.

?

Question Mark Wildcard

Defines any single character in a string, and takes the place of that character.

A ? (question mark) wildcard in the pattern-matching string S?ring might return Spring and String, if these values exist in the scope of your search.

,

Comma

Defines separate pattern-matching strings, which enables you to specify more than one string in your search.

Do not include blank space characters after commas.

(host01,host02,host03)

  • The , (comma) is evaluated literally in collection and filter definition fields.

  • The , represents a Boolean OR.

<Letter Character>

Letter Character

Defines the literal value of the letter character you are searching for.

In case-sensitive fields, uppercase and lowercase characters, such as a and A, are regarded as two different characters.

\<Special Character>

Escape Character

Defines the literal value of the special characters, which includes any of the symbols in this reference table, to exclude from your search.

  • To specify a \ (backslash) character, type \\ (two backslashes).

  • If you type \? (backslash, question mark), the ? character has the value of a regular ?, instead of the value of a ? wildcard.

  • Use \ to escape the ! (exclamation point) character only when ! is the first character.