Policy Guide › Search Text Syntax › Spacing Variables

Spacing Variables

CA Data Protection matches spaces between words. Such spaces create a single, composite search term. So if the search text is unipraxis solutions, the trigger confirms a match if it detects the phrase unipraxis solutions. But by default, CA Data Protection ignores other spaces when searching for key words or phrases. These other spaces include tabs, line breaks, and spaces next to numbers or punctuation.

However, you can enable 'other space' matching if you require more flexible matching. You may want to do so if your key words or phrases are frequently used with consistent spacing. But be aware that matching against spacing can slow a trigger when it analyzes an email or file. It is only required for the most precise text searches that must match spacing exactly.

You can enable or disable space matching with the following variables.

%+matchSpace%

Matches spacing.

Example: The search expression is %+matchSpace%Unipraxis (UNI15) but the trigger detects Unipraxis (UNI 15). This time, no match is confirmed.

%-matchSpace%

(Default) Ignores spacing.

Example: An email trigger that needs to detect all references to Unipraxis (UNI15). However, some emails may refer to Unipraxis (UNI 15). If you set the search expression to %-matchSpace%Unipraxis (UNI15), it detects both references. That is, it returns Unipraxis (UNI 15) if the trigger detects Unipraxis (UNI 15) and it returns Unipraxis (UNI15) if the trigger detects Unipraxis (UNI15).

Note: Any number of spaces is matched to a single space.

%whitespace% or %space%

Matches the space between elements in a word or phrase.

Example: 125%whitespace%-%whitespace%Taunton matches against identifiers that explicitly contain spaces such as 125 ‑ Taunton. This example does not match against 125:Taunton.

Note: These variables are only needed to match spaces between elements such as punctuation characters. CA Data Protection automatically matches spaces between words, so the simple search expression 125 Taunton matches '125 Taunton'. (A word is any sequence of letters. Words do not include numbers or other characters.)

%joined%

Matches if the words or elements such as punctuation are adjacent.

Example: 125%joined%:%joined%Taunton matches against 125:Taunton but not 125: Taunton.