Synonyms

Purpose

Enterprise Search uses synonyms to find additional results for synonyms of the search words typed by the user. This makes use of a synonyms file, for example:

ipod, i-pod, i pod
computer, pc, laptop

A search for computer results in search results for computer, pc and laptop.

Configuration

• Prepare a file with synonyms, in the above format. Synonyms on one line are equivalent; the order is irrelevant. For example name the file synonyms.txt.
• Have file synonyms.txt placed in each node of the Elastics Search cluster, subfolder config/analysis of the Elastic Search installation folder. This is for a single tenant environment. For a multitenant environment and a tenant name test use a subfolder config/analysis/test.
• Configure the name of the file in the silo:

    <synonyms_path>synonyms.txt</synonyms_path>

• After placing or updating synonyms reload the new synonyms. In the Smartsite Manager, tab Enterprise Search, Silos: issue Reload Index. This applies the new content without delay and without downtime.

Legacy appraoch

A legacy approach exists that makes use of a Smartsite thesaurus for synonyms. Involved entries in the silo configuration are:

    <synonyms_thesaurus>ESSYNONYMS</synonyms_thesaurus>
    <synonyms_relationtype>RT</synonyms_relationtype>
    <synonyms_method>SYNONYMS</synonyms_method>

After updating synonyms this approach requires to recreate and repopulate the index. This is a drawback. The thesaurus approach will be revoked. Consider removing the above entries from the silo.