search

Performs full-text search across canonical document content using SQLite FTS5, with optional metadata filters over authors, origin software, file type, and created/modified date windows. When you omit the text query and provide only filters, search runs in metadata-only mode.

Usage

bash

unsterwerx search [OPTIONS] [QUERY]

Arguments

Argument	Required	Description
`QUERY`	No	Search query string; required only when no metadata filters are provided

Options

Option	Short	Type	Default	Description
`--limit`	`-l`	integer	20	Maximum number of results to return
`--author`		string, repeatable		Filter by canonicalized `document_author`
`--origin-software`		string, repeatable		Filter by canonicalized `origin_software_name`
`--file-type`		string, repeatable		Restrict results to these file types
`--created-from`		date/datetime		Inclusive lower bound for `document_created_at`
`--created-to`		date/datetime		Inclusive upper bound for `document_created_at`
`--modified-from`		date/datetime		Inclusive lower bound for `document_modified_at`
`--modified-to`		date/datetime		Inclusive upper bound for `document_modified_at`

Examples

Basic search

bash

unsterwerx search "cybersecurity"

Search Results (20 matches)
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
  1. Cybersecurity and Risk Management Framework [b8e01573]
     Acquisition Cybersecurity Training  February 18, 2016
     DOD Cybersecurity and the Risk Management Framework (RMF)
     Process for the Acquisition Community...

  2. DoD Program Manager's Guidebook, Cybersecurity RMF [bd51b3ed]
     Department of Defense DoD Program Manager's Guidebook for
     Integrating the Cybersecurity Risk Management Framework...

  3. NBIS PPP Version 1.5 [afb068e7]
     Cybersecurity Strategy  UNCLASSIFIED  National Background
     Investigation System...
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Limit results

bash

unsterwerx search "policy" --limit 5

Search Results (5 matches)
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
  1. Homeowners Policy Packet [d3d2da43]
     HOMEOWNERS POLICY PACKET  IMPORTANT MESSAGES  Refer to
     your Declarations Page and endorsements...

  2. DODI Standards [455d5bb1]
     Establishing Policy in DoDIs For DoDIs that establish
     policy, the section may need to be longer...
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Metadata-only search

bash

unsterwerx search \
    --origin-software "Microsoft Office Word" \
    --file-type docx

text

Search Results (6 matches)
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
  1. Acquisition-Plan.docx [570c62fd]
       · origin_software_name = microsoft office word

  2. PM-Guidebook.docx [8e62a1fb]
       · origin_software_name = microsoft office word
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Combined text + metadata filters

bash

unsterwerx search "cybersecurity" \
    --author "Department of Defense CIO" \
    --created-from 2017-12-01 \
    --created-to 2017-12-31

Notes

The query uses SQLite FTS5 syntax. Simple keywords work for most searches.
Multi-word queries are treated as a phrase. Wrap in quotes if needed.
--author and --origin-software are canonicalized the same way as metadata find, including metadata alias resolution.
Repeating metadata filters within the same family is OR logic. Different families combine with AND logic.
Date-only bounds are expanded to the full day. Datetime inputs may use SQLite format or RFC 3339.
When you omit QUERY, results are ordered deterministically by filename and document ID rather than text rank.
Search is a read-only operation — it never modifies document state or triggers extraction.
If documents are pending canonical extraction, search prints a notice to stderr. Run unsterwerx canonical first to include them in search results.
Stale metadata-bearing documents are excluded from metadata-filtered searches and reported in a notice.
Each result shows the document title, a truncated document ID in brackets, and either a content snippet, matching metadata rows, or both.
Use unsterwerx reindex if search results seem stale or incomplete after canonical extraction.