Examine the following CLAN command examples:

freq +s@a:\rflxv.lst +t*ADA +u adam*.cha >a:\rflxv.txt
kwal +s@a:\rflxv.lst +t*ADA -w3 +w3 +u adam*.cha >a:\rflxv.syn

Each CLAN command has the following components: command, switch(es), file(s) to search, and output redirection.  The following table shows the components from the examples:

Command   Switch(es)         File(s) to search    Output Redirection
freq      +s@a:\rflxv.lst    adam*.cha                 >a:\rflxv.txt
kwal      -w3 +w3            adam*.cha                 >a:\rflxv.syn
          +t*ADA
          +u

Using Switches
Switches direct CLAN commands to search for various items in a CHAT file.  Consider the switches used in the examples:

• +s@a:\rflxv.lst: This switch directs the command to search (+s) for the words listed in the file "a:\rflxv.lst." To look for only one word (i.e., phenomenology), type "+s 'phenomenology'@a:\reflxv.lst."
• +t*ADA: This switch directs the command to examine only utterances behind the tier *ADA. If you wanted to direct the command to search all tiers, you would omit this switch.
• +u: This switch directs the command to place its output into a single file and pools the output. Do not use this switch to search for information on discrete points in the data.
• -w3 +w3: This switch, used with KWAL and a small number of other CLAN programs, directs the command to "window" the target tier. The window includes utterances three tiers before the target utterance and three tiers afterward, which allows you to look at the context of utterances. When used over a large range of search files, however, it produces a long output file. To increase or decrease the size of the window, increase or decrease the number in the switch. Hence,  "+w1" will include only one tier before the target line.

Using the Wildcard ( the Asterisk)
To search in only one file (i.e., Adam's first file), type "ada1.cha." To search all of Adam's files, not just one of them, type a similar command using the wildcard (the asterisk symbol) in place of the the number:

ada*.cha

The wildcard symbol substitutes for any alphanumeric character(s).

Also, use the wildcard symbol in Notepad files to extend your search on words. For example, typing the word "drive" in a search locates only the exact word "drive." However, typing "driv*" extends the search to find the words "drive", "driving", "drived", and whatever other words begin with "driv."