Rules for encoding a query
Codes of the desired signs are entered into the field "Hieroglyphic code".
With minor modifications and additions, encoding is based on numbers from Gardiner's Sign List.
Additions correspond to the Manuel de Codage codes (MdC, cf. Buurman et al, 1988: 41pp. and Grimal et al., 2000). Completely new signs were assigned other numbers.
The position of a requested sign may be further specified upon consulting the List of all possible encodings. Following are some basic rules for this procedure:
- Space between two codes: All spellings that include these signs, regardless of their position.
- Hyphen (-): Although signs appear in the same order, other signs may step in.
- Plus sign (+): Signs appear in immediate succession.
- Slash (/): Logical OR operator.
| m k |
all spellings including sign G17 and sign V31, regardless of position |
| m - k |
all spellings including sign G17 in any place, followed by sign V31, either immediately or with any number of other signs stepping in |
| m + k |
all spellings including sign G17 in any place, followed by sign V31 in immediate succession |
| m / k |
all spellings including sign G17 or sign V31, regardless of position |
Sequential and alternative connections may be continued to form longer strings. If separated by spaces, they can be combined in the sense of a logical AND operation, yet they do not lend themselves to nesting.
| m - k + i |
all spellings including sign G17 in any position followed, though not necessarily in immediate succession, by sign V31 directly succeeded by sign M17 |
| m / k / i |
all spellings including sign G17 or sign V31 or sign M17, regardless of position |
| m + n k / i |
all spellings including signs G17 and N35 in immediate succession, no matter where, with sign V31 or M17 also appearing, regardless of position |
| m + k / i |
This combination (in the sense of "all spellings including sign G17 followed by either sign V31 or sign M17") will not be accepted and processed correctly. |
Last but not least, the # sign stands for a spelling's beginning or end. It is only in connection with the + (plus) operator that this sign can be used meaningfully
| # + m |
all spellings starting with sign G17 |
| k + # |
all spellings ending in sign V31 |
| # + i m + # |
all spellings starting with sign M17 and ending in sign G17 - with any other signs stepping in |
| # + i + m + # |
all "M17 G17" spellings (precisely in this order) |
The underlying software checks the query's formal correctness in line with the aforementioned rules. Any formal inconsistencies which might arise will be tacitly corrected. In most cases, this is likely to lead to query results not living up to expectations. In the case of a query and its expected result differing widely, please check the query for syntax errors.
Reference:
J. Buurman et al., Inventaire des Signes hiéroglyphiques, Informatique et Egyptologie 2, Paris 1988
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