CONTAINS query -- the NOT operator

Question

Is there a way to do the following:
SELECT *
FROM mytable
WHERE CONTAINS (my_search_col,'NOT keyword',1) > 0;
When I do this, I receive the error:
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-29902: error in executing ODCIIndexStart() routine
ORA-20000: Oracle Text error:
DRG-50901: text query parser syntax error on line 1, column 1
From reading the documentation, it appears that the NOT operator is really an 'AND NOT' operator. Is there a way to perform a true NOT?
Thanks for your help,
Yun-Ho

Answer 1

Here are a few options:
SCOTT@10gXE> CREATE TABLE mytable (my_search_col VARCHAR2(30))
  2  /
Table created.
SCOTT@10gXE> INSERT ALL
  2  INTO mytable VALUES ('wanted')
  3  INTO mytable VALUES ('keyword')
  4  INTO mytable VALUES ('wanted and keyword')
  5  INTO mytable VALUES ('keyword and wanted')
  6  INTO mytable VALUES ('this, that, and the other')
  7  INTO mytable VALUES ('whatever')
  8  SELECT * FROM DUAL
  9  /
6 rows created.
SCOTT@10gXE> CREATE INDEX my_index ON mytable (my_search_col)
  2  INDEXTYPE IS CTXSYS.CONTEXT
  3  /
Index created.
SCOTT@10gXE> SELECT *
  2  FROM   mytable
  3  WHERE  NOT CONTAINS (my_search_col, 'keyword', 1) > 0
  4  /
MY_SEARCH_COL
wanted
this, that, and the other
whatever
SCOTT@10gXE> SELECT *
  2  FROM   mytable
  3  WHERE  CONTAINS (my_search_col, '_% NOT keyword', 1) > 0
  4  /
MY_SEARCH_COL
wanted
this, that, and the other
whatever
SCOTT@10gXE> SELECT *
  2  FROM   mytable
  3  WHERE  CONTAINS (my_search_col, 'keyword', 1) = 0
  4  /
MY_SEARCH_COL
wanted
this, that, and the other
whatever
SCOTT@10gXE>