Search strings can be long and difficult to read. The Search bar contains features to help you read, parse, or interpret the Splunk Search Processing Language (SPL) syntax.

The advanced editor feature, which is turned on by default, provides the following display options to help you read your searches:

• Syntax highlighting, which displays parts of SPL in different colors. Syntax highlighting is available in two different color themes. See Syntax highlighting and Color themes.

• Auto-formatting, which inserts line breaks before each pipe section and indents subsearches. See Auto-format search syntax.

• Line numbering, which identifies each line of your search with a number in the margin. See Number search lines.

Additionally, there are keyboard shortcuts available to help you find information in your search syntax. See Search bar shortcuts.

See also

• Add comments to searches
• Help building searches