Start/notes.ini Parameters/FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS

FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS

Parameter: FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS
Short description: Raises or lowers the default 5,000-document return limit for full-text searches on indexed databases.

Profile

Parameter
FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS
Category
Performance / Memory
Component
Server, Client
Available since
6.0 (older)
Supported versions
9.0.1, 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 14.0, 14.5, 14.5.1
GUI equivalent
notes.ini only (no GUI)
Possible values
Integer; default 5000, maximum 2147483647

Description

Full-text search in Domino/Notes returns by default a maximum of 5,000 hits per query — regardless of how many documents actually match the search criteria. With FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS this upper limit can be raised (or lowered) server- or client-wide.
The parameter applies both to the Notes client search and to LotusScript/Java calls such as NotesDatabase.FTSearch/FTSearchRange as well as REST/web searches, provided the database is full-text indexed. If the database is not indexed and the call runs in a server agent, Temp_Index_Max_Doc must additionally be set — typically to the same value.
Raising the limit should be done with care: every search query that returns many thousands of documents costs memory and CPU; very high values also risk that clients/browsers can no longer process the result set meaningfully. HCL recommends setting the value only as high as necessary.

Example configuration

Default behavior (parameter not set) — 5,000 hits:
FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS=5000
Typical increase for large mail/archive databases to 65,535:
FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS=65535
Maximum value (only useful in exceptional cases):
FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS=2147483647
Runtime variant via the server console:
set config FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS=65535

Notes & pitfalls

  • Only takes effect for full-text indexed databases. For non-indexed databases in server agents, Temp_Index_Max_Doc must additionally be set with the same value.
  • Local Notes clients use the workstation's local FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS — server settings have no effect on pure client calls against local databases.
  • HCL recommendation: do not raise the value higher than needed; large result sets degrade performance, and callers must be able to process the return.
  • Takes effect dynamically after set config FT_MAX_SEARCH_RESULTS=…; a server restart is not strictly required.
  • Has no influence on the number of documents the Updall task indexes — only on the return of searches.

Sources (HCL Product Documentation)