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The following ABNF definition specifies the Long Syntax the the SNOMED CT Expression Constraint Language. Please note that all keywords are case insensitive.

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This ABNF syntax and the ANTLR syntax is maintained in the SNOMED Expression Constraint Language GitHub repository.

expressionConstraint = ws ( refinedExpressionConstraint / compoundExpressionConstraint / 

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dottedExpressionConstraint / 

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subExpressionConstraint ) ws
refinedExpressionConstraint = 

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subExpressionConstraint ws ":" ws 

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eclRefinement
compoundExpressionConstraint = conjunctionExpressionConstraint / disjunctionExpressionConstraint / exclusionExpressionConstraint

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conjunctionExpressionConstraint = subExpressionConstraint 1*(ws conjunction ws subExpressionConstraint)

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disjunctionExpressionConstraint = subExpressionConstraint 1*(ws disjunction ws subExpressionConstraint)

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exclusionExpressionConstraint = subExpressionConstraint ws exclusion ws subExpressionConstraint

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dottedExpressionConstraint = 

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subExpressionConstraint 1*(ws dottedExpressionAttribute)
dottedExpressionAttribute = dot ws eclAttributeName
subExpressionConstraint= [constraintOperator ws] (

...

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( [memberOf 

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ws] (eclFocusConcept / "("

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 ws expressionConstraint ws ")") 

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*(ws memberFilterConstraint)) / (eclFocusConcept / "(" ws expressionConstraint ws ")") ) *(ws (descriptionFilterConstraint / conceptFilterConstraint)) [ws historySupplement]
eclFocusConcept = eclConceptReference / wildCard / altIdentifier
dot = "."
memberOf = ( "^" / ("m"/"M") ("e"/"E") ("m"/"M") ("b"/"B") ("e"/"E") ("r"/"R") ("o"/"O") ("f"/"F") ) [ ws "[" ws (refsetFieldNameSet / wildCard) ws "]" ]
refsetFieldNameSet = refsetFieldName *( ws "," ws refsetFieldName )
refsetFieldName = 1*alpha
eclConceptReference = conceptId [ws "|" ws term ws "|"]
eclConceptReferenceSet = "(" ws eclConceptReference 1*(mws eclConceptReference) ws ")"
conceptId = sctId
term = 1*nonwsNonPipe *( 1*SP 1*nonwsNonPipe )
altIdentifier = (QM altIdentifierSchemeAlias "#" altIdentifierCodeWithinQuotes QM / altIdentifierSchemeAlias "#" altIdentifierCodeWithoutQuotes) [ws "|" ws term ws "|"]
altIdentifierSchemeAlias = alpha *(dash / alpha / integerValue)
altIdentifierCodeWithinQuotes = 1*anyNonEscapedChar
altIdentifierCodeWithoutQuotes = 1*(alpha / digit / dash / "." / "_")
wildCard = "*" / ( ("a"/"A") ("n"/"N") ("

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y"/"

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Y") 

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)
constraintOperator = childOf / childOrSelfOf / descendantOrSelfOf / descendantOf / parentOf / parentOrSelfOf / ancestorOrSelfOf / ancestorOf / top / bottom
descendantOf = "<

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" / ( ("

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d"/"

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D") ("

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e"/"

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E") ("

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s"/"

...

S") ("

...

c"/"

...

C") ("

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e"/"

...

E") ("

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n"/"

...

N") ("

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d"/"

...

D"

...

)

...

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(

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"a"/"A") ("n"/"N") ("

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t"/"

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T") ("

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o"/"

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O") ("

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f"/"

...

F") mws )
descendantOrSelfOf = "<<" / ( ("

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d"/"

...

D") ("

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e"/"

...

E") ("

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s"/"

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S") ("

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c"/"

...

C") ("

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e"/"

...

E")

...

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("

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n"/"N") ("

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d"/"

...

D") ("

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a"/"

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A") ("

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n"/"

...

N") ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R

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"

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) (

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"

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s"/"S") ("e"/"E") ("l"/"L") ("f"/"F") ("o"/"O") ("f"/"F") mws )

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childOf = "

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<!" / (("

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c"/"

...

C") ("

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h"/"

...

H") ("

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i"/"

...

I") ("

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l"/"

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L") ("

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d"/"

...

D") ("

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o"/"O") ("f"/"F") mws )

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childOrSelfOf = "<<!" / (("

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c"/"

...

C") ("

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h"/"

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H") ("

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i"/"

...

I") 

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("

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l"/"

...

L") ("d"/"D") ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R") 

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("s"/"S") ("

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e"/"

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E") ("

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l"/"

...

L") ("

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f"/"

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F") ("

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o"/"

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O") ("

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f"/"

...

F") mws

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...

)
ancestorOf = 

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">" 

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/ ( ("a"/"A") ("n"/"N") ("c"/"C") ("e"/"E") ("s"/"S") ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R") ("o"/"O") ("f"/"F") mws )
ancestorOrSelfOf = ">>" / ( ("a"/"A") ("n"/"N") ("c"/"C") ("e"/"E") ("s"/"S") ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R") ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R") ("s"/"S") ("e"/"E") ("l"/"L") ("f"/"F") ("o"/"O") ("f"/"F") mws )
parentOf = ">!" / (("p"/"P") ("a"/"A") ("r"/"R") ("e"/"E") ("n"/"N") ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("f"/"F") mws )
parentOrSelfOf = ">>!" / (("p"/"P") ("a"/"A") ("r"/"R") ("e"/"E") ("n"/"N") ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R") ("s"/"S") ("e"/"E") ("l"/"L") ("f"/"F") ("o"/"O") ("f"/"F") mws )
top = "!!>" / (("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("p"/"P") mws )
bottom = "!!<" / (("b"/"B") ("o"/"O") ("t"/"T") ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("m"/"M") mws )
conjunction = (("a"/"A") ("n"/"N") ("d"/"D") mws) / ","
disjunction = ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R") mws
exclusion = ("m"/"M") ("i"/"I") ("n"/"N") ("u"/"U") ("s"/"S") mws
eclRefinement = subRefinement ws [conjunctionRefinementSet / disjunctionRefinementSet]
conjunctionRefinementSet = 1*(ws conjunction ws subRefinement)
disjunctionRefinementSet = 1*(ws disjunction ws subRefinement)
subRefinement = eclAttributeSet / eclAttributeGroup / "(" ws eclRefinement ws ")"
eclAttributeSet = subAttributeSet ws [conjunctionAttributeSet / disjunctionAttributeSet]
conjunctionAttributeSet = 1*(ws conjunction ws subAttributeSet)
disjunctionAttributeSet = 1*(ws disjunction ws subAttributeSet)
subAttributeSet = eclAttribute / "(" ws eclAttributeSet ws ")"
eclAttributeGroup = ["[" cardinality "]" ws] "{" ws eclAttributeSet ws "}"
eclAttribute = ["[" cardinality "]" ws] [reverseFlag ws] eclAttributeName ws (expressionComparisonOperator ws subExpressionConstraint / numericComparisonOperator ws "#" numericValue / stringComparisonOperator ws (typedSearchTerm / typedSearchTermSet) / booleanComparisonOperator ws booleanValue)
cardinality = minValue to maxValue
minValue = nonNegativeIntegerValue
to = ".." / (mws ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") mws)
maxValue = nonNegativeIntegerValue / many
many = "*" / ( ("m"/"M") ("a"/"A") ("n"/"N") ("y"/"Y"))
reverseFlag = ( ("r"/"R") ("e"/"E") ("v"/"V") ("e"/"E") ("r"/"R") ("s"/"S") ("e"/"E") ("o"/"O") ("f"/"F")) / "R"
eclAttributeName = subExpressionConstraint
expressionComparisonOperator = "=" / "!=" / ("n"/"N") ("o"/"O") ("t"/"T") ws "=" / "<>"
numericComparisonOperator = "=" / "!=" / ("n"/"N") ("o"/"O") ("t"/"T") ws "=" / "<>" / "<=" / "<" / ">=" / ">"
timeComparisonOperator = "=" / "!=" / ("n"/"N") ("o"/"O") ("t"/"T") ws "=" / "<>" / "<=" / "<" / ">=" / ">"
stringComparisonOperator = "=" / "!=" / ("n"/"N") ("o"/"O") ("t"/"T") ws "=" / "<>"
booleanComparisonOperator = "=" / "!=" / ("n"/"N") ("o"/"O") ("t"/"T") ws "=" / "<>"
idComparisonOperator = "=" / "!=" / ("n"/"N") ("o"/"O") ("t"/"T") ws "=" / "<>"
descriptionFilterConstraint = "{{" ws [ "d" / "D" ] ws descriptionFilter *(ws "," ws descriptionFilter) ws "}}"
descriptionFilter = termFilter / languageFilter / typeFilter / dialectFilter / moduleFilter / effectiveTimeFilter / activeFilter / descriptionIdFilter
descriptionIdFilter = descriptionIdKeyword ws idComparisonOperator ws (descriptionId / descriptionIdSet)
descriptionIdKeyword = ("i"/"I") ("d"/"D")
descriptionId = sctId
descriptionIdSet = "(" ws descriptionId *(mws descriptionId) ws ")"
termFilter = termKeyword ws stringComparisonOperator ws (typedSearchTerm / typedSearchTermSet)
termKeyword = ("t"/"T") ("e"/"E") ("r"/"R") ("m"/"M")
typedSearchTerm = ( [ matchKeyword ws ":" ws ] matchSearchTermSet ) / ( wild ws ":" ws wildSearchTermSet )
typedSearchTermSet = "(" ws typedSearchTerm *(mws typedSearchTerm) ws ")"
wild = ("w"/"W") ("i"/"I") ("l"/"L") ("d"/"D")
matchKeyword = ("m"/"M") ("a"/"A") ("t"/"T") ("c"/"C") ("h"/"H")
matchSearchTerm = 1*(nonwsNonEscapedChar / escapedChar)
matchSearchTermSet = QM ws matchSearchTerm *(mws matchSearchTerm) ws QM
wildSearchTerm = 1*(anyNonEscapedChar / escapedWildChar)
wildSearchTermSet = QM wildSearchTerm QM
languageFilter = language ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (languageCode / languageCodeSet)
language = ("l"/"L") ("a"/"A") ("n"/"N") ("g"/"G") ("u"/"U") ("a"/"A") ("g"/"G") ("e"/"E")
languageCode = 2alpha
languageCodeSet = "(" ws languageCode *(mws languageCode) ws ")"
typeFilter = typeIdFilter / typeTokenFilter
typeIdFilter = typeId ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (subExpressionConstraint / eclConceptReferenceSet)
typeId = ("t"/"T") ("y"/"Y") ("p"/"P") ("e"/"E") ("i"/"I") ("d"/"D")
typeTokenFilter = type ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (typeToken / typeTokenSet)
type = ("t"/"T") ("y"/"Y") ("p"/"P") ("e"/"E")
typeToken = synonym / fullySpecifiedName / definition
typeTokenSet = "(" ws typeToken *(mws typeToken) ws ")"
synonym = ("s"/"S") ("y"/"Y") ("n"/"N") [ ("o"/"O") ("n"/"N") ("y"/"Y") ("m"/"M") ]
fullySpecifiedName = ( ("f"/"F") ("s"/"S") ("n"/"N") ) / ( ("f"/"F") ("u"/"U") ("l"/"L") ("l"/"L") ("y"/"Y") ("s"/"S") ("p"/"P") ("e"/"E") ("c"/"C") ("i"/"I") ("f"/"F") ("i"/"I") ("e"/"E") ("d"/"D") ("n"/"N") ("a"/"A") ("m"/"M") ("e"/"E") )
definition = ("d"/"D") ("e"/"E") ("f"/"F") [ ("i"/"I") ("n"/"N") ("i"/"I") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("o"/"O") ("n"/"N") ]
dialectFilter = (dialectIdFilter / dialectAliasFilter) [ ws acceptabilitySet ]
dialectIdFilter = dialectId ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (subExpressionConstraint / dialectIdSet)
dialectId = ("d"/"D") ("i"/"I") ("a"/"A") ("l"/"L") ("e"/"E") ("c"/"C") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("d"/"D")
dialectAliasFilter = dialect ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (dialectAlias / dialectAliasSet)
dialect = ("d"/"D") ("i"/"I") ("a"/"A") ("l"/"L") ("e"/"E") ("c"/"C") ("t"/"T")
dialectAlias = alpha *( dash / alpha / integerValue)
dialectAliasSet = "(" ws dialectAlias [ws acceptabilitySet] *(mws dialectAlias [ws acceptabilitySet]) ws ")"
dialectIdSet = "(" ws eclConceptReference [ws acceptabilitySet] *(mws eclConceptReference [ws acceptabilitySet] ) ws ")"
acceptabilitySet = acceptabilityConceptReferenceSet / acceptabilityTokenSet
acceptabilityConceptReferenceSet = "(" ws eclConceptReference *(mws eclConceptReference) ws ")"
acceptabilityTokenSet = "(" ws acceptabilityToken *(mws acceptabilityToken) ws ")"
acceptabilityToken = acceptable / preferred
acceptable = ("a"/"A") ("c"/"C") ("c"/"C") ("e"/"E") ("p"/"P") ("t"/"T") [ ("a"/"A") ("b"/"B") ("l"/"L") ("e"/"E") ]
preferred = ("p"/"P") ("r"/"R") ("e"/"E") ("f"/"F") ("e"/"E") ("r"/"R") [ ("r"/"R") ("e"/"E") ("d"/"D") ]
conceptFilterConstraint = "{{" ws ("c" / "C") ws conceptFilter *(ws "," ws conceptFilter) ws "}}"
conceptFilter = definitionStatusFilter / moduleFilter / effectiveTimeFilter / activeFilter
definitionStatusFilter = definitionStatusIdFilter / definitionStatusTokenFilter
definitionStatusIdFilter = definitionStatusIdKeyword ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (subExpressionConstraint / eclConceptReferenceSet)
definitionStatusIdKeyword = ("d"/"D") ("e"/"E") ("f"/"F") ("i"/"I") ("n"/"N") ("i"/"I") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("o"/"O") ("n"/"N") ("s"/"S") ("t"/"T") ("a"/"A") ("t"/"T") ("u"/"U") ("s"/"S") ("i"/"I") ("d"/"D")
definitionStatusTokenFilter = definitionStatusKeyword ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (definitionStatusToken / definitionStatusTokenSet)
definitionStatusKeyword = ("d"/"D") ("e"/"E") ("f"/"F") ("i"/"I") ("n"/"N") ("i"/"I") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("o"/"O") ("n"/"N") ("s"/"S") ("t"/"T") ("a"/"A") ("t"/"T") ("u"/"U") ("s"/"S")
definitionStatusToken = primitiveToken / definedToken
definitionStatusTokenSet = "(" ws definitionStatusToken *(mws definitionStatusToken) ws ")"
primitiveToken = ("p"/"P") ("r"/"R") ("i"/"I") ("m"/"M") ("i"/"I") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("v"/"V") ("e"/"E")
definedToken = ("d"/"D") ("e"/"E") ("f"/"F") ("i"/"I") ("n"/"N") ("e"/"E") ("d"/"D")
moduleFilter = moduleIdKeyword ws booleanComparisonOperator ws (subExpressionConstraint / eclConceptReferenceSet)
moduleIdKeyword = ("m"/"M") ("o"/"O") ("d"/"D") ("u"/"U") ("l"/"L") ("e"/"E") ("i"/"I") ("d"/"D")
effectiveTimeFilter = effectiveTimeKeyword ws timeComparisonOperator ws ( timeValue / timeValueSet )
effectiveTimeKeyword = ("e"/"E") ("f"/"F") ("f"/"F") ("e"/"E") ("c"/"C") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("v"/"V") ("e"/"E") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("m"/"M") ("e"/"E")
timeValue = QM [ year month day ] QM
timeValueSet = "(" ws timeValue *(mws timeValue) ws ")"
year = digitNonZero digit digit digit
month = "01" / "02" / "03" / "04" / "05" / "06" / "07" / "08" / "09" / "10" / "11" / "12"
day = "01" / "02" / "03" / "04" / "05" / "06" / "07" / "08" / "09" / "10" / "11" / "12" / "13" / "14" / "15" / "16" / "17" / "18" / "19" / "20" / "21" / "22" / "23" / "24" / "25" / "26" / "27" / "28" / "29" / "30" / "31"
activeFilter = activeKeyword ws booleanComparisonOperator ws activeValue
activeKeyword = ("a"/"A") ("c"/"C") ("t"/"T") ("i"/"I") ("v"/"V") ("e"/"E")
activeValue = activeTrueValue / activeFalseValue
activeTrueValue = "1" / "true"
activeFalseValue = "0" / "false"
memberFilterConstraint = "{{" ws ("m" / "M") ws memberFilter *(ws "," ws memberFilter) ws "}}"
memberFilter = moduleFilter / effectiveTimeFilter / activeFilter / memberFieldFilter
memberFieldFilter = refsetFieldName ws (expressionComparisonOperator ws subExpressionConstraint / numericComparisonOperator ws "#" numericValue / stringComparisonOperator ws (typedSearchTerm / typedSearchTermSet) / booleanComparisonOperator ws booleanValue / ws timeComparisonOperator ws (timeValue / timeValueSet) )
historySupplement = "{{" ws "+" ws historyKeyword [ historyProfileSuffix / ws historySubset ] ws "}}"
historyKeyword = ("h"/"H") ("i"/"I") ("s"/"S") ("t"/"T") ("o"/"O") ("r"/"R") ("y"/"Y")
historyProfileSuffix = historyMinimumSuffix / historyModerateSuffix / historyMaximumSuffix
historyMinimumSuffix = ("-"/"_") ("m"/"M") ("i"/"I") ("n"/"N")
historyModerateSuffix = ("-"/"_") ("m"/"M") ("o"/"O") ("d"/"D")
historyMaximumSuffix = ("-"/"_") ("m"/"M") ("a"/"A") ("x"/"X")
historySubset = "(" ws expressionConstraint ws ")"
numericValue = ["-"/"+"] (decimalValue / integerValue)
stringValue = 1*(anyNonEscapedChar / escapedChar)
integerValue = digitNonZero *digit / zero
decimalValue = integerValue "." 1*digit
booleanValue = true / false
true = ("t"/"T") ("r"/"R") ("u"/"U") ("e"/"E")
false = ("f"/"F") ("a"/"A") ("l"/"L") ("s"/"S") ("e"/"E")
nonNegativeIntegerValue = (digitNonZero *digit ) / zero

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sctId = digitNonZero 5*17( digit )

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ws = *( SP / HTAB / CR / LF / comment ) ; optional white space

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mws = 1*( SP / HTAB / CR / LF / comment ) ; mandatory white space

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comment = "/*" *(nonStarChar / starWithNonFSlash) "*/"

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nonStarChar = SP / HTAB / CR / LF / %x21-29 / %x2B-7E /UTF8-2 / UTF8-3 / UTF8-4

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starWithNonFSlash = %x2A nonFSlash

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nonFSlash = SP / HTAB / CR / LF / %x21-2E / %x30-7E /UTF8-2 / UTF8-3 / UTF8-4

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SP = %x20 ;

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 space
HTAB = %x09 ; tab

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CR = %x0D ; carriage return

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LF = %x0A ; line feed

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QM = %x22 ; quotation mark

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BS = %x5C ; back slash
star = %x2A ; asterisk
digit = %x30-39
zero = %x30
digitNonZero = %x31-39
nonwsNonPipe = %x21-7B / %x7D-7E / UTF8-2 / UTF8-3 / UTF8-4
anyNonEscapedChar = SP / HTAB / CR / LF / %x20-21 / %x23-5B / %x5D-7E / UTF8-2 / UTF8-3 / UTF8-4

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escapedChar = BS QM / BS BS
escapedWildChar = BS QM / BS BS / BS star
nonwsNonEscapedChar = %x21 / %x23-5B / %x5D-7E / UTF8-2 / UTF8-3 / UTF8-4

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alpha = 

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%x41-5A / 

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%x61-7A
dash = %x2D
UTF8-2 = %xC2-DF UTF8-tail

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UTF8-3 = %xE0 %xA0-BF UTF8-tail / %xE1-EC 2( UTF8-tail ) / %xED %x80-9F UTF8-tail / %xEE-EF 2( UTF8-tail )

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UTF8-4 = %xF0 %x90-BF 2( UTF8-tail ) / %xF1-F3 3( UTF8-tail ) / %xF4 %x80-8F 2( UTF8-tail )

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UTF8-tail = %x80-BF

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