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# ABSearchElement

An object you use to specify a search query for records in the Address Book database.

```
class ABSearchElement
```

## Overview

The `ABSearchElement` class is “toll-free bridged” with its procedural C opaque-type counterpart. This means that the `ABSearchElementRef` type is interchangeable in function or method calls with instances of the `ABSearchElement` class.

## Topics

### Searching

[`init(forConjunction:children:)`](/documentation/AddressBook/ABSearchElement/init(forConjunction:children:))

Returns a compound search element, created by combining the search elements in an array with the given conjunction.

### Matching

[`matchesRecord(_:)`](/documentation/AddressBook/ABSearchElement/matchesRecord(_:))

Tests whether or not a record matches a search element.

### Constants

[`ABSearchConjunction`](/documentation/AddressBook/ABSearchConjunction)

Constants used to create compound search elements.

[`ABSearchComparison`](/documentation/AddressBook/ABSearchComparison)

Constants used to specify the type of comparison beingmade.


---

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