# AllowOverlaps

A Boolean value that specifies whether to return more than one match, when Eduction finds overlapping matches that start at different characters (offsets). To return overlapping matches set this parameter to `True`.

NOTE: To specify whether to return overlapping matches that have the same offset, use the configuration parameter AllowMultipleResults.

Example

The following table shows how the results from Eduction change when you set the parameters `AllowMultipleResults` and `AllowOverlaps`.

In this example, the input is "The President of the United States of America is in London today to meet the British Prime Minister", and three entities have been defined:

- entity1 matches political offices, for example "President of the United States".
- entity2 matches corporate titles including "President".
- entity3 matches places including "United States" and "United States of America".

Parameters | AllowOverlaps=False | AllowOverlaps=True
AllowMultipleResults =False | Eduction returns the match "President of the United States" (entity1). The match "President" (entity2) is ignored because it shares the same starting point as "President of the United States" and `AllowMultipleResults=FALSE`. The matches "United States" and "United States of America" (entity3) are ignored because they overlap with "President of the United States" and `AllowOverlaps=FALSE`. | Eduction returns the match "President of the United States" (entity1). The match "President" (entity2) is ignored because it shares the same starting point as "President of the United States" and `AllowMultipleResults=FALSE`. Overlapping matches are allowed, so Eduction returns a match "United States of America" (entity3). The match "United States" (entity3) is ignored because it shares the same starting point as "United States of America" and `AllowMultipleResults=FALSE`.
AllowMultipleResults =OnePerEntity | Eduction returns the match "President of the United States" (entity1). Eduction returns the match "President" (entity2). Although it shares the same starting point as "President of the United States" it is matched by a different entity and `AllowMultipleResults` is set to `OnePerEntity`. The matches "United States" and "United States of America" (entity3) are ignored because they overlap with "President of the United States" and `AllowOverlaps=FALSE`. | Eduction returns the match "President of the United States" (entity1). Eduction returns the match "President" (entity2). Although it shares the same starting point as "President of the United States" it is matched by a different entity and `AllowMultipleResults` is set to `OnePerEntity`. Overlapping matches are allowed, so Eduction returns a match "United States of America" (entity3). The match "United States" (entity3) is ignored because it shares the same starting point as "United States of America" and `AllowMultipleResults` is set to `OnePerEntity`.
AllowMultipleResults =True | Eduction returns the match "President of the United States" (entity1). Eduction returns the match "President" (entity2) because `AllowMultipleResults=True`. The matches "United States" and "United States of America" (entity3) are ignored because they overlap with "President of the United States" and `AllowOverlaps=FALSE`. | Eduction returns all of the matches. These are "President of the United States" (entity1), "President" (entity2), "United States" (entity3), and "United States of America" (entity3).

Type: | Boolean
Default: | False
Required: | No
Configuration Section: | Any section that you have defined for Eduction settings
Example: | `AllowOverlaps=True`
See Also: | AllowMultipleResults NonGreedyMatch

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