diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPage.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPage.java
index 7142bcf8f83..1610f90bc98 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPage.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPage.java
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ import org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.model.CoreModel;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.model.ICElement;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.model.ICProject;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.parser.Keywords;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.ui.CUIPlugin;
 
 import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.ui.ICHelpContextIds;
@@ -344,15 +345,37 @@ public class PDOMSearchPage extends DialogPage implements ISearchPage {
 		patternCombo = new Combo( result, SWT.SINGLE | SWT.BORDER );
 		patternCombo.addVerifyListener(new VerifyListener() {
 			public void verifyText(VerifyEvent e) {
+				final String text = patternCombo.getText();
+				boolean relax= text.contains(Keywords.OPERATOR + " "); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				char[] chars= e.text.toCharArray();
 				StringBuilder result= new StringBuilder(chars.length);
-				for (char c : chars) {
+				for (int i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
+					final char c = chars[i];
 					switch (c) {
 					case  '_': 
 					case ':': // scope operator
 					case '?': case '*':  // wild cards
+					case '\\': // escaping wild-cards
 						result.append(c);
 						break;
+					case ' ':
+						if (prefix(text, e, e.start+i).endsWith(Keywords.OPERATOR)) {
+							relax= true;
+							result.append(c);
+						}
+						break;
+					case '&': case '|': case '+': case '-':
+					case '!': case '=': case '>': case '<':
+					case '%': case '^': case '(': case ')':
+					case '[': case ']': 
+						if (prefix(text, e, e.start+i).endsWith(Keywords.OPERATOR)) {
+							result.append(' ');
+							relax= true;
+						}
+						if (relax)
+							result.append(c);
+						break;
+					case '~':
 					default:
 						if (Character.isLetterOrDigit(c)) {
 							result.append(c);
@@ -362,6 +385,13 @@ public class PDOMSearchPage extends DialogPage implements ISearchPage {
 					e.text= result.toString();
 				}
 			}
+
+			private String prefix(String text, VerifyEvent e, int length) {
+				StringBuilder result= new StringBuilder(length);
+				result.append(text, 0, e.start);
+				result.append(e.text, 0, length-e.start);
+				return result.toString();
+			}
 		});
 		
 		patternCombo.addModifyListener( new ModifyListener() {
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPatternQuery.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPatternQuery.java
index 00402c34894..4cbe2ae5e09 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPatternQuery.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/search/PDOMSearchPatternQuery.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IProgressMonitor;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IStatus;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.OperationCanceledException;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Status;
+import org.eclipse.osgi.util.NLS;
 
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.DOMException;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom.ast.ICompositeType;
@@ -89,6 +90,22 @@ public class PDOMSearchPatternQuery extends PDOMSearchQuery {
     	for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
     		char c = patternStr.charAt(i);
     		switch (c) {
+    		case '\\':
+    			if (i+1 < n) {
+    				switch(patternStr.charAt(i+1)) {
+    				case '?':
+    					buff.append("\\?"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+    					break;
+    				case '*':
+    					buff.append("\\*"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+    					break;
+    				default:
+    					buff.append('\\');
+    				}
+    			} else {
+    				buff.append('\\');
+    			}
+    			break;
     		case '*':
     			buff.append(".*"); //$NON-NLS-1$
     			break;
@@ -104,6 +121,9 @@ public class PDOMSearchPatternQuery extends PDOMSearchQuery {
     				buff = new StringBuffer();
     			}
     			break;
+			case '|': case '+': case '^': case '(': case ')': case '[': case ']': 
+				buff.append('\\').append(c);
+				break;
    			default:
     			buff.append(c);
     		}
@@ -186,7 +206,7 @@ public class PDOMSearchPatternQuery extends PDOMSearchQuery {
 
 	@Override
 	public String getResultLabel(int numMatches) {
-		String patternInScope = CSearchMessages.bind(
+		String patternInScope = NLS.bind(
 				CSearchMessages.PDOMSearchPatternQuery_PatternQuery_labelPatternInScope, patternStr, scopeDesc);
 		return getResultLabel(patternInScope, numMatches); 
 	}
diff --git a/doc/org.eclipse.cdt.doc.user/concepts/cdt_c_search.htm b/doc/org.eclipse.cdt.doc.user/concepts/cdt_c_search.htm
index 1d279efece2..ccbfafd1ca7 100644
--- a/doc/org.eclipse.cdt.doc.user/concepts/cdt_c_search.htm
+++ b/doc/org.eclipse.cdt.doc.user/concepts/cdt_c_search.htm
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ is to be searched:</p>
   <tr>
     <td width="49%">&nbsp;<samp>*</samp></td>
     <td width="51%">Any string<p><b>Tip:<br>
-    </b> Use the character <samp>*</samp> to search for 
+    </b> Use the character sequence <samp>\*</samp> to search for 
     operators that begin with *. See syntax examples in the table below.</td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
@@ -137,11 +137,13 @@ is to be searched:</p>
     <td width="51%">Nested elements</td>
   </tr>
 </table>
+<!-- no support for function parameters
 <p><b>Tip: </b>Do not use wild cards between the brackets of a function or 
 method pattern.  For example, the search 
 string <samp>f( * )</samp> is an invalid search that results in a search for any function <samp>f</samp> 
     because 
 the asterisk is interpreted as a pointer rather than a wild card.</p>
+-->
 <h2>Syntax examples</h2>
 <p>The table below provides syntax examples and an explanation for each example 
 to help you conduct an effective search.</p>
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ to help you conduct an effective search.</p>
     <td width="64%" height="32">&nbsp; <samp>::A</samp> </td>
     <td width="36%" height="32">Searches for A not nested in anything</td>
   </tr>
+<!-- no support for function parameters
   <tr>
     <td width="64%" height="17">&nbsp; <samp>*()</samp></td>
     <td width="36%" height="17">Any function taking no parameters</td>
@@ -183,6 +186,7 @@ to help you conduct an effective search.</p>
     <td width="36%" height="64">Will search for a function f, taking 2 parameters; one is a 
     const char array, the other is a reference to type A</td>
   </tr>
+-->
   <tr>
     <td width="64%" height="32">&nbsp;<samp>operator \*</samp></td>
     <td width="36%" height="32">Finds only operator *</td>