Can't get Path exclusion to work in REST or Query Transform

Question

I'm using SharePoint 2013 (on-premise) and can't seem to exclude certain back-end lists from search results.

I'm testing with "/Lists/WorkflowHistory/" and will add other lists later but I can't get this to work no matter what I do. I've tried

I've tried using the path exclusion in the Result Source > Query Transform:

{?{searchTerms} -path:"/Lists/WorkflowHistory/" -ContentClass=urn:content-class:SPSPeople} {?{searchTerms} -ContentClass=urn:content-class:SPSPeople} -path:"/Lists/WorkflowHistory/"

I've tried testing using REST (/_api/search/query?) with the following: https://example.com/sites/search/_api/search/query?querytext=%27workflowhistory%20AND%20NOT%20path:%22/lists/workflowhistory/%22%27

https://example.com/sites/search/_api/search/query?querytext=%27workflowhistory%27-path:%27*/lists/workflowhistory/*%27

https://example.com/sites/search/_api/search/query?querytext=%27workflowhistory%27&-path:%27/lists/workflowhistory/%27

I even tried to exclude the PATH starting with the domain https://example.com/sites/search/_api/search/query?querytext=%27workflowhistory%27&-path:%27https://example.com/sites/test/DeptSiteDec2014/Lists/WorkFlowHistory/%27

But I'm still getting the WorkFlowHistory folders.

What am I missing? Any suggestions how to get this to work?

Answer 1

For excluding results you can use following query

{searchTerms} -Path=https://example.com/sites/test/DeptSiteDec2014/Lists/WorkFlowHistory/* 

Answer 2

You could use the list Guid like explained here: http://www.eliostruyf.com/retrieving-list-library-name-search-result-display-templates/

Answer 3

We discovered some anomalous behavior in our environment that sometimes breaks filtering by path. We have a ticket open with Microsoft to figure out why it sometimes works continuously for weeks and then stops working for weeks.

Additionally, I learned the Path managed property is set to "Complete Matching" so it will only work when the path is provided from the beginning (http* or www.domain.*). In my case I want to exclude certain lists (e.g. "/Lists/WorkFlowHistory/") that exist in all sites so I decided to create a new managed property with "Complete Matching" turned off. For some reason the property is not getting populated, but that's another post.