1. A method for searching for information in a distributed data processing system, the method comprising: providing a semantics-based search index by storing in the semantics-bases search index search keywords from documents according to semantics from selected document structure templates, the document structure templates selected in dependence upon the structures of the documents and upon model document structures in the document structure templates; establishing a search scope corresponding to semantics supported by the semantics-based search index; receiving from a client a search query message comprising search terms and, optionally, the search scope; retrieving, from the semantics-based search index, index entries satisfying the search terms and the search scope; creating from the retrieved index entries a search result message; and transmitting the search result message to the client.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving, from the semantics-based search index, index entries satisfying the search terms and the search scope comprises parsing, in dependence upon the correspondence between the search scope and the semantics, the search terms and search scope into a search query.