Index: roundup/hyperdb.py
===================================================================
--- roundup/hyperdb.py	(revision 4128)
+++ roundup/hyperdb.py	(working copy)
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def getfile(self, classname, nodeid, property):
-        '''Store the content of the file in the database.
+        '''Get the content of the file in the database.
         '''
         raise NotImplementedError
 
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@
         backward-compatibility reasons a single (dir, prop) tuple is
         also allowed.
 
-        "search_matches" is {nodeid: marker}
+        "search_matches" is a sequence type
 
         The filter must match all properties specificed. If the property
         value to match is a list:
Index: roundup/backends/back_anydbm.py
===================================================================
--- roundup/backends/back_anydbm.py	(revision 4128)
+++ roundup/backends/back_anydbm.py	(working copy)
@@ -1561,7 +1561,7 @@
         "sort" and "group" are (dir, prop) where dir is '+', '-' or None
         and prop is a prop name or None
 
-        "search_matches" is {nodeid: marker} or None
+        "search_matches" is a sequence type or None
 
         The filter must match all properties specificed. If the property
         value to match is a list:
@@ -1721,7 +1721,7 @@
             if search_matches is not None:
                 k = []
                 for v in matches:
-                    if search_matches.has_key(v[0]):
+                    if v[0] in search_matches:
                         k.append(v)
                 matches = k
 
Index: roundup/backends/rdbms_common.py
===================================================================
--- roundup/backends/rdbms_common.py	(revision 4131)
+++ roundup/backends/rdbms_common.py	(working copy)
@@ -2114,7 +2114,7 @@
         backward-compatibility reasons a single (dir, prop) tuple is
         also allowed.
 
-        "search_matches" is {nodeid: marker} or None
+        "search_matches" is a sequence type or None
 
         The filter must match all properties specificed. If the property
         value to match is a list:
@@ -2123,7 +2123,7 @@
         2. Other properties must match any of the elements in the list.
         """
         # we can't match anything if search_matches is empty
-        if search_matches == {}:
+        if not search_matches and search_matches is not None:
             return []
 
         if __debug__:
@@ -2334,8 +2334,7 @@
 
         # add results of full text search
         if search_matches is not None:
-            v = search_matches.keys()
-            s = ','.join([a for x in v])
+            s = ','.join([a for x in search_matches])
             where.append('_%s.id in (%s)'%(icn, s))
             args = args + v