code: public void matchValue(String elementName, String value, int oper)
      {
  
          // Delete the old search criteria
          criteria = new Criteria();
  
          if (oper != NOT_IN)
          {
              criteria.addEqualTo(elementName, value);
          }
          else
          {
              criteria.addNotEqualTo(elementName, value);
          }
      }
docs: Change the search filter to one that specifies an element to not
  match one single value.
  The old search filter is deleted.
  
  @param elementName is the name of the element to be matched
  @param value is the value to not be matched
  @param oper is the IN or NOT_IN operator to indicate how to matche