Forum Search Options

[w14]

Is there any way the forum search can be improved?

For example, searching for "scp" returns no results. I can't believe no-one has mentioned scp in any post on these forums. I have come across several instances of searches returning no results since the forums moved to the current software.

Searching for "Zonet" has the same effect, despite having posted several times myself regarding these wifi cards.

We all would prefer that people search for the answers before posting commonly asked questions ad nausium, but that seems like a tricky proposition with the current software.

Mike.

[offroadgeek]

Is there any way the forum search can be improved?

For example, searching for "scp" returns no results. I can't believe no-one has mentioned scp in any post on these forums. I have come across several instances of searches returning no results since the forums moved to the current software.

Searching for "Zonet" has the same effect, despite having posted several times myself regarding these wifi cards.

We all would prefer that people search for the answers before posting commonly asked questions ad nausium, but that seems like a tricky proposition with the current software.

Mike.

I get the same thing as you do with a search for "scp"... I'll look into that.

But when I search on "zonet", I get several posts returned. I'm not sure if I'm doing anything different than you. Check to make sure that you are searching "all forums", and not just the forum you were last browsing.

regards

offroadgeek

[w14]

Deleted ...

Mike.

[offroadgeek]

Deleted ...

Mike.

what do you mean?

[w14]

I mean I was quite happily typing away, hit the Add Reply button, needed to edit what I had written, then remembered I had to return a rental car before I headed off to work ... I was in a bit of a rush ... London traffic etc ... figured I would explain later. Sorry ... <embarrassed>.

Anyway, you must be right and I was careless about searching, and didn't have the "Search all forums" selected in the case of Zonet.

Searching for ssh gets the same as scp, though. Is this linked to the more than three letters restriction there used to be?

Mike.

[omega]

would it be possible to have the search link to all-forums by default? I alos get the issue with ssh.

[ajaustin]

And it seems to me that the search ORs the keywords rather than ANDing them; which is not at all what you want to do to refine a search.

[stbrock]

The workaround for most search deficiencies is to go to Google advanced search, limit results to the ZUG URL, and use the Google search commands. You pick up results in how-to's etc. as well as in the forums, but that may often be a benefit.

The problems I've noticed with the native Forum Search include the "OR" default, which prevents you from narrowing searches, the refusal to search for three-letter words, i.e., XQt, and the inability to use quotes to search for a phrase.

If any of this can be improved without too much trouble by changing some configuration files, it would be appreciated.

[ajaustin]

stbrock wrote:

The workaround for most search deficiencies is to go to Google advanced search, limit results to the ZUG URL, and use the Google search commands. You pick up results in how-to's etc. as well as in the forums, but that may often be a benefit.

Excellent suggestion! This has helped me a lot. A proper on-forum solution would still be welcome, though.

Are we using the best BB software? Sites that I use with phpBB seem much better.

[tumnus]

I get the same thing as you do with a search for "scp"... I'll look into that.

But when I search on "zonet", I get several posts returned. I'm not sure if I'm doing anything different than you.

I think what may be happening is that the default minimum keyword length for this forum software is 4 characters. You did something to reduce the number of characters that it came back with an error for, but perhaps the search index is still only using keywords of 4 characters or more.

[offroadgeek]

I get the same thing as you do with a search for "scp"... I'll look into that.

But when I search on "zonet", I get several posts returned.  I'm not sure if I'm doing anything different than you.

I think what may be happening is that the default minimum keyword length for this forum software is 4 characters. You did something to reduce the number of characters that it came back with an error for, but perhaps the search index is still only using keywords of 4 characters or more.

there's actually two components I changed. a) rebuilt the mysql index to allow for 3 char searches, and change the settings in the forum software to let it know that I changed the mysql db to allow for searches on 3 char.

for some reason though it's not picking up simple searches like 'scp'. i'll continue to look into it.

[offroadgeek]

stbrock wrote:

The workaround for most search deficiencies is to go to Google advanced search, limit results to the ZUG URL, and use the Google search commands. You pick up results in how-to's etc. as well as in the forums, but that may often be a benefit.

Excellent suggestion! This has helped me a lot. A proper on-forum solution would still be welcome, though.

Are we using the best BB software? Sites that I use with phpBB seem much better.

phpbb is what we just moved from. While phpbb has decent searching capabilities, ipb forum software is much less buggy, and it actually handles the latest posts, etc. much better.

[Pcghost]

A search for 'thekompany' returns zero results. Strange..

[Stubear]

A search for 'thekompany' returns zero results. Strange..

THat's cause it takes too long to write

Try TKC instead

Stu

[gojira]

there's actually two components I changed.  a) rebuilt the mysql index to allow for 3 char searches, and change the settings in the forum software to let it know that I changed the mysql db to allow for searches on 3 char.

How about changing it to 2, or at least mentioning the limit on the search or search results page? (I've been trying to search for problems involving CF cards...) Also, making it more clear that multiple words are automatically a phrase (which is a very unusual default behaviour for a search field) and that OR and AND are available would be nice too

Thanks.