How do you use the forum search functionality?

[frynturn]

I have a "Still Spirits" reflux still and I am interested in finding any posts about it. I definately know there are some out there but when I try to use the search function I always get no results back.

eg.
Click on search.
In the first search by keyword box I type: Still Spirits
I select "Search for all terms" option and hit enter.
I get "No topics or posts met your criteria". All other options are at their defaults ie. all posts etc..

Does it only search post subjects?

Searching for a single word seems to work but rather pointless searching for either "still" or "spirits" seperately on a distilling forum - I get damn near ever post returned!!

[HookLine]

Welcome to the fun world of the php database search function (or at least this particular database's version of it).

The basic problem is that it doesn't do specific phrase searches, the kind you put in quotation marks, and instead it just searches for any thread that contains both those words but not necessarily together (ie it searches for 'still AND spirits', not the specific phrase "still spirits"). It very seriously limits the value of the search function, because you cannot narrow the search down and you just end up getting many times more results than you want.

But you have already discovered that.

All I can suggest is that when you find a thread you might want to go back to, you bookmark it on your computer. Or copy the contents into a file.

[frynturn]

Thanks HookLine - I thought I was going a bit crazy for a second.

Just incase any one else is interested I typed the following query into google and it looks like it may have done the trick: "still spirits" site:homedistiller.org

[HookLine]

That seems to work a treat. Good one.

[stoker]

then you'll only get the older ones.
google is not immediatley updated after every new post.

usualy, I get the topics I want after some trial and error.

[mrotch]

I use Skymeat's link to "Google on the Fly" - the complete post is in the "Novice" section - here's a tidbit: (hint: there is a shorter URL in the post if you read it)

You can use Google to search this site with the Google search engine!

This link will give you a script that you can paste into a website to add the search, or will give you the option of inputing a domain and searching within.

http://www.google.com/coop/cse/onthefly" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow


This obscenely long URL will let you search this entire site without any other outside influences. I don't know if it's persistent though. Might be that it won't work...Let's find out. It works for me at the moment
http://www.google.com/cse?url=http%3A%2 ... &loading=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow


Skymeat

[Husker]

Moved from "off topic" forum, as this is not really off topic. The better people learn to search the forums, the better the forums become.

[Safegyde]

Wow, that bottom link works perfectly!!!!

This should be a sticky!!

That would have been very helpful had I known that 3 months ago. Thanks mrotch and Skymeat!

[frynturn]

I ran both queries and for the first 3 pages at least they gave the same results (couldn't be bothered checking after that!). In fact they both returned 117 results so I suspect they are doing the same search.

I find it is much easier to tack "site:homedistiller.org" onto the end of the query than go to the bookmark or remember the tinyURL from the other post.

In any case both google searches don't return the latest results.

[rad14701]

In any case both google searches don't return the latest results.

The latest results won't be available using site: until after the next time search engines spider the site... Any posts added since the last time the site was spidered will only be found by the forums search routine because it searches the forum database content directly... Perhaps a bit off topic, but good information to keep in mind for future reference...

[Husker]

In any case both google searches don't return the latest results.

The latest results won't be available using site: until after the next time search engines spider the site... Any posts added since the last time the site was spidered will only be found by the forums search routine because it searches the forum database content directly... Perhaps a bit off topic, but good information to keep in mind for future reference...

That is true. However, most searches are done BECAUSE the post is not in the last few days. I bet the spider hits the site once (or more) a week. Thus the google search is FAR better IMHO than the phpBBS search, since the php search is pretty wimpy in it's power.

Remember folks, there is not a gigantic amount of new information deposited here each day. 40% of the material is newbe questions and others following up on those questions, 10% is "look at my new still" and 25% are follow ups to those "look at my new still" where people leave suggestions. The other 25% are follow ups to recipes, some stories, and then there are the few truly "new" ideas mixed in this last 25%. Now, the proportions are not always the same. There are times where there is a LOT of new things being kicked around, such college breaks, summer or winter vacation times, and holidays seem to have more "new" information.

Thus, having the absolute "latest" pages contained within the search engine is not always a requirement to do a quality search for almost every subject. As long as you simply look at what is on the top posts within the forum which relates to your query, and use a good search engine, you will find the answer you are looking for.

H.