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casper50
.400 member


Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1461
Loc: Alaska
Why is the search function so bad?
      #280381 - 06/04/16 02:41 AM

Why is the search function here so terrible? I cannot find anything. Keeps coming up empty.

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gryphon
.450 member


Reged: 01/01/03
Posts: 5487
Loc: Sambar ground/Victoria/Austral...
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: casper50]
      #280389 - 06/04/16 04:50 AM

You bet,it has pissed me off numerous times.

--------------------
Get off the chair away from the desk and get out in the bush and enjoy life.

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500Boswell
.400 member


Reged: 21/07/06
Posts: 1276
Loc: Queensland
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: gryphon]
      #280399 - 06/04/16 07:04 AM

never had much success with it so gave up

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D_the_D
.224 member


Reged: 06/03/16
Posts: 45
Loc: MD, USA
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: 500Boswell]
      #280403 - 06/04/16 08:09 AM

Simply does not work.

--------------------
Dennis
Dress the bun, not the dog. And throw away that stupid knitted doggie sweater.

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Huvius
.416 member


Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3561
Loc: Colorado
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: D_the_D]
      #280412 - 06/04/16 10:01 AM

I have found the search function to be quite good.
Just make sure you run it out to newer than 10 or 15 years (15 is the max) and choose whether you want to search the subject or body - the body search will give very random results as it will populate any mention of your search terms in all posts.
Leave the "older than" part blank.



--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39990
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: Huvius]
      #280499 - 08/04/16 12:48 AM

Quote:

I have found the search function to be quite good.
Just make sure you run it out to newer than 10 or 15 years (15 is the max) and choose whether you want to search the subject or body - the body search will give very random results as it will populate any mention of your search terms in all posts.
Leave the "older than" part blank.





Good tips.

If people are getting no results they are doing something wrong. I usually get too many results, hundreds or thousands of them and try to narrow it down instead.

Use "quotation marks" for an exact phrase.

If you use too many search terms you will get too many results. Keep it simple and specific. Don't put eg Mannlicher and Mauser. You will get every post with 'and' in it. Instead best to use two searchs, or just the two words alone. Spelling is important.

Use the posters alias. if known to narrow it down. Same as selecting a specific forum.

I use 'body and title' searches for everything.

Use the date range. If you leave it at 1 week you get bugger all.

If you choose say 15 years the search will be slow and take a long time. Most forums, none (?) offer such a generous time range. As it can slow the whole performance of the forums when used and if too much.

A more polite and constructive opening query would have been "I am getting no results for the following search, ######, why? Thanks."

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39990
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: NitroX]
      #280500 - 08/04/16 12:57 AM

Just to show.


FORUMS SEARCh FUNCTION
I did a test search on "bore rifle" .
10 years. Body and title. All forums

1637 results.

Way too many so would narrow it down.

Customised GOOGLE Search function
Using the internal Google search box instead: 497 results.

Don't see how searchs are gettin NO results.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39990
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: NitroX]
      #280502 - 08/04/16 01:09 AM

BTW if you use the "View Recent Messages" menu items, they will over write any page using the forums search function. They are basically just custom scripts using the search function I created and coded into the header.

Just found that out myself again when my "bore rifle" search superseded my previous "7 day" search I was using to look at new posts ....

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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gryphon
.450 member


Reged: 01/01/03
Posts: 5487
Loc: Sambar ground/Victoria/Austral...
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: NitroX]
      #280524 - 08/04/16 04:36 AM

"A more polite and constructive opening query would have been "I am getting no results for the following search, ######, why? Thanks." "

A smack?

--------------------
Get off the chair away from the desk and get out in the bush and enjoy life.

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39990
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: gryphon]
      #280642 - 09/04/16 10:17 PM

Quote:

"A more polite and constructive opening query would have been "I am getting no results for the following search, ######, why? Thanks." "

A smack?



Ha ha. I'm sure a query of the actual search would have got the desired results from members too. ;0

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Ash
.400 member


Reged: 10/05/11
Posts: 1653
Loc: Australia
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: NitroX]
      #281088 - 17/04/16 11:28 PM

I'm in the same boat as John - always been able to find what I want with it.

If you're not getting anything chances are you forgot to change the search cut of time. I always set it to go as far back as it can.

--------------------
.

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D_the_D
.224 member


Reged: 06/03/16
Posts: 45
Loc: MD, USA
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: Ash]
      #281094 - 18/04/16 01:45 AM

OK. Everyone is touchy and defensive. Fact is it gives irrelevant results.

--------------------
Dennis
Dress the bun, not the dog. And throw away that stupid knitted doggie sweater.

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Kano
.300 member


Reged: 09/07/03
Posts: 166
Loc: East Africa
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: D_the_D]
      #281331 - 21/04/16 07:31 PM

The search function defaults to one week worth of posts searched. I very often get nil results, until I remeber "Oh crap, the time setting..."

People are used to type their search, and get some results of sort - that's the way it works on most any other "Search" buttons around the Net.

Perhaps, in order to avoid an avalanche of results, but still get some decent returns, the default should be set to one year?

--------------------
Philip

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39990
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: Kano]
      #281339 - 21/04/16 10:52 PM

Default setting is what it is. Just remember to set it for what you want. If it is a newish post, a week or month is fine. If in the deep dark past I use ten years. I really should not allow a 15 year search as it slows the forums. ALMOST EVERY other forum would not allow it. I keep it there as I need it from time to time.

If I allow say a maximum two year search like many forums would only allow, people would not have to worry about "avalaches" of results either.

Use of selective search terms narrows it down.

Also select the specific forum to search, or poster's alias.

As said, if people are getting NO results, they are doing it wrong.

I really should see if I can update the forums this autumn. Then people can complain about new stuff.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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DoubleD
.400 member


Reged: 23/11/03
Posts: 2438
Loc: Retired in Oklahoma
Re: Why is the search function so bad? [Re: NitroX]
      #281351 - 21/04/16 11:55 PM

If you use this site specific search string in goggle you will get lots of good results.


site:www.http://forums.nitroexpress.com/ XXXXXXX

Copy and paste this in the goggle search window and replace the XXXXX's with your subject.

site:www.http://forums.nitroexpress.com/ bore guns produced About 12,800 results (0.75 seconds)

https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aw...om%2F+bore+guns

site:www.http://forums.nitroexpress.com/ greener martini produced About 4,960 results (0.38 seconds)

https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aw...-8&oe=utf-8

--------------------
DD, Ret.

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