searching

[weaselnoze]

ok the #1 reason i dont use the search function often is because i dont find it useful.  there is and option for searching titles and text, and one for just message text.  is there no way to search topics only? am i just blind?  for example if i want to search for say, helmet lock.  i get any topic or message text that has anything to do with a helmet or a lock.

[airbrush]

yah...i find you get quite a mix when you do a search and you have to sift through alot of posts to find what you're looking for.

[se7enty7]

the problem is that you cannot search by title only.  It makes the search function pretty much useless.


I pm'ed john and he said it was a limitation of the forum's software.. so I dunno.  But I 100% agree.. it's REALLY irritating.

[John Bates]

ok the #1 reason i dont use the search function often is because i dont find it useful.  there is and option for searching titles and text, and one for just message text.  is there no way to search topics only? .

I agree it should be useful to search on topic only, however many would be missed because some titles are vague and pointless. For example how many time have you seen a topic similar to "I did it again" or "where's the screw?", etc.

am i just blind?  for example if i want to search for say, helmet lock.  i get any topic or message text that has anything to do with a helmet or a lock.

If you select the button "search for all terms" you will get closer to what you want.

[scratch]

for example if i want to search for say, helmet lock.  i get any topic or message text that has anything to do with a helmet or a lock.

I search for either 'helmet' or 'lock' and look at the one with the fewest results. Or, use a verb; what do you do with a helmet on a helmet lock...you 'hang' it or it is 'hanging' there (not that I've tried that).

[Kerry]

Here's an important tidbit I just now learned/confirmed by trying some things: even though the Search function returns message threads as results, it works on a post-by-post basis.

* If you type in a single search keyword you will get a list of all threads that include at least one post with that word.  (Duh, right?)

* If you type in only an author's name you will get a list of all threads that include at least one post written by that author.  (Duh, right?)

* If you type in multiple keywords (and choose "Search for all terms") but don't specify an author, you will get a list of all threads with at least one post that contains ALL of those words.  (Each of the words might occur elsewhere in the thread, but unless they all appear TOGETHER in at least one post the thread won't pass the test.)

* If you type in multiple keywords AND an author, you will get a list of all threads with at least one post

by that author that contains ALL of those words.[/list:u]
EXAMPLES:

=========================
Search for "idle" only.[/color]
WAY too many results to be useful.
=========================




====================
Search for "shims" only.[/color]
Too many results here, too.
====================




=======================
Search for "idle" OR "shims".[/color]
This just gets worse and worse!
=======================




=======================
Search for "idle" AND "shims".[/color]
OK, that's better....
=======================




Hang on ... I seem to remember JohNLA saying something about this....
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Search for author JohNLA.[/color]
Nope, that guy was too prolific.  :x
========================




What if I search for all 3 pieces of info?
=====================================
Search for "idle" AND "shims" AND author JohNLA.[/color]
Hey, now we're talking!
=====================================




Sure enough, every one of those threads contains a post where JohNLA used both of the words "idle" and "shims".

Wait a sec, here's an interesting post from one of those threads:




That post contained the word "experienced" but NOT the word "shims".  Let's try this:
=====================================================
Search for "idle" AND "shims" AND "experienced" AND author JohNLA.[/color]
Hmmmm.... It looks like all of the terms have to be in the SAME post.
=====================================================

[Aussie GS]

I tried searching Uni-airfilter and got all these threads that had nothing to do with airfilters, :dunno:  but then I relised what was happening, at the bottom of the pages was eg.

1999 GS 500
yoshi exhuast
vance and hines ignition advance
uni pod airfilter

mistery solved  :lol:

[john]

Yea.  I know phpBB and most boards have a weakness in searching.  Problem is I am not a programmer.  We have to live with it.  Sorry guys  

[scratch]

It's allright, John, I think we can adapt.

[Aussie GS]

Certaunly can live with it  :mrgreen: ,I only joined the site at X-mass {yes I'm one of those sad, sad people that spend's X-mass day alone reaching out on the computer    } and have found the site brillant,my forks have been improved out of sight for only $5.00,I'll be rejetting very shortly thank's to imfo supplied here and I've found out heap's about the GS I never even knew to ask before,all in less than 3 weeks, credit and full marks to everyone that set up and help run the sight