Retrograde Step - Searches Must Be 5 Characters!

[JetsetBkk]

What a pity! I tried to search for a four letter character string and got the message about it being too short. Now the searches must be for 5 or more. This seriously reduces the usefulness of the search facility.

If you're short of processor power, can't you get the forum software to lower the priority of the search function so that the main functions run as normal priority but searches take longer? That's what systems that I've worked on do.

[Tywais]

Another topic on this is running here. George indicates a better system is in the works so will need to wait and see what it is.

[Naam]

there are a zillion functions in TV which hardly anybody uses. the search function however is deplorable². a minimum expectation in a forum is the choice "search string in topics" and "search string anywhere".

[JetsetBkk]

Another topic on this is running here. George indicates a better system is in the works so will need to wait and see what it is.

Thanks, Tywais - I didn't notice it. And thanks for the link - I'll investigate George's suggested alternative of Google's Custom Search.

I hope the new search function allows us to go back to 4 characters, although 3 would be better.

One thing I noticed about the current search function is how incredibly fast it is! It's almost unnecessarily fast - I think most people expect a search function to take time. I would be quite happy if it took 5 or 10 seconds to display the results, as long as it could search for 3 or 4 characters.

Edit:

Just used the Google Custom Search - brilliant! Found exactly what I wanted.

Edited July 15, 2008 by JetsetBkk

[raro]

aren't anyways most four-letter words edited out on this forum?

[sbk]

back to four letter words now

[JetsetBkk]

Thanks sbk.

(I actually prefer the 'Google Custom Search' now! )

[chiangmaibruce]

Hi. Hate to whinge but the search function still needs tweaking. I have just been spending a great deal of time looking for old threads - mostly unsuccessfully. For each search I tried both search forms (the google one and the one at the bottom of the page). The key words I used were the actual names of the threads (which I had written down). For example "Suing a thai lady" in the general forum.

So I reduced to manually scanning every page of the forum to find earlier threads - if I knew that the search function would be a problem I would have saved the actual URL's - but previously (some time ago) the search function did seem to do a better job of finding things (unless I am imagining this)

I agree with Naam, you need to be able to search using strings.

With all the annoying duplication of threads that occurs, the very last thing you want to do is make it difficult for people to find pre-existing threads.

[Tywais]

I agree with Naam, you need to be able to search using strings.

BTW: it is current now set to 3 characters are allowed in the search. The below are the 'Advanced Usage forms of the internal search engine. As for your example, as long as you are aware of the less then 3 character limitation and that you click on "Search titles only" it seems to work for me. Your example: "Suing a Thai Lady". I used > Suing "Thai Lady" and enabled search titles only and found it right off. Note the quote marks for strings and not using the "a" which is less then 3 characters.

Use Means

apple banana Find posts that contain at least one of these words

+apple +juice Find posts with both words

+apple -juice Find posts with 'apple' but not 'juice'

apple* Find posts with 'apple' and/or 'applesauce'

"Some Words" Find posts with the phrase 'some words of wisdom', 'some words' but not 'some noise words'

[chiangmaibruce]

OK, bingo! thanks

I thought I was going crazy- I could not see any advanced search option - but I was only trying the search buttons on the top left and bottom left of page. The answer of course is that there are THREE places to search. I am sure this tricks many people, and thinking about it I would perhaps even do away with the search bottom on the bottom left OR make it bring up the same search criteria and the one on the top right of the page.

- CB