New search test feedback thread

[WebmasterAlex]

Please remember that the new search is still in Beta testing, we expect some glitches and some up and down time.
All of the posts are not indexed yet

 

[Aisling]

I just clicked on a Disers name to find all posts by that person, and it worked. This option has been out of order for a long while, so I'm glad to see it back and running!

 

[Aisling]

Ok, the Search won't go father back than March 3, 2007. My Search listed 234 pages, but I'm stuck on page 40, and it won't budge. I keep clicking "Next" , and clicking in the next page number, and it looks like it's searching, but it keeps going bak to page 40.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Correct, as I said in the original post the boards are still being indexed. As time goes by you will be able to search back farther and farther.

 

[LadyBears]

Much better than what we have been dealing with!!

When the improved search is fully functional, will we also have more options such as: (I copied from one of the other boards I frequent, but several different sites use the same format)



Recent Posts Search
Show New Posts from the last: days, hours, minutes.



Search by Key WordKey Word(s):

Search Entire Posts Search Titles Only


Search by User NameUser Name:


Find Posts by User Find Threads Started by User Exact name
or find threads started by user

Find Threads with At Least At Most Replies


Find Posts from Any Date Your Last Visit Yesterday A Week Ago 2 Weeks Ago A Month Ago 3 Months Ago 6 Months Ago A Year Ago and Newer and Older

Sort Results by Relevancy Title Number of Replies Number of Views Thread Start Date Last Posting Date User Name Forum in Descending Order in Ascending Order
or accending order


Show Results asShow Results as Threads Posts

Search by Key WordKey Word(s):

Search Entire Posts Search Titles Only

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Is there some documentation on how the search feature is supposed to work?

For instance, if you just enter a word/phrase, should it search through all forums and go back as far as you have data stored? Or is there some standard criteria it will use unless you specify otherwise, such as "posts within the past week"?

I searched on the phrase "chandelier swinger" (a DIS nickname for my DS3) and expected to see posts on the DL Chat thread within the CB. There were no results returned.

So I did an advanced search, leaving the word/phrase text the same but entering a username in that field, which I assumed would narrow the search phrase to posts by that person. I still got no results.

When I used the drop-down list for selecting a date range, I was not sure what to select. Does "Yesterday" refer really to only yesterday, or yesterday through today? Does "Last month" search only in the prior calendar month (May 1 - 31), or 30 days ago, or 30 days through today, or May 1 through today?

I'm guessing the lack of results has to do with the incomplete indexing, but I'm still not sure if my expectations of how the advanced search works is accurate.

Thanks.

ETA: Oops! I totally missed the part of the instructions where it said to change the view to 'California Gold'. Once I did that I did get one thread (result), and when I clicked on it, it brought me to the page containing the most frequent reference of my search criteria.

But I still am unclear on how the search should work for specific criteria. Thanks!

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Much better than what we have been dealing with!!

When the improved search is fully functional, will we also have more options such as: (I copied from one of the other boards I frequent, but several different sites use the same format)



Recent Posts Search
Show New Posts from the last: days, hours, minutes.



Search by Key WordKey Word(s):

Search Entire Posts Search Titles Only


Search by User NameUser Name:


Find Posts by User Find Threads Started by User Exact name
or find threads started by user

Find Threads with At Least At Most Replies


Find Posts from Any Date Your Last Visit Yesterday A Week Ago 2 Weeks Ago A Month Ago 3 Months Ago 6 Months Ago A Year Ago and Newer and Older

Sort Results by Relevancy Title Number of Replies Number of Views Thread Start Date Last Posting Date User Name Forum in Descending Order in Ascending Order
or accending order


Show Results asShow Results as Threads Posts

Search by Key WordKey Word(s):

Search Entire Posts Search Titles Only

We may have some of that functionality but not all. The people that are developing search will be reading this tomorrow morning so it's good to make suggestions

 

[WebmasterAlex]

Is there some documentation on how the search feature is supposed to work?

For instance, if you just enter a word/phrase, should it search through all forums and go back as far as you have data stored? Or is there some standard criteria it will use unless you specify otherwise, such as "posts within the past week"?

I searched on the phrase "chandelier swinger" (a DIS nickname for my DS3) and expected to see posts on the DL Chat thread within the CB. There were no results returned.

So I did an advanced search, leaving the word/phrase text the same but entering a username in that field, which I assumed would narrow the search phrase to posts by that person. I still got no results.

When I used the drop-down list for selecting a date range, I was not sure what to select. Does "Yesterday" refer really to only yesterday, or yesterday through today? Does "Last month" search only in the prior calendar month (May 1 - 31), or 30 days ago, or 30 days through today, or May 1 through today?

I'm guessing the lack of results has to do with the incomplete indexing, but I'm still not sure if my expectations of how the advanced search works is accurate.

Thanks.

ETA: Oops! I totally missed the part of the instructions where it said to change the view to 'California Gold'. Once I did that I did get one thread (result), and when I clicked on it, it brought me to the page containing the most frequent reference of my search criteria.

But I still am unclear on how the search should work for specific criteria. Thanks!

There is no documentation as it is a work in progress
Yesterday means since yesterday and yes once it's fully indexed it will work for as long as there is data stored

 

[BoardTracker]

Much better than what we have been dealing with!!

When the improved search is fully functional, will we also have more options such as: .....

Recent Posts Search: Show New Posts from the last: days, hours, minutes

Basically "latest posts".. the search in general can be ordered by "latest posts first" (one of two options). So this is basically part of the search. To show ALL posts or threads in such an order is very easy. If Disboards wants to, it can be easily achieved.

Search Entire Posts

Already so.

Search Titles Only

The relevancy of BoardTracker (the new version just as well) is effective enough to negate the need for such seperate feature.
If what you are searching for is in the title, and you order by relevancy, you will see this post/thread first, or certainly among the first. If you can do the same with less features/options/checkboxes/... its a good thing. no?
Try it and see. Let us know what you found.

Search by User User Name:

Already so.
We will soon add partial username match as well.

Find Posts by User/ Find Threads Started by User Exact name/ find threads started by user

See above

Find Threads with At Least/At Most Replies

Do you think its something that makes sense to add as a feature? Note that replies (and views) are presented in the search results so that searchers can easily identify threads with a lot of replies. Your opinion?

Find Posts from Any Date Your Last Visit Yesterday A Week Ago 2 Weeks Ago A Month Ago 3 Months Ago 6 Months Ago A Year Ago and Newer and Older

Already supported: Day, Week, Month, Year, All-time.

Sort Results by: Relevancy/ Title/ Number of Replies/ Number of Views/ Thread Start Date/ Last Posting Date/ User Name/ Forum (in Descending Order in Ascending Order or accending order)

The supported features are Sort by date (newer first) and by relevancy.
Last posting date, is basically the post's date, so that covered when searching all posts by date. Thread start date, is covered if you restrict search for "Original posts only".
As for Username sort, it makes more sense to limit per user rather than sort by it. no?
As for forum, you can restrict search for a specific forum.
As for reverse order, we didn't plan on implementing such option as we tried to analyze the more likely features that people will use. Let me know what you think.

Show Results as Threads/Posts

The option you have (or will have once implemented on disboards) is the option to search in the "Original posts only". This searches only in the thread starters (therefore showing "threads"). This means that you will not see matches if they are in replies. Is that adequate for what you are looking for?



Hope it answers all your questions.

 

[BoardTracker]

Is there some documentation on how the search feature is supposed to work?

Hopefully its intuitive enough.. But I'll try to answer your questions here...

For instance, if you just enter a word/phrase, should it search through all forums and go back as far as you have data stored? Or is there some standard criteria it will use unless you specify otherwise, such as "posts within the past week"?

If you just enter a word, it searches ALL the forums and ALL the posts from ALL time.
To limit time, use the proper option. (Last day/week/month/year)
To limit forum, see the advanced panel.

I searched on the phrase "chandelier swinger" (a DIS nickname for my DS3) and expected to see posts on the DL Chat thread within the CB. There were no results returned.

So I did an advanced search, leaving the word/phrase text the same but entering a username in that field, which I assumed would narrow the search phrase to posts by that person. I still got no results.

What's DL? Whats CB?
If you get no results for a certain search, narrowing down the search criteria would not show any results as well, it makes sense. no?
However, I do get results for that term you specified. Here they are:
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?s=&search=chandelier+swinger
(remember to work with California Gold template, as you later found out)

When I used the drop-down list for selecting a date range, I was not sure what to select. Does "Yesterday" refer really to only yesterday, or yesterday through today? Does "Last month" search only in the prior calendar month (May 1 - 31), or 30 days ago, or 30 days through today, or May 1 through today?

These searches are for "SINCE" the date you selected.
So Since yesterday, Since a week ago, Since a month ago, etc..

I'm guessing the lack of results has to do with the incomplete indexing, but I'm still not sure if my expectations of how the advanced search works is accurate.

The lack of results had to do with the template selection.
Granted though, not all data is in the new system yet, but it will get there.

More feedback on the features and other aspects of the new search is most welcome.

 

[BoardTracker]

By the way... its so great to see that the current complains shifted to be about the California Gold template colors and not the search

 

[Dan Murphy]

.....new search...

GREAT news, Alex, you caught my interest. Hope to learn all the ins and outs.

....The relevancy of BoardTracker (the new version just as well) is effective enough to negate the need for such seperate feature.
If what you are searching for is in the title, and you order by relevancy, you will see this post/thread first, or certainly among the first. If you can do the same with less features/options/checkboxes/... its a good thing. no?
Try it and see. Let us know what you found.

What is relevancy, BT? Over the almost year we have been dealing with BT, I have never figured out what that is. I have had a few others ask me too and have never been able to answer them. From what you are saying here, it seems important and helpful though.

Already so.
We will soon add partial username match as well.

EXCELLENT!!

Do you think its something that makes sense to add as a feature? Note that replies (and views) are presented in the search results so that searchers can easily identify threads with a lot of replies. Your opinion?

Any possibility of adding a notation as to what board the resultant threads are on? As an example, there are some game boards here and in doing a search, the results might come back where some posts are withing those game boards, but you have absolutely no interest in going there, wasting time only to find you are now on a game board and going back to the search. The old search (before BT) listed what boards the resultant finds were on. I know you can search by specific board, but you possible do not know what board you are looking for, BUT do know what boards you do NOT want......

........What's DL? Whats CB?

DL=Disneyland CB-community board

The lack of results had to do with the template selection.
Granted though, not all data is in the new system yet, but it will get there.

Will the others skins be operable also?

More feedback on the features and other aspects of the new search is most welcome.

Over the past almost year we have not had search, when looking at BT, I have often wondered (may have asked before also), what the 'Category Search' drop-down function does...Arts & Humanities, Government & People, Home & Family, etc. Way back, I tried to figure it out but never was able to

Hey Alex, great to see search is back. And BT, great seeing you here again, welcome back, good to see you.

I have a few thoughts bolded above throughout the quote.

 

[agnes!]

Ditto to everything Dan posted .

Maybe someone needs to post a list of DIS acronyms for Mr. BT? Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows what MVMCP or MNSSHP means...

Yes, I am also wondering about the Califonia Gold skin. I guess I'm assuming that the Webmasters/Search programming Team are only running the Beta version within the California Gold skin for the moment. I myself cannot abide that particular color scheme and am excessively fond of the Swan/Dolphin aqua/coral, so unless I need to Search? I'm sticking with the usual.

agnes!
PS - Double ditto to the observations about Relevancy and the drop-down menu with Arts & Humanities, etc.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

GREAT news, Alex, you caught my interest. Hope to learn all the ins and outs.





Hey Alex, great to see search is back. And BT, great seeing you here again, welcome back, good to see you.

I have a few thoughts bolded above throughout the quote.

I'll let BT answer most of those but:
Yes it will work on all skins, I put on California Gold on purpose as it is not heavily used and we wanted to limit the load for the beta and test phase

The category thing is really designed for boards that allow searchs across all of the boards that boardtracker indexes, we have our set to only search disboards

 

[BoardTracker]

Hope to learn all the ins and outs.

Ask and we shall answer

What is relevancy, BT? Over the almost year we have been dealing with BT, I have never figured out what that is.

Relevancy means that most relevant results show first. Its like when you search google... there are 1000s of results, right? but the top ones are usually the more relevant ones. How does Google know? How do we know? There are statistical ways to measure (likely) relevancy between a document/post and a search term. A part of it is that the more times your searched term appears in the post, the more relevant the post is. And the sooner it appear, the more relevant. That is why things in titles "matter" more, and therefore show higher on the result list.

Any possibility of adding a notation as to what board the resultant threads are on?...

We actually do have this data. The way the search mod is written now, it does not send it as part of the results. But this is something that could be changed. As for how soon can we look into it, it wont be too soon, but it is something we can indeed add in the future.

...I have often wondered (may have asked before also), what the 'Category Search' drop-down function does...

This option is for limiting results based on the "theme" of the forums.
Some boards are topically very diverse, meaning they have forums about sports, family, finance etc.. forums in BoardTracker are categorized accordingly. This allows us then to offer search not in a specific forum or sub-forum but on all forums matching the category. So "Sports" option will allow you to search all "sports" related forums on Disboards.

..Maybe someone needs to post a list of DIS acronyms for Mr. BT? Sometimes I forget that not everyone knows what MVMCP or MNSSHP means.....

Oh my god.. 6 letters acronyms :S
I think posting a guide is a good idea

 

[Sammie]

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Also I was able to use it on the Resorts Forum with changing to California Gold. I just clicked on the User Name and Find All Posts and it worked.

 

[Mugg Mann]

At the moment, it's certainly an improvement over what has existed over the last few months.

One note:

I know that you've issued a caution that it's still "indexing", and that histories may be affected, but I wanted to note that I've tried a few posters who I'm very familiar with, and the histories are inconsistent.

-One poster with thousands of posts has only a two page history dating back only a week.

-Another poster has a history dating back almost three years, but there's a chunk of history missing from the middle of that period and I know for sure that posts are issing from that person.

If the indexing is supposed to be occuring over a set time for all posters evenly that goes progressively further into the past as more data collates, then I can tell you that it isn't working properly. At the moment, histories of individual posters appear to be quite random.

 

[LadyBears]

Quote:
Originally Posted by LadyBears
Much better than what we have been dealing with!!

When the improved search is fully functional, will we also have more options such as: .....

I just wanted to clarify: I know we had access to some of those that I had listed, but what I tried to do was a copy/paste of the search function from another forum. The results didn't look as pretty because they didn't paste correctly.

Quote:
Recent Posts Search: Show New Posts from the last: days, hours, minutes
Quote:
Search Titles Only
The relevancy of BoardTracker (the new version just as well) is effective enough to negate the need for such seperate feature.
If what you are searching for is in the title, and you order by relevancy, you will see this post/thread first, or certainly among the first. If you can do the same with less features/options/checkboxes/... its a good thing. no?
Try it and see. Let us know what you found.

You answered that for me in your detailed answer about "relevancy" in your response to Dan


Quote:
Search by User User Name:
Already so.
We will soon add partial username match as well.

Cool!


Quote:
Find Threads with At Least/At Most Replies
Do you think its something that makes sense to add as a feature? Note that replies (and views) are presented in the search results so that searchers can easily identify threads with a lot of replies. Your opinion?


Quote:

Sort Results by: Relevancy/ Title/ Number of Replies/ Number of Views/ Thread Start Date/ Last Posting Date/ User Name/ Forum (in Descending Order in Ascending Order or accending order)
The supported features are Sort by date (newer first) and by relevancy.
Last posting date, is basically the post's date, so that covered when searching all posts by date. Thread start date, is covered if you restrict search for "Original posts only".
As for Username sort, it makes more sense to limit per user rather than sort by it. no?
As for forum, you can restrict search for a specific forum.
As for reverse order, we didn't plan on implementing such option as we tried to analyze the more likely features that people will use. Let me know what you think.

I feel (& I am not speaking for anyone else) that this would help us. An example: search for chocolate chip cookie recipe or where to find characters. I would rather view a thread that people have posted answers to rather than view a thread that has had little to no response. I think this would be very helpful - especially to those who, like me, came here for the vacation planning first (ie: resorts, theme parks, restaurant boards), then found the CB, VMK, Creative & other places later. I can only imagine the actual count of how many times in one day the same question gets asked on the planning forums. Also, where Disney information changes things daily, I would also rather have the "newer" information be shown before the "older" information.

A possible suggestion to that would be after doing the search, one could click on the word created, replies or views to "sort" them from most to least or least to most...


Quote:
Show Results as Threads/Posts
The option you have (or will have once implemented on disboards) is the option to search in the "Original posts only". This searches only in the thread starters (therefore showing "threads"). This means that you will not see matches if they are in replies. Is that adequate for what you are looking for?

yup!

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions & addressing our concerns.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

We have a list!

http://www.wdwinfo.com/abbreviations.htm

 

[Caskbill]

<snip>...Oh my god.. 6 letters acronyms :S
I think posting a guide is a good idea

Alex gave you the link to the guide, but the two posted by agnes are:

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP)

and

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP)

These are special events at WDW (Walt Disney World) during the indicated seasons.

You missed the big one: WWTBAMPI (Who wants to be a millionaire, play it: No longer applicable since they have since closed the attraction.)

OK, now you can get back to programming.....