New search test feedback thread

I'm on dozens of other vBulletin-based forums and I certainly know how search should work. DISBoards is the only one I know that employs your solution.

I plug in my search terms, clicking Advanced search both in the drop-down and when it brings up the search page, and more than half of the time the effort yields no results.

Look below in the "Related Threads:" Box. How are threads from two years ago that are not even close to being relevant, demonstrating that your software works?

IMHO, DISBoards have been sold a bill of goods, unless this is an opensource offering.
 
I'm on dozens of other vBulletin-based forums and I certainly know how search should work. DISBoards is the only one I know that employs your solution.

I plug in my search terms, clicking Advanced search both in the drop-down and when it brings up the search page, and more than half of the time the effort yields no results.

Look below in the "Related Threads:" Box. How are threads from two years ago that are not even close to being relevant, demonstrating that your software works?

IMHO, DISBoards have been sold a bill of goods, unless this is an opensource offering.

Your complaint is a little ineffective.
First, Disboards is not the only one using BoardTracker search.
Second, Disboards has been using the built in search and it brought the entire site down. That is why its using BoardTracker search. And as you can see, Disboards works.
Third, Related threads has nothing to do with search. So your complaint about this is totally irrelevant to search.

The part which interests me is :
"I plug in my search terms, clicking Advanced search both in the drop-down and when it brings up the search page, and more than half of the time the effort yields no results."
But as we said in the past, please supply a link so we can test what you say and see if there is a problem and why.
Do you see any failed searches? It so, please provide the URL so we can see it too.

Last note: Note that DisBoards is using the beta version of the new search, which will be in beta in the next few days as well until we finish stabilizing it. It does however include features which were warmly requested by members here, including replies search, member search etc..
 
I did a search in the Theme Parks board for "MNSSHP" and it told me there were no matches.

http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=mnsshp&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=2

A search of "Polynesian" in the resorts board shows no matches.

http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=polynesian&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=12

A search of "California Grill" in the resaurant board shows no matches.

http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=california+grill&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=14

Quite frankly I can't get it to search for anything right now. Also, when I click on "New posts" the little blue dog just loads never displays anything.
 
Here is how search in specific forums work...
When you click on Advanced search, you need to select ALL the forums you want to search in.

here are some examples..
I did a search in the Theme Parks board for "MNSSHP" and it told me there were no matches.
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=mnsshp&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=2
Your search above searches only in Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies but NOT in its subforums. when you select the forums you want to search, select ALL the forums (by either dragging the mouse while selecting, or pressing the Control key and clicking the forums. Here is a search in that forum AND its subforums.. as you can see, you have results in the subforums..
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.p...=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=2&frm=108&frm=147&frm=161

As explained above..
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.p...r=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=12&frm=93&frm=110

Lastly.. http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.p...=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=14&frm=116&frm=127
 


Here is how search in specific forums work...
When you click on Advanced search, you need to select ALL the forums you want to search in.

here are some examples..

Your search above searches only in Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies but NOT in its subforums. when you select the forums you want to search, select ALL the forums (by either dragging the mouse while selecting, or pressing the Control key and clicking the forums. Here is a search in that forum AND its subforums.. as you can see, you have results in the subforums..
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.p...=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=2&frm=108&frm=147&frm=161......
I tried this one, seems like it is searching ONLY the sub forums. I looked at several pages of results, seems they are all from the
Doing the Happy Dance! sub forum. I have to imagine something as popular and discussed as much as MNSSHP would have many posts in the regular, parent forum also. Does that search eliminate the parent and only search the subs?
 
Here is how search in specific forums work...
When you click on Advanced search, you need to select ALL the forums you want to search in.

here are some examples..

Your search above searches only in Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies but NOT in its subforums. when you select the forums you want to search, select ALL the forums (by either dragging the mouse while selecting, or pressing the Control key and clicking the forums. Here is a search in that forum AND its subforums.. as you can see, you have results in the subforums..
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.p...=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=2&frm=108&frm=147&frm=161


As explained above..
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.p...r=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=12&frm=93&frm=110


Lastly.. http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.p...=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=14&frm=116&frm=127

What if you don't want to search the subforums? I just want to search the Theme Park Attractions and Strategy board for MNSSHP.

I don't want to seem rude, but here is what I expect from a search feature:

1.) If I am looking at the main Theme Park and strategies page, I want to go click on the little box that says "Search this forum" I want to enter a phrase or word like "MNSSHP". Then I want to be redirected to a page that lists all the threads in which MNSSHP appears.

2.) If I am in the main search page I want to be able to put a word in the search box and have the option to just show threads where the search phrase is in the title of a thread.

It seems that Boardtracker tries and fails at number 1 and doesnt give me the option of number 2.

Here is a thread on the first page of the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies board. It deals with MVMCP. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1736763

How would I be able to search for MVMCP and have that thread show up first, since it the most recent thread in which MVMCP appears?
 
I tried this one, seems like it is searching ONLY the sub forums. I looked at several pages of results, seems they are all from the Doing the Happy Dance! sub forum. I have to imagine something as popular and discussed as much as MNSSHP would have many posts in the regular, parent forum also. Does that search eliminate the parent and only search the subs?
It can search whatever you want, forums or subforums. I was just pointing out and giving examples how to search the SUBforums as well.. one only need to select them.

we will soon look into why/if there are no items with the given search term in the specific parent forum on that category..


What if you don't want to search the subforums? I just want to search the Theme Park Attractions and Strategy board for MNSSHP.
then your original search is indeed the right one. As stated above, we will look to see why there are no results for that one..

I don't want to seem rude, but here is what I expect from a search feature:
You are not rude at all for pointing out things.

1.) If I am looking at the main Theme Park and strategies page, I want to go click on the little box that says "Search this forum" I want to enter a phrase or word like "MNSSHP". Then I want to be redirected to a page that lists all the threads in which MNSSHP appears.
Thats something you are able to do as said. As for whether or not you can do if from the forum page or not, this is not something that relates to BoardTracker directly, but to the page on Disboards. This is doable though.

2.) If I am in the main search page I want to be able to put a word in the search box and have the option to just show threads where the search phrase is in the title of a thread.
Searching for a specific word in the title only, is possible now with the new version.
When you want to search a word in the title only, put "Title:" before the word.. Note - Capital T.
Here is an example..
Searching canada in both the Title and the Post: http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=canada&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1

Searching canada in both the Title ONLY: http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=Title:canada&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1

It seems that Boardtracker tries and fails at number 1 and doesnt give me the option of number 2.
As demonstrated above, BoardTracker succeeds in both. Can you show how/where it doesn't? Or confirm that it does?

Here is a thread on the first page of the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies board. It deals with MVMCP. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1736763

How would I be able to search for MVMCP and have that thread show up first, since it the most recent thread in which MVMCP appears?
Here is how...
First, note that it might be that the specific post/thread you are looking at is not (yet) in BoardTracker index. This happens sometimes in general, and more specifically - now when its in beta. But it should all be in it eventually..
Back to the issue.. You can search by date. Grated, it is while we stabilize the system, a little sensitive when it comes to date-base ordering, but you can indeed to that..

The following is searching for MVMCP, date ordered http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=MVMCP&order=0&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1
Note that there are actually newer posts about this subject than the post you mentioned..
BoardTracker has also the ability to limit searches to OPs (original posts) only. While this is not yet enabled in the interface on DisBaords, its possible. Here is a direct link to such a search, still date-ordered..
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=MVMCP&order=0&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1&isop=1

There are actually many features in the new BooardTracker search that are very interesting..
For example, when you are searching for 'talk', it gives you results for 'talking', 'talks', 'talked' etc.. You can force the search to look for 'talk' only by searching for the word with a capital first letter (Talk).
And there are many other features..

Hope it helps and hopes it changes some of your views about BoardTracker search.
 


Why, if I do a search for EMH (very common topic, both in topic title and replies) on the Theme Park board, I get a 'no match'?

http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=EMH&order=0&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=2

That was an excellent question.
You SHOULD have been getting results..
And now you DO get results.
This was a bug.
It is now fixed.

Which ALSO fixed Statler search issue from before with search in the Themepark attractions and other 'single forums' searches.. (for example: http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=mnsshp&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=2)

:banana: :yay:
 
It can search whatever you want, forums or subforums. I was just pointing out and giving examples how to search the SUBforums as well.. one only need to select them.

we will soon look into why/if there are no items with the given search term in the specific parent forum on that category..



then your original search is indeed the right one. As stated above, we will look to see why there are no results for that one..


You are not rude at all for pointing out things.


Thats something you are able to do as said. As for whether or not you can do if from the forum page or not, this is not something that relates to BoardTracker directly, but to the page on Disboards. This is doable though.


Searching for a specific word in the title only, is possible now with the new version.
When you want to search a word in the title only, put "Title:" before the word.. Note - Capital T.
Here is an example..
Searching canada in both the Title and the Post: http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=canada&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1

Searching canada in both the Title ONLY: http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=Title:canada&order=1&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1


As demonstrated above, BoardTracker succeeds in both. Can you show how/where it doesn't? Or confirm that it does?


Here is how...
First, note that it might be that the specific post/thread you are looking at is not (yet) in BoardTracker index. This happens sometimes in general, and more specifically - now when its in beta. But it should all be in it eventually..
Back to the issue.. You can search by date. Grated, it is while we stabilize the system, a little sensitive when it comes to date-base ordering, but you can indeed to that..

The following is searching for MVMCP, date ordered http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=MVMCP&order=0&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1
Note that there are actually newer posts about this subject than the post you mentioned..
BoardTracker has also the ability to limit searches to OPs (original posts) only. While this is not yet enabled in the interface on DisBaords, its possible. Here is a direct link to such a search, still date-ordered..
http://www.disboards.com/searchbt.php?search=MVMCP&order=0&user=&scope=4&cat=1&frm=-1&isop=1

There are actually many features in the new BooardTracker search that are very interesting..
For example, when you are searching for 'talk', it gives you results for 'talking', 'talks', 'talked' etc.. You can force the search to look for 'talk' only by searching for the word with a capital first letter (Talk).
And there are many other features..

Hope it helps and hopes it changes some of your views about BoardTracker search.


I just went to the search and typed "Title:MNSSHP" and selected the Theme Park forum and got no matches.

I am intrigued by the 2nd link you gave about MVMCP. Is it possible to have the results posted by threads instead of by posts? I don't like having 10 posts from the same thread show up on the first page. It would be much easier to just list the thread.

I'm sorry to be nitpicky and I really appreciate you taking the time to help.

edit: Just saw your last post it seemed like you fixed something big. That seems to make it much easier. :thumbsup2
 
I am intrigued by the 2nd link you gave about MVMCP. Is it possible to have the results posted by threads instead of by posts? I don't like having 10 posts from the same thread show up on the first page. It would be much easier to just list the thread.
The ability to search OPs only is there in BoardTracker. It just needs DisBoards to modift the search form to add this checkbox. This is something for WebmasterAlex to update. We will release the new board module soon that will have this option in, so I assume that in the next update of Disboard's interface it might already be in.
For now, just add &oplimit=1 to the search URL and press enter, AFTER you first search all posts.
 
The best way to find threads on the DIS is using Google. I have rarely been able to get the search to work on the DIS, once last year where I had to change the color or something like that and then it worked.

I tried this evening and most of the time it didn't do anything and then one search it said it had 8 pages of results, but no results were displayed. I went to google and found it right on the first page.
 
Trying to search "Epcot", comes up with

Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.


:confused3
 
what is wrong with the search engine? I have tried since yesterday to use it and it just says 'Sorry-no matches'.

is there something else I can try?
 
yes, thank you! I can now search the disboards!!! The google option is very fast!!!


a thousand thank yous!!!!
 
Every time I've tried The DIS/BoardTracker Search it hasn't worked for me (in quite a while), no matter what skin I would choose. So now I just do a Google site-search using the domain-name of disboards.com". Every time I get results instead of 'Sorry - no matches'. Some folks say that Yahoo search works well.

agnes!
 
What about New Posts or Today's Posts:confused3

Sorry, I don't know about New Posts. I'm not sure that New Posts is connected with the The DIS' BoardTracker 'search' engine, but in any case the DIS'er 'BoardTracker' hasn't posted since February. Maybe one of the Tech Support Mods can answer your question. Either that, or maybe PM one of the Webmasters.

Good luck,
agnes!
 

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