Forum Search - Incorrect Syntax?

kcnychief

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OK, I am a nitpicker, but I wanted to ask something.

I have been using the search feature a lot the last few days, which I normally don't really use. If you type in something broad, say, "KVM", you get the message returned....

"Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms."

OK, not bad. But my gripe is that the problem isn't the matches, the problem is that there are probably too MANY matches. If you narrow the search, and put in "KVM switch", you get 500 results.

Does it default to the above response, if the results are 500+? Can't they just be cutoff by relevant date?

To make sense of my madness, would it be horrible to change the text to something like

"Sorry - your search is to broad. Please narrow your search to something more specific."
 
Do an Advanced Search and only search thread titles. The default search does the entire thread (posts and all).
 
Basically, the default is set to "this search feature sucks." The only hope for accurate searches is to use the advanced search and specify lots of details, such as the section of the forums and the date, etc.

Matt beat me. :eek:
 
Regular search of following string:

"KVM switch" (with the quotes) gives me 18 results.
 
Yeah, you guys all make good points. But, what I was saying is, when you type in just KVM, why does it say no results, when that's not the case?

I know all about Boolean, quotations, advanced, that's not what I was looking for :cool:
 
I believe the forum's search function only recognizes words/phrases over five letters. Maybe four.

I know it doesn't recognize three or less.
 
madmatt said:
I believe the forum's search function only recognizes words/phrases over five letters. Maybe four.

I know it doesn't recognize three or less.
Ah, that is a point I didn't not know about.

Even better though, could change the message to

"This search feature only supports words/phrases with over five letters. Please extend your search terms."

:)

EDIT: All my b*tching aside, I just don't feel the response generated is accurate.
 
It used to... probably custom code EP did and a new version of VB replaced it.
 
With that revelation -

here's the workaround. Wildcards !! If you have a shorter query .. IE "KVM"

Search like this:

*KVM*

:) 5 results came back at me.
 
mmhmm, still not addressing my original question, but a good suggestion :)
 
Mastershakes said:
Your gripe is that you receive too many results.

5 is too many?
No, my gripe is that it says the wrong thing. You enter in KVM it says there are no results. When in reality, it should say something about making your search more specific, because it returns over 500 results.
 
Understood.

So I guess unless someone modifies the script, use the workaround for now. I did notice exactly what you were talking about when I was searching for my darwin thread.
 
I don't really need a workaround, as I figure things out.

I just am speaking objectively, if we have a new member search for something like XP, and they don't get hits, it may drive them elsewhere.
 
You won't get this one. It's gonna be a coding solution.

Took me 4 searches and Madmatt's character limit post to 'figure things out'

Then again, I'm a "New Posts" Whore - don't use the search often unless I forgot to suscribe to a thread. Different habits I guess.

Here's a good trick - employed often - I use Google to search our forums. :)
 
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