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Forum Search FAQ
Reminder: don't forget to search our [URL="http://www.dataaccess.com/KBase"]Knowledge Base[/URL], which is a repository of useful articles for lots of DataFlex information, and our [URL="http://www.dataaccess.com/bugs"]BugTracker[/URL] bug tracking system.
Yesterday, we updated the forum search engine. We have replaced the default vBulletin search engine, which was quite limited, with the MySQL search engine, which allows for phrase searching and Boolean searches.
[B][SIZE=3][COLOR=blue]Search Type[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]
[B]Threads[/B]
Searching in threads will return any thread containing the search term(s). Depending on the display mode you are using, clicking on a thread returned by a search may or may not take you to the post in that thread that actually contains the search term(s).
[B]Posts[/B]
Searching in posts will return any post containing the search term(s). It also displays a brief snippet of text from found the post(s). Clicking on a post returned by a search will take you directly to the post in that thread that actually contains the search term(s).
[SIZE=3][COLOR=blue][B]Syntax[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[B]Single word searches[/B]
term1
- after execution becomes Keyword(s): term1
- returns all results containing term1
[B]Phrase searches[/B]
"term1 term2"
- after execution becomes Keyword(s): "term1 term2"
- returns all results containing the exact phrase "term1 term2"
- must use double quotes, single quotes will be ignored
[B]Multiple word searches[/B]
term1 term2
- is equivalent to term1 AND term2
- after execution becomes Keyword(s): term1, term2
- returns all results containing both term1 and term2
term1 AND term2
- after execution becomes Keyword(s): term1, term2
- returns all results containing both term1 and term2
term1 OR term2
- after execution becomes Keyword(s): term1 OR term2
- returns all results containing either term1 or term2
term1 NOT term2
- after execution becomes Keyword(s): term1 -term2
- returns all results containing term1 but not term2
[B]Wildcard searches[/B]
term1*
- after execution becomes Keyword(s): term1*
- returns all results containing any word starting with term1
All term searches [B]not[/B] using wild cards will only find a complete word matching the search word, not partial word matches.
For example, if you wish to find all posts containing ModalPanel and ModalPanels (singular and plural), you have to perform either of these searches:
- Wild card search:
ModalPanel*
- 2 term search:
ModalPanel ModalPanels
[B]Date and Other Advanced searches[/B]
You can perform advanced searches, such as by date (e.g. A Week Age, A Month Ago, etc.) from the [URL="http://support.dataaccess.com/Forums/search.php"]Advanced Search[/URL] page.
[SIZE=3][COLOR=blue][B]Limitations[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]
There are some limitations to searches.
[B]Term length[/B]
A search term must be at least 3 characters long. The vBulletin search defaults to 4, but since this is a technical forum where lots of acronyms are used (e.g. DEO, DDO), we changed this to 3.
[B]Common Words[/B]
The forum search automatically excludes words that are common English words (e.g. "of", "for", "to") since they would likely result in a lot of irrelevant hits. This limitation does not apply for phrase searches, for example, a search for "Set Size to" does not exclude "to" from the search.
[SIZE=3][COLOR=blue][B]Defaulting Threads or Posts in Searches[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]
You can change the default of Search Threads to Search Posts on the Advanced Search page by using the Save Search Preferences option at the bottom of that page, but the search options stored this way unfortunately only affect the Advanced Search page, not the Search menu.
[SIZE=3][COLOR=blue][B]Using External Search Engines[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE]
There are some limitations to searches in vBulletin. An alternative solution is to use an external search engine, like Google, to perform searches. I will use Google as an example, but most search engines should have similar capabilities.
- Search for DAT in our forums (type or copy this line into the [URL="http://www.google.com"]Google search text box[/URL]):
[CODE]site:support.dataaccess.com DAT[/CODE]
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Re: Forum Search FAQ
Hi Dennis (& all who worked on it) -
The new search is [B]hugely[/B] better! :D :D
Thanks for all your work on this -
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Re: Forum Search FAQ
Hi Dennis,
I see you posted this as sticky but any chance it can be put in the FAQ link at the top of the forum page? I know I'll be using it now and again and will most likely forget where you posted it.
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Re: Forum Search FAQ
REALLY NICE Modifications! Thanks
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Re: Forum Search FAQ
Aha. Searched a few times yesterday without success for terms that I KNOW I've seen. Maybe I need to reread the whole of this post
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Forum Search FAQ
Hi Dennis,
I tried a simple search for term 'ADO' and didn't find anything. However if I changed the term to 'ADO*' it did find a bunch of posts BUT it didn't find this [URL="http://support.dataaccess.com/Forums/showthread.php?54494-Crystal-not-working-on-workstations-after-converting-to-SQL-Server&p=282866#post282866"]post[/URL].
Has the term length changed since the upgrade back to 4? And why didn't it find the above post when the wildcard was added?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]8160[/ATTACH]
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Re: Forum Search FAQ
Hi Clive,
nothing has changed. The odd thing is that even Google doesn't find that particular post/thread. You got me. :confused:
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Re: Forum Search FAQ
Hi Dennis,
[QUOTE=Dennis Piccioni;283033]The odd thing is that even Google doesn't find that particular post/thread. You got me. :confused:[/QUOTE]
Yes sometimes searching the forums can be a 'dark art'. Did you try standing on one leg? :D
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: Forum Search FAQ
Google found it for me.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]8256[/ATTACH]
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Re: Forum Search FAQ
Yeah, now it does for me, too. Probably lack of coffee that day. :confused: