Does the search function really work?

[pdxvintagette]

I just HATE the search! Help me find Old Words for New Things thread?

I don't know why I can never make the search feature function reasonably for me. But I wasted WAY more energy on trying to find this thread than I really needed to. I wanted to share it with a friend interested in language, and the way it changes.

You know, the one where people shared words like "field telephone" and "electric post?"

I used those items as search terms and STILL couldn't find it? Can someone more talented than myself unearth this for me?

Much appreciated in advance.

 

[KittyT]

The forum's built in search function will not allow you to search using phrases. To do that, you have to use a Google advanced search. Unfortunately, I've never had much luck with that either.

Maybe it's this thread? http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=9255

 

[scotrace]

And Google searching won't take in any of the members-only forums.


OK, I am The King Of Searches (and seem to have an uncanny ability to remember exactly where to find old threads - a quite useless skill except under the Bartender hat), but here is what you are looking for:

Vintage Descriptions for New Ideas.

Here's how:

Go to the search box, and choose "Advanced Search."
Enter Field Telephone as your term.
I happened to remember that Senator Jack typed those words once, so I limited the search to posts by Jack in the drop down.
Searched, and got three threads, and picked the one I wanted.

 

[KittyT]

Go to the search box, and choose "Advanced Search."
Enter Field Telephone as your term.

Huh. I've never had any luck using a phrase as my search term. If I type in, say, "nail polish", it will return results with "nail polish", "nail" and "polish", which usually is more than I can sift through.

 

[dr greg]

go postal

I can never work out how to go straight my recent posts without actually remembering one of them and looking for it manually

 

[Miss Neecerie]

That one is easy.


Using the Quick Links pull down (on the right hand side up at the top)

Pick My profile

On that screen off to the left is...See all posts by

Those are sorted by date, most recent first.

voila

 

[Diamondback]

Another way, for future use:

1. Click "User CP".
2. Click "Edit Options."
3. Scroll down to "Messaging and Notifications", select anything on "Default Thread Subscription Mode" other than "Do Not Subscribe"--I suggest No Email or Daily Email if you have a lot of email traffic. (I go with "Instant" myself, largely because I like the ability to confront people with their own words when necessary, no matter how much they try to edit or delete their way out of it.)
4. Once that's done, when you're looking up a previous post of yours, now you just go to your User CP and click "View All Subscribed Threads", going through 'til you see your thread.

To deal with older posts, though, you'll have to manually subscribe to each thread.

 

[dr greg]

aha!

never saw that bit, thanks 4 that

 

[Weston]

I typed in "Bay Rum" and nothing came up.

Then I was frustrated, so I typed in "rum" - again nada.

Now I have no cologne and desire rum, and search doesn't work. Guess I'm left thirsty and dumb!

 

[Miss 1929]

You know, you have the makings of a good limerick here...

It has NEVER worked for me at all. I use the Google instead. Even then it usually brings up mentions of the Fedora Lounge and whatever word in some other web pages before it hits here.

Why does it suck so much? It is so easy to do a find in almost any program, I don't understand why it doesn't work here!

 

[Dinerman]

In a word: no.
But google searching within the site works pretty decently.
type what you're looking for in google, then type, site:www.thefedoralounge.com.
Ex:
Bay Rum site:www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[Miss Neecerie]

There are also step by step instructions of the 'longer way' to do what Dinerman so wisely suggests....http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=21301


And as to why the inbuilt search does not always work..and why it just can't be 'fixed'...its part of the message board software...not exactly something we can change ourselves.

So yea...use the Google way if you don't find anything on a first quick inbuilt search.

 

[adamjaskie]

Try searching for keywords with more than three letters. You might not be able to find rum, or a hat, but you shouldn't have a problem searching for whiskey or a fedora.

 

[Paisley]

Do You Have Trouble with Site Searches?

I don't, but I'm curious about those who do. Several members have mentioned searching for basic things and not finding them. I'm starting this thread in hopes of helping to resolve the problem.

Some information might help:

What browser do you use? Do you use a PC or a Mac or something else? How old is your computer? Did you change your browser's settings at some time? Anything else that might be useful?

 

[Lefty]

The site search is pretty awful. I tend to use Google for every search unless I'm looking for a specific thread or a very specific term. For instance, if I'm looking for a thread on the hatter Gary White, I'll use the term Gary in a search and limit it to the hat forum - and even then, Google will find more Lounge threads than the search.

Probably the one thing that would help the Lounge search most is the ability to run a quoted search (sorry, I don't know what else to call it), such as "ermine felt". Right now, I can search for both terms, but if I want them right next to each other, I have to sift through the results.

Depending upon the computer I'm using, both of which are p.c., I'll either be using Internet Explorer or Google Chrome as my browser.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

There is a sticky on the OB, "How to Use GOOGLE to Search The Fedora Lounge":
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=21301

 

[Paisley]

I like the Google search, but I don't think it shows anything in the members only areas.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I like the Google search, but I don't think it shows anything in the members only areas.

Nope, I don't believe it does.

The experience of searching is not affected by browser either. I have used my PC at work, my iBook laptop, which uses Firefox and Opera, and my desktop, which uses the new Beta form of Safari, which is lightening fast by the way. Also, my iPhone. It all behaves the same.

I usually try to think of one word or concept specific to what I am looking for and even then, it is a challenge. It does help though. The database is so vast that general searches just don't cut it.

 

[zetwal]

Use the Advanced Search option. Sometimes you can find what you want by creatively using the titles only search before running a key word search.

 

[Paisley]

Yesterday I did a site search for someone and then posted the link from the top of the browser. When I clicked on the link, it just gave me a list of new posts.