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Having trouble searching forum
http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2559
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Author:  kira13 [ Sun Oct 19, 2008 10:40 am ]
Post subject:  Having trouble searching forum

For all I know, this may have been a problem with the old version of the forum as well, but I recently developed a problem with my MSS and tried to search the forum to see if I could find the same or similar problem, and the search dropped several of my search terms as being too common. This left me with a completely useless search. (I believe the search term in question was "backup", which was the most important term in my search; I was trying to find posts about a backup that was seemingly taking forever. For what it's worth, I determined the problem was with my client computer's hard drive and ordered a new one.)

Just now, I tried to find any posts about Windows Desktop Search 4.0, and the search dropped "desktop", "windows", and "4". Am I doing something wrong (like missing an advanced search option somewhere)? I don't seem to be able to search on an exact phrase. (I would use Google to search the site if I remembered how, but ever since I started using Firefox, I've used the search bar to search on Google and just about every other site I search regularly, so I've forgotten all the advanced Google options.)

If it's not user error on my part and there's something odd about the forum's search function, then you might be getting extra posts due to someone thinking they've done a thorough search, not finding anything useful in the first page of posts, and starting a new post on a topic that actually *was* there. (I'm envisioning questions that wind up getting asked and answered multiple times because the search feature drops the terms that would make them stand out in the search results.)

Kira

Author:  jd33308 [ Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

You should PM Yakuza about that, he is the only one (I believe) who has any control over the search functions. I have run into that problem as well.

Author:  kira13 [ Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Thanks, jd33308. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed it.

Author:  COPC [ Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

kira13 wrote:
For all I know, this may have been a problem with the old version of the forum as well, but I recently developed a problem with my MSS and tried to search the forum to see if I could find the same or similar problem, and the search dropped several of my search terms as being too common. This left me with a completely useless search. (I believe the search term in question was "backup", which was the most important term in my search; I was trying to find posts about a backup that was seemingly taking forever. For what it's worth, I determined the problem was with my client computer's hard drive and ordered a new one.)

Just now, I tried to find any posts about Windows Desktop Search 4.0, and the search dropped "desktop", "windows", and "4". Am I doing something wrong (like missing an advanced search option somewhere)? I don't seem to be able to search on an exact phrase. (I would use Google to search the site if I remembered how, but ever since I started using Firefox, I've used the search bar to search on Google and just about every other site I search regularly, so I've forgotten all the advanced Google options.)

If it's not user error on my part and there's something odd about the forum's search function, then you might be getting extra posts due to someone thinking they've done a thorough search, not finding anything useful in the first page of posts, and starting a new post on a topic that actually *was* there. (I'm envisioning questions that wind up getting asked and answered multiple times because the search feature drops the terms that would make them stand out in the search results.)

Kira



I have tried to search Windows Desktop Search 4.0

both logged in and as a guest, both work fine. So either it is your user type or on your end. I will PM Alex and see if he can look into it.

Author:  yakuza [ Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Very strange, I just did some testing and see what you mean. The search does not exclude the common terms if you are logged in as a guest or Moderator, but does for general users. There is a setting for "Common word threshold" that says a search term is ignored if it exists in x% of posts, this defaults to 20%. I have disabled this feature since our board is fairly limited in scope of topics. It may take up to an hour or so for that search term to expire from the cache.

Author:  kira13 [ Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Thanks for checking and fixing!

(I can see why "backup" would have been dropped with that rule.)

Author:  kira13 [ Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Hmm, just retried my "slow backup" search (because the new hard drive that I spent this past week ordering, waiting for, and installing did not fix it after all), and it still drops "backup". I think (judging by the dates, and assuming I'm not caught in a time warp) it's been more than "an hour or so" since your fix.

I will just check the latest troubleshooting posts and then ask my question, I guess, but wanted to report here in case something is still oddly configured.

Author:  yakuza [ Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Ok, I just dropped the entire search index and am rebuilding it, with the zero commonality rule in place. If this doesn't fix the search issue, I don't know what will. It will probably be a couple hours before the index rebuild completes.

Author:  kira13 [ Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

I'll try my search again later (just to give it enough time, although from what you said it should be done by now) and see if it finds my own new post, then.

Sorry for all the trouble.

Kira

Author:  kira13 [ Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Tried it just now and it worked! Yay! Thanks again, yakuza!

Kira

Author:  yakuza [ Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Thanks for the detailed info to find the problem! :)

Author:  buddy1031 [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Still having trouble searching forum

Hello, I have a problem with installing Add-Ins and I used the Search function to look for the word Add-Ins and got the reply: "No posts were found because the word add-ins is not contained in any post". Hmm, that doesn't seem right. Any ideas? Thanks!

Author:  COPC [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

Sounds like an issue I just tried add-in and got nothing but tried add in and found posts with add-in. LOL :rofl:

Author:  yakuza [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Having trouble searching forum

I guess it's the hyphen throwing off the search, it might be a reserved character in SQL. I have no clue how to fix that, so I guess you'll have to use COPC's workaround.

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