Ditchmonkey Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My users have been complaining that since switching from Vbulletin, searching for specific threads has become much more difficult. I believe that the problem is that when I search for "chains" for example, rather than returning threads that contain chains, it instead returns posts that contain chains. So page one of the results might look like this: Thread 123 Thread 123 Thread 123 Thread 123 Thread 345 Thread 345 Thread 678 Thread 678 Thread 678 Thread 678 Where the first 4 results are 4 posts from the same thread. The next two are from another thread, and the final four are all from a third thread. So the first 10 search results just represented three threads and 10 posts within those three threads. Whats worse is the first four results are from a thread that was just created 30 minutes ago complaining about how hard it was to find that thread about "chains" that people remember. I'm not sure it makes sense to return every post that contains the search phrase within the thread because - well if the thread is about chains we just might be mentioning it in every post....... 1. I don't believe that returning posts should be the default behavior 2. Is there anyway to change it? 3. If the answer to #2 is know can we get some improvements here? The default behavior should be to return threads as results, not posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Ian Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 agree - also coming from other software, I find this odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfarber Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 You can return results as threads by checking an option in the advanced search page, but there's no way presently to make it the default. This could perhaps be added to the usercp default search options I suppose. I prefer returning posts personally, but that's me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 [quote name='bfarber' date='22 August 2009 - 04:40 AM' timestamp='1250944830' post='1847634'] You can return results as threads by checking an option in the advanced search page, but there's no way presently to make it the default. This could perhaps be added to the usercp default search options I suppose. I prefer returning posts personally, but that's me. I think what is important is that the most fundamental default behaviors of the IPB board conforms to what the bulk of your customers want and need. I also think that as per my example, returning posts as results really doesn't make as much sense as returning threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 I'd also like to point out that returning posts as results for a "topic search" makes perfect sense and to have the default forum search return results as a combination of topic and thread searches not only reduces the utility of regular search, but it to a certain degree reproduces functionality in the topic search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Dealing with searches, I recall seeing that when you use +word +word +word it's supposed to return posts that contain all the words (ie, + is must-include) and using quotes lets you search for a phrase, however as an example, if you do a search for "When It's Ready" with the quotes, it returns results of the words individually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Ian Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Displaying results by topic rather than by post would be much better - with the option to display by post if people preferred. Can't think of any situation where for the majority of users they would need to see the same word repeated 20 times in the one thread. And so had to look at the 21st result to see the next thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Personally, I greatly prefer to view results as posts than as topics. My typical search experience on other forums is to search for a keyword, realize that topic view was default, click back change it to posts, wait for search flood limit to pass, and then search again. To me getting a list of topics back isn't very useful because you don't know the context of the result, seeing the post lets me figure out if it's even related to what I'm looking for, before I click into the topic. Again, that's just my personal view, if we find that most people prefer a topic listing, we'll change it or introduce a setting perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 It depends on the intent of the search. If it's to find a topic that you've read before but can't quite remember the name or location of, then a topic search can be quite helpful. Showing posts as results, I prefer to be able to see the entire post (even if I have to scroll the post view) instead of a small snippet because that small snippet might not have enough for me to determine if it's what I'm looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 Well if you guys are serious about getting market share from vbulletin and migrating boards from vbulletin to IPB, you should at least prvide the option to duplicate the most basic Vbulletin user experience paradigms. So can we get this as an option? Soon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 IPS shouldn't be interested in duplicating features in vBulletin, what's the point of each forum software doing everything the same? I personally like the way searches work here right now, I remember specific terms in the topics I want to search for and I like that I can see the snippets of the post containing those search terms; I don't always remember topic titles as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 [quote name='Μichael' date='21 September 2009 - 11:32 AM' timestamp='1253561529' post='1857945'] IPS shouldn't be interested in duplicating features in vBulletin, what's the point of each forum software doing everything the same? I personally like the way searches work here right now, I remember specific terms in the topics I want to search for and I like that I can see the snippets of the post containing those search terms; I don't always remember topic titles as well. Thats why it makes sense to implement it as an option. Geesh having a lot of trouble with this board today: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected $end in /home/forumsi/public_html/admin/sources/classes/output/publicOutput.php on line 359 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfarber Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 [quote name='Ditchmonkey' date='21 September 2009 - 03:33 PM' timestamp='1253561599' post='1857946'] Geesh having a lot of trouble with this board today: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected $end in /home/forumsi/public_html/admin/sources/classes/output/publicOutput.php on line 359 We were in the middle of uploading a file at that exact moment. If you refresh the error would have been gone (because the file would have finished uploading). We need to do maintenance and other things on the site from time to time. This frequently involves uploading new files. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 [quote name='bfarber' date='21 September 2009 - 01:35 PM' timestamp='1253568937' post='1858714'] We were in the middle of uploading a file at that exact moment. If you refresh the error would have been gone (because the file would have finished uploading). We need to do maintenance and other things on the site from time to time. This frequently involves uploading new files. :) .....and back to the topic at hand :) Search options? In the next month? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Management Charles Posted September 21, 2009 Management Share Posted September 21, 2009 As the functionality already exists, I am sure a checkbox in the user settings for a default search view would be easy to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervosa Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 [quote name='Μichael' date='21 September 2009 - 03:32 PM' timestamp='1253561529' post='1857945'] IPS shouldn't be interested in duplicating features in vBulletin, what's the point of each forum software doing everything the same? [quote name='Charles' date='21 September 2009 - 06:06 PM' timestamp='1253570784' post='1859306'] As the functionality already exists, I am sure a checkbox in the user settings for a default search view would be easy to do. Like the OP said he moved from VB and they did things different. Not every person that views forums logs in, so your still limiting your returning guests to view search's in a different manner then they are used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted September 22, 2009 Author Share Posted September 22, 2009 [quote name='Charles' date='21 September 2009 - 02:06 PM' timestamp='1253570784' post='1859306'] As the functionality already exists, I am sure a checkbox in the user settings for a default search view would be easy to do. I guess I'll take that as the official response :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cem12_merged Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 If you have a forum with large posts (like mine) the feature suggested would definitely be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSOSputnik Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I would like to know what boolean type options are available to be used and maybe a link(or listing) in the search window that explains the options. [quote name='.Wolfie' date='22 August 2009 - 03:22 PM' timestamp='1250979733' post='1847808'] Dealing with searches, I recall seeing that when you use +word +word +word it's supposed to return posts that contain all the words (ie, + is must-include) and using quotes lets you search for a phrase, however as an example, if you do a search for "When It's Ready" with the quotes, it returns results of the words individually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCWT Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I sort the results by posts instead of topics more than 90% of the time. I don't see how it will hurt since that view shows the topic title and a link to it. One gripe is that it only shows a snippet, something that I never liked about vbulletin. Please change it to show the entire post with scrollbars, like it used to. Also a good idea to allow the user to save search options with a checkbox on the search form page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eck Posted October 7, 2009 Share Posted October 7, 2009 Been searching around for an answer that's been touched on but I'd like to confirm. Is there a way to make the default search return results with ALL search terms instead of ANY terms? Trying to get explain the use of quotes and +'s to a bunch of 50+ vintage drummers is a bit tough... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted October 7, 2009 Author Share Posted October 7, 2009 [quote name='Eck' date='07 October 2009 - 05:47 AM' timestamp='1254923222' post='1864247'] Been searching around for an answer that's been touched on but I'd like to confirm. Is there a way to make the default search return results with ALL search terms instead of ANY terms? Trying to get explain the use of quotes and +'s to a bunch of 50+ vintage drummers is a bit tough... I'll second this one and inquire about the status of the original issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchmonkey Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 IPB - Do you have a comfortable couch in your lobby? I hope so because I am going to fly out there and stage a sit-in until this is resolved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Calvert Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 While you are at it, I'm sure you could make yourself useful and rake the leaves and polish Lindy's car. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Management Matt Posted October 12, 2009 Management Share Posted October 12, 2009 We are at the mercy of MySQL, there's very little we can do. MySQL set up the boolean syntax so really you're better off asking them for improvements. Unless we were to create a 'really advanced' form that had a list of text input boxes with a drop down next to each one that said "As well as" "not including this", etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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