Cowboy Denny Posted March 31, 2010 Posted March 31, 2010 Will we have the option to keep the search like it is in 3.0.5 which allows searching keywords everywhere. One of the reasons I left vBulletin was for this very reason. I just don't understand why an integrated system like IPS or vBulletin forces us to perform seperate searches for keywords. We should be able to enter keywords and IPS should provide results for all the forums, blogs, downloads, gallery images, etc. that have those keywords. I am starting to think this was a mistake making a forum my primary engine and should of kept with Joomla and a phpBB integration which when I used the Joomla search tool it searched everywhere (to include phpBB) but I like the idea of everything being one like IPS or vBulletin but you are killing me with seperating the results making my users search multiple times (first forums, then search again under blogs, then search again under downloads, then search again under gallery) this kind of searching looks like we have multiple different vendor products. I am very unhappy with this search change and believe it to be a BIG mistake.
Wolfie Posted March 31, 2010 Posted March 31, 2010 I believe that 305 performs separate searches actually. Just it gives you tabs to click to view the different results. I think it's a separate in the right direction, to get to choose where to do the search without having to go advanced first. You can still click on the different tabs to get different results.
Management Charles Posted March 31, 2010 Management Posted March 31, 2010 Version 3.0.5 performed searched in the exact same way. The interface is improved in 3.1 but the underlying method is the same...
Michael Posted March 31, 2010 Posted March 31, 2010 Correct, the 3.0.5 search did the same thing, a search would be done on just one application, and then you could switch tabs on the results to see the results from the other applications. The search box at the top of every page works very closely to how it used to work, it just now allows you to also search in the forum or topic you are in as well (you could already do this with a separate search box, but it often got overlooked), and it allows you to choose the first application to get search results in. The advanced page too, just lets you choose that first application to search in, but when you get results you can switch the tabs to see results from those other applications.
Cowboy Denny Posted March 31, 2010 Author Posted March 31, 2010 Correct, the 3.0.5 search did the same thing, a search would be done on just one application, and then you could switch tabs on the results to see the results from the other applications. The search box at the top of every page works very closely to how it used to work, it just now allows you to also search in the forum or topic you are in as well (you could already do this with a separate search box, but it often got overlooked), and it allows you to choose the first application to get search results in. The advanced page too, just lets you choose that first application to search in, but when you get results you can switch the tabs to see results from those other applications. But the user only performs the search once. They enter keywords and click search without wondering where they are searching. In the results they can click on forums, blogs, downloads etc.. to see the results for each but no more typing is required. The new setup is forcing them to perform a "new" seperate search. This is just unprofessional and appears that I am using seperate packages/products that don't integrate very well which is not what IPS is suppose to be. A fluid experience is important and this new search is a step back versus what is existing in 3.0.5
Management Charles Posted March 31, 2010 Management Posted March 31, 2010 I'm really not sure what you're talking about... The search on 3.0.5 and 3.1 does that same thing in that regard. You search once and then just click the little tabs to search the other areas. You don't have to re-type the search terms or anything like that. There's no difference I can see. I'm quite confused :unsure:
Wolfie Posted March 31, 2010 Posted March 31, 2010 But the user only performs the search once. They enter keywords and click search without wondering where they are searching. In the results they can click on forums, blogs, downloads etc.. to see the results for each but no more typing is required. The new setup is forcing them to perform a "new" seperate search. This is just unprofessional and appears that I am using seperate packages/products that don't integrate very well which is not what IPS is suppose to be. A fluid experience is important and this new search is a step back versus what is existing in 3.0.5 No. They do one search overall (putting in the search criteria once) and then when they click the different tabs, it performs a search to fill that tab with results. As Michael pointed out, this is how it's done in 3.0.5, so it's not different really. I had actually tested it before making this reply, so I can assure you, you don't have to re-enter the query each time.
Cowboy Denny Posted March 31, 2010 Author Posted March 31, 2010 My bad... I just did a search and see what you are talking about. I suppose the forum blog etc.. after the search misleads the user (me) in thinking that is where I am searching. Before it was just an empty search and felt you were searching the site versus just the forum or blog that now shows up to the side. Will we be able to hide that. I think it will confuse my users.
Cowboy Denny Posted March 31, 2010 Author Posted March 31, 2010 What would make this NEW search better is if it defaulted to an option of EVERYWHERE and have a drop down to search forum, blog, etc.. but when I click the drop down it does feel like I am only searching forum, blog, etc.. even though NOW I know you are still searching everywhere. It just feels very confusing where before it was straight forward.
Management Charles Posted March 31, 2010 Management Posted March 31, 2010 My bad... I just did a search and see what you are talking about. I suppose the forum blog etc.. after the search misleads the user (me) in thinking that is where I am searching. Before it was just an empty search and felt you were searching the site versus just the forum or blog that now shows up to the side. Will we be able to hide that. I think it will confuse my users. It's always searched where you are - it just never told you before :). Try it on your own forum you will notice that if you are in Blog and search it searches Blog not the forums. We added the text in the search box so people knew this while searching (and the drop down menu when you click the text so people can change it). If you think that will confuse your users just remove it from the skin.
Wolfie Posted March 31, 2010 Posted March 31, 2010 Maybe the wording could go from "Search section" to "Results for"?
Cowboy Denny Posted March 31, 2010 Author Posted March 31, 2010 I understand and apologize for being so gruff. I am very passionate about my site (because I don't change it). Truthfully if I was to design the search function myself if I was a genius and knew how I would model it on how CMS does it where it is one result and each result gets prepended with the location (FORUM)- (BLOG)- (DOWNLOADS)- which gives the user one result pane. Also when searching they could check boxes to limit the result to just downloads or just downloads and forums but still with just one pane with prepended (FORUM)- and (DOWNLOADS)- with the results with more of the keywords at top. But maybe eventually, we probably aren't there yet. Again, I apologize for my blowing up. The search functionality on my site is VERY important. Thanks for helping me understand it.
Wolfie Posted March 31, 2010 Posted March 31, 2010 Truthfully if I was to design the search function myself if I was a genius and knew how I would model it on how CMS does it where it is one result and each result gets prepended with the location (FORUM)- (BLOG)- (DOWNLOADS)- which gives the user one result pane. Also when searching they could check boxes to limit the result to just downloads or just downloads and forums but still with just one pane with prepended (FORUM)- and (DOWNLOADS)- with the results with more of the keywords at top. No offense but I wouldn't like that. I would prefer to keep it to where I'm searching to begin with and then have the option to check other areas as I wish. Keeping them separate would be ideal because to have them bunched together with prefixes would be a big mess.
Cowboy Denny Posted April 1, 2010 Author Posted April 1, 2010 No offense but I wouldn't like that. I would prefer to keep it to where I'm searching to begin with and then have the option to check other areas as I wish. Keeping them separate would be ideal because to have them bunched together with prefixes would be a big mess. I can understand and respect your point of view.
TrixieTang Posted April 1, 2010 Posted April 1, 2010 Truthfully if I was to design the search function myself if I was a genius and knew how I would model it on how CMS does it where it is one result and each result gets prepended with the location (FORUM)- (BLOG)- (DOWNLOADS)- which gives the user one result pane. It was like that in the original preview of 3.0 but they had to change it because it wasn't very good with resources.
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