Advanced search hard to understand

[MaNiAc LRSC]

Hello,

i have many complaints by my users that the search doesn't work.
The thing is, the search works flawlessly, but the users simply don't use the search like it's intended to be.

There are many issues, which make the advanced search hard to use:
1. options which belong together are spread over the the search form (search in topics only, search in titles only)
2. there are no logical clusters, search and display options are mixed up
3. Search options, which exclude each other, can be activated at one time (search in topics only, search in titles only)
4. Search options, which are used often, are displayed below options, which are used not so often (Find by date <-> Find in forum)
5. No hint that there are advanced search operators, which can be used (AND, OR, etc.)

Here's how it lokks like in IPB 3.x


And here's my suggestion:


What's different (same order like the listing above)
1. All related features are at one place
2. Search and display options are separated from each other
3. Options which exclude each other cannot be selected at one time anymore by using radiobuttons
4. Order of options are use case optimized, more often used options are at the top
5. Little help box added for the most important search operators


Thanks! :blush:
Michael

[Mr. Despair]

I must say I like the new version you arranged. It looks much more clean and organised. Simple changes such as this can make a big difference IMO. :thumbsup:

[Ivan Gonzalez Jr]

i like it too

[stoo2000]

http://community.invisionpower.com/index.php?app=core&module=search&search_in=forums

It has been updated for 3.1

[bfarber]

Yes, I would suggest taking a look at the new 3.1 form and base your recommendations off of that. :)

[MaNiAc LRSC]

Still the same issues (i changed the wording to match the new layout) in the new version and a few new ones:
1. options which belong together are spread over the the search form (Search titles only, Search in titles&posts/posts only)
2. there are no logical clusters, search and display options are mixed up
3. Search options, which exclude each other, can be activated at one time (Search titles only, Search in titles&posts/posts only)
4. Search options, which are used often, are displayed below options, which are used not so often (Find by date <-> Find in forum)
5. No hint that there are advanced search operators, which can be used (AND, OR, etc.). Only match all or any words are selectable, one small hint for phrase search is below the main serach field. What happens if you search for an phrase, but select "any words"? See point 3.


I see that the IPB guys wanted to have the date search field in the cluster which never change when selecting another search range (forums, help files), but since it is an advanced search function it makes sense putting it down to the other search range dependent fields.
And why not using IPB CI here again? In the forum header there are tabs for the different forum clusters...this would be the perfect solution for separating the area for the search range dependent fields.
Furthermore, i would put "forums" in the search range selection to the far left, since it is the most important one.
Here's a new proposal matching the new functionality.

[MaNiAc LRSC]

I have one more issue with the current 3.1 advanced search:
6. Why is "author" and "date" always available, even when you search for a member or help file? Can a member have an author or a help file a posting date?
I'd recommend putting those two fields to the search range dependent fields as well.

Here is how it looks like in 3.1.0:


And based on issue no. 6, here're my new proposals:
(result sorting dependent on "Search in setting", to get a continous layout over all search ranges

[Tony.M]

He has good points...
why are similar ones far apart?
why would they have two of the same options?

[Tanax]

I have one more issue with the current 3.1 advanced search:

6. Why is "author" and "date" always available, even when you search for a member or help file? Can a member have an author or a help file a posting date?

I'd recommend putting those two fields to the search range dependent fields as well.

Here is how it looks like in 3.1.0:

And based on issue no. 6, here're my new proposals:

(result sorting dependent on "Search in setting", to get a continous layout over all search ranges

The author is there because you might want to search members profile comments by author a specific author.

[MaNiAc LRSC]

Ok, then should be the author field added to the members field as well, like in the forums search.
I wouldn't need it, but if some people do...

[MaNiAc LRSC]

Brandon, what about the new suggestions?

[bfarber]

What about them?

I can't make any promises of any changes at this point. 3.1 is pretty far along. That said, we always take into account posted suggestions, and they may make it in at some point.

[Luke]

I do agree with some of the suggestions. Some of them seem to be just re-arrangements of HTML code. The "Search titles" only check box shouldn't really be an all-application option, especially since the forum application seems to have this option already. And what if there are no titles to search? It's something that should be specified by the application. The same goes for "Author" -- That's something that should be in the application scope because "Author" doesn't always make sense. I think a quoted phrase is considered as one word for the "Match" option.

Either way, 3.1 is an improvement over 3.0.

[bfarber]

Yes, some of the suggestions definitely have merit.

[MaNiAc LRSC]

Would be great if the suggestions would be taken into account in future versions. Thanks!