Using the Search Function Effectively

[Newie]

Some members will tell you to search the forum for this information - but when I search on "subframe cradle" it brings back nothing (terrible search engine)

Not quite as terrible as you think SA - just a trick or two to getting it to work. I just tried it on Subframe Cradle and got heaps of results.

I suspect that you have missed a key step in using it. You will get FAR better results if you go back to the home page to use it. I'm not sure, but I think if you use it while viewing a thread, it only searches that specific thread for the terms.

Here is the link to the magic!  (perhaps it should appear under FAQs moderators?)

https://www.mokeforum.com.au/index.php/topic,3166.0.html

I've added it to FAQ's in the same area as engine removal threads

Newie

[sa mokin]

Not quite as terrible as you think SA - just a trick or two to getting it to work. I just tried it on Subframe Cradle and got heaps of results.

I suspect that you have missed a key step in using it. You will get FAR better results if you go back to the home page to use it. I'm not sure, but I think if you use it while viewing a thread, it only searches that specific thread for the terms.

I've added it to FAQ's in the same area as engine removal threads

Newie

Well if you aren't sure (you're a moderator)  how can we expect new members to use the search without difficulty?  I have read many threads which tell the poster to search instead of asking but this is a prime example of the new member thinking we are full of **** because the search brought back nothing.  The way I found it was to search on subframe and waded through the posts until I found it - but I knew what I was looking for.

[Newie]

You're going to find this hard to believe SA, but moderators don't know every minute detail about the site.

We're still waiting on Terry to give us all a couple of weeks at a seminar on the Gold Coast so that we can be fully qualified. Most people are very understanding and  bear in mind that we're all volunteers who put a lot of our own time into this to try to make it as good as we can for like minded Mokers.

I was actually supposed to be working when I put the earlier post up, so didn't have time to look into it properly, but with about 2 minutes of experimentation, I've worked it out.

If you search at the Home page, the search covers the entire forum
If you search at the index to a particular board, it only searches that board
If you search while you have a particular thread open, it will only search within that thread.

Maddog also has a very good article in the Introductory section which covers it. It's recommended that all new members read this section (and old members can use to check up on things they're not sure of) but of course not everyone does, and those that do can suffer from information overload, so naturally miss some details - but it is there if people look. https://www.mokeforum.com.au/index.php/topic,7486.0.html

By the way, I searched "Subframe Cradle" at the home page and the exact thread with the subframe plans came up as result #5.



Newie

[.]

we're all volunteers who put a lot of our own time into this to try to make it as good as we can for like minded Mokers.

Newie

Thats why you have just hit most time ( lost  ) online


mavro

[sa mokin]

You're going to find this hard to believe SA, but moderators don't know every minute detail about the site.

We're still waiting on Terry to give us all a couple of weeks at a seminar on the Gold Coast so that we can be fully qualified. Most people are very understanding and  bear in mind that we're all volunteers who put a lot of our own time into this to try to make it as good as we can for like minded Mokers.

I was actually supposed to be working when I put the earlier post up, so didn't have time to look into it properly, but with about 2 minutes of experimentation, I've worked it out.

If you search at the Home page, the search covers the entire forum
If you search at the index to a particular board, it only searches that board
If you search while you have a particular thread open, it will only search within that thread.

Maddog also has a very good article in the Introductory section which covers it. It's recommended that all new members read this section (and old members can use to check up on things they're not sure of) but of course not everyone does, and those that do can suffer from information overload, so naturally miss some details - but it is there if people look. https://www.mokeforum.com.au/index.php/topic,7486.0.html

By the way, I searched "Subframe Cradle" at the home page and the exact thread with the subframe plans came up as result #5.



Newie

Wow - step up to the soapbox!   

My point was if someone like yourself who spends a great deal of time on the site "volunteering" isn't sure how it works then how can we expect a new member (who may be a first time visitor) to figure it out?

How you misconstrued that into a reason to tell me your motivation to be here I cannot fathom.   

[spider]

We're still waiting on Terry to give us all a couple of weeks at a seminar on the Gold Coast so that we can be fully qualified.
Newie

I'll be in that in a heartbeat 



but you guys can have the moderating to yourselves 

[.]

I'll be in that in a heartbeat 
but you guys can have the moderating to yourselves 

I'm in for that...but have enough problems moderating my self


mavro

[spider]

I'm in for that...but have enough problems moderating my self


mavro

Yeah, with that esky of HP's I know how moderate you'd be 

[sa mokin]

Oh please, give me the god powers to censorship!   

[.]

sorry Spider...I dont drink

only coke cola

[spider]

sorry Spider...I dont drink

only coke cola

Ha! me neither!  I recon I'm silly enough!

Pepsi anyone?

Still work well in that big arse esky!

[Terry]

Look what I found on the bottom of the home page.

Terry

[sa mokin]

Look what I found on the bottom of the home page.

Terry

Now we're talkin' - just magically make it appear higher up and its a winner! (you told me where to look or I would probably not have noticed it) 

[Terry]

Hi,

Just move it higher up eh!, if it is was that easy I would.

I found three half baked ways to include Google in the forum software, quite surprised there isn't more available but it is three more than the last time I looked, and this way took the least amount of effort but it is held in place with some Duct tape so it might fall off from time to time.

The nicer option replaces the standard search box with a choice of Google, Yahoo or some other one I had never heard of, but that solution is not quite plug and play for this version of software and I need a bit more time to belt it with a hammer to make it fit in the right place. But like a dodgy wheel stud it is likely to fall out and need to be belted in to place again. I might come back to that option some other time.

Understand though that Google isn't the bees knees for searching a site either as it relies on the information you are looking for already having been Index, found, by one of its crawlers so newer articles may or may not be included. With the move to MokesInc.org and this new version of the software we tend not to rate as highly as we used too so that also means there is more chance items haven't been indexed as it doesn't visit as often. That is another issue i am working on from time to time but maybe you will hear more about that later.

As for the standard search function, it is just in basic mode and in the past when i have taken the time to fire up the more inclusive option that provides better results it has broken the Forum and caused issues on the server with the hosting company as it gets a bit greedy at times. We have moved servers since i last looked at it so it might be something I will play with again one evening/morning.

Terry