Using the search feature

[yukionna]

I have a question about how the search feature works in this forum. Sometimes I prefer to search by title only but the results returned always return threads that do not contain my search term in the title. Why is this?

For example, tonight I searched for the word "jacking" and chose to search by title only. Here is a sampling of some of the titles that were returned in my search:

• Dura-Torque Explained
• Where to jack up the trailer
• I have a 1965 Caravel and if I have a flat tire
• Yikes! Trailer jumped the hitch
• Shell Off vs Shell On Summary
• etc.

Why is the search returning titles without my search term?

[Boondocker]

I dont know, but I have to agree that the seach software is sub-optimal. Between you and me, I think what happens is you type in what you are looking for and then the message goes to a warehouse in an undisclosed location where a monkey randomly selects a number of threads in response....

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

I goes to a warehouse in an undisclosed location where a monkey randomly selects a number of threads in response....

Rodney, you should be ashamed of yourself! You KNOW you're dissin' a protected class! Monkeys shouldn't be demeaned so. You KNOW they could undoubtedly do a better job than the search algorithm does...

As a result of your post that so demeans monkeys, I can see a whole series of commercials now... the monkey riding through the airport on the horizontal escalator to relaxing music and seeing a wall advertisement that says "Searching... so easy a Monkey could do it"... and then having to complain to his therapist while his mother calls him on his cell phone...

Search algorithms are a mystery to me... that they work at all is just plain magic. That some work better than others must mean that some people have stronger magic than others! That's all I can figure out!

Roger

[overlander63]

Roger, you forgot about the party where one monkey is shunned because he chose a different search function than what the other monkeys were using!
Or where a CNN psychiatrist accuses a monkey of getting up on the wrong side of the bananna tree...

[Blu_Hwy_Lady]

And it seems like everytime I ask a question some scold comes back with "use the search function". Well, I would if it returned some useful information. For instance, I tried to find out how to clean out the sewer vent. The monkeys must have had a fun time rummaging in the warehouse of random answers because they sure brought back a lot. BTW, anybody have any suggestions for the best way to clean out the sewer vent?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Blu_Hwy_Lady

BTW, anybody have any suggestions for the best way to clean out the sewer vent?

You can use the "search" function located at the upper right corner of your screen...

[overlander63]

To clean out the sewer vents, use a screwdriver to take off the vent caps, and remove the screen covering the vent. You can run a piece of stiff wire down the vent to clear obstructions. Use a new screen and gasket when you reassemble.

[mistral blue]

nice save

[yukionna]

Originally Posted by Blu_Hwy_Lady

And it seems like everytime I ask a question some scold comes back with "use the search function".

It's just another day in that "flame warriors" life (see #18 below). Just ignore them and they will go away.

Here is some humor related to the topic of "flame warriors":

How many forum members does it take to change a light bulb?

1. One to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed.
2. Fourteen to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently.
3. Seven to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs.
4. Seven more to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs.
5. Five to flame the spell checkers.
6. Three to correct spelling/grammar flames.
7. Six to argue over whether it’s “lightbulb” or “light bulb”, another six to condemn those six as stupid.
8. Fifteen to claim experience in the lighting industry and give the correct spelling.
9. Nineteen to post that this group is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a lightbulb (or light bulb) forum.
10. Eleven to defend the posting to the group saying that we all use light bulbs and there fore the posts are relevant to this group.
11. Thirty six to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty
12. Seven to post URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs.
13. Four to post that the URLs were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL.
14. Three to post about links they found from the URLs that are relevant to this group which makes light bulbs relevant to this group.
15. Thirteen to link all posts to date, quote them in their entirety including all headers and signatures, and add “Me too”
16. Five to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy.
17. Four to say “didn’t we go through this already a short time ago?”
18. Thirteen to say “do a search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs”
19. Three to tell a funny story about their show dog and a light bulb.
20. One group lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again.

[yukionna]

So...circling back around to post #1, does anyone know the algorithm behind this forum's search function?

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by yukionna

So...circling back around to post #1, does anyone know the algorithm behind this forum's search function?

I have no clue as to how or why the search function works or doesn't work. FWIW it does work better than most I have seen on other boards. I wonder if by title search it is also looking at the individual post titles too, even though it says thread title? Just a haphazard guess on my part.

Aaron

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by yukionna

So...circling back around to post #1, does anyone know the algorithm behind this forum's search function?

Wow, has it been 6 months already?
The forums search engine looks for any post with the key word or phrase contained wthin it, and shows a link to the thread. The search (key) word(s) are highlighted in red. Instead of "jacking", "jack" may be a better search word.

[yukionna]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Wow, has it been 6 months already?
The forums search engine looks for any post with the key word or phrase contained wthin it, and shows a link to the thread. The search (key) word(s) are highlighted in red. Instead of "jacking", "jack" may be a better search word.

Right. I understand that part. But my original question was with regards to searching by title and why a search by title returns posts that don't have my search term in the title.

[overlander63]

Just for kicks, I did a search for "jacking", advanced search, with results listed as individual posts. All threads that got pulled up had at least one post with the word "jack", "hi jack", or "jacking" in the title of at least one individual post in the thread.
It pulled up the same threads your search did, but it showed the individual posts in that thread, instead of the whole works, so you at least know why it pulled those threads up.

[yukionna]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Just for kicks, I did a search for "jacking", advanced search, with results listed as individual posts. All threads that got pulled up had at least one post with the word "jack", "hi jack", or "jacking" in the title of at least one individual post in the thread.
It pulled up the same threads your search did, but it showed the individual posts in that thread, instead of the whole works, so you at least know why it pulled those threads up.

That's a good idea for a work around to zero right into what you are looking for.

FWIW, I like to search by title when I'm short on time so I don't have to weed through multi-paged threads to find what I'm looking for. I liken searching by title on this forum to Googles' "I'm feeling lucky" button. I'm taking a chance with a simple, quick search to see if what I'm looking for will show up quickly.

[Boondocker]

I have found that as often as not, using a google search works better than the search engine in the forums.

[yukionna]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

I have found that as often as not, using a google search works better than the search engine in the forums.

I think you are on to something! I just did a google search for "jacking" and received back this site map. Very nice!