I have a post on this forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1714
It fell off the first page so, to find it, I entered my screen name into the 'search this forum' box. It returned nothing and brought me to an advance screen.
I then entered my user name into the search box on the advanced form labeled "SEARCH BY USER NAME".
Again, no results found.
Search isn't broken.Change the search term to something more general and try again...
POTATO!!!!
Right now, I keep seeing a cat reading a book when I try to search... :silly:
Prawesome said:
Search isn't broken.Change the search term to something more general and try again...
POTATO!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So when trying to find posts with my name in them, I should search for "General Synpax"? I was unaware of this promotion; I'm flattered.
The real problem is that the author field isn't included when the search is run, and it should be.
Really, why even bother having a site search functionality if it's going to be this bad. Just use Google.
synpax said:
So when trying to find posts with my name in them, I should search for "General Synpax"? I was unaware of this promotion; I'm flattered.
The real problem is that the author field isn't included when the search is run, and it should be.
Really, why even bother having a site search functionality if it's going to be this bad. Just use Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can search by author in Advanced Search.
synpax said:
So when trying to find posts with my name in them, I should search for "General Synpax"? I was unaware of this promotion; I'm flattered.
The real problem is that the author field isn't included when the search is run, and it should be.
Really, why even bother having a site search functionality if it's going to be this bad. Just use Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is by design - the vast majority of users want to search for keywords. If a user happens to share username with a keyword, they don't want to be inundated with their mindless musings in off topic...
If you want to find a post by a specific user, just hit the little cog for advanced search, where you can search based on username.
XDA has 4.6 million users, and 21 million posts, so search needs to be a little bit more specific to ensure that you can actually find things.
To find your own posts or threads, use the link to your own profile There's a button there to show all your posts and/or threads.
pulser_g2 said:
This is by design - the vast majority of users want to search for keywords. If a user happens to share username with a keyword, they don't want to be inundated with their mindless musings in off topic...
If you want to find a post by a specific user, just hit the little cog for advanced search, where you can search based on username.
XDA has 4.6 million users, and 21 million posts, so search needs to be a little bit more specific to ensure that you can actually find things.
To find your own posts or threads, use the link to your own profile There's a button there to show all your posts and/or threads.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answer.
As a web developer myself, we recently had this same issue come up. We shifted all the search to Bing. This both got us better results and eliminated one target for a DDoS attack.
I tried searching earlier today for: Zenithink (the brand name of my tablet), and didn't get any hits. At the time of this post there did seem to be a problem with the search, but it seems to be working now.
k.
Also, keep in mind that search results can be delayed up to 10 minutes:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/faq.php?faq=searchlight_search#faq_recent
Hi all. I would like to ask something please if any one else have the same expierence:
When I search something and I get some results, I have a problem when i chooose the link (Thread) .... I dont see the thread that i have clicked on, but I am lead to a different page...
Can anyone help me?
Thank you in advanced
It happens with me too.
Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2
Related
Hello!
In the past few days (might be since the new forum is online, haven't been here for a while), the search function is acting strangely. For example, do a search for "ssa". It doesn't return anything, but I knew it was mentioned in at least one thread - and there it is, on page 9 of this thread. "Search this thread" doesn't find it either.
Is there some known problem with the forum? I would have searched, but...
Oh, and, erm, another nice one: search for "xda" and see a friendly message saying "Sorry - no matches"...
Search function doesn't work for words less than four letters long.
Try Googling with xda-developers as one of the search criteria. Also try Google's advanced search option; it has a Field for searching only a particular website. Just enter forum.xda-developers.com and go....
Also, don't forget that with Google you can search for posts by a particular user by including the user name as one of the search words.
Hope that helps.
I've been using:
site:forum.xda-developers.com search query
in google.. however the inbuilt vbb has some nice features. If the server can hack it, can we set the min length to 3 and rebuild the index please?
partly covered
please note that the search dialog box (after "New Posts" is clicked) is partly covered by the advertisement.
Hello,
I don't know how to set up mms service for my mini s with wm6.
I can't search for mms or wm6 or anything else.
You should disable search in your forums completely, it's not worth it with this restrictions.
It's the first time xda-developers were not able to help me, just because stupid admins are EVEN NOT ABLE LET THE USER BE WARNED that 3-letter-searching is not working!!! THAT'S HALF A YEAR NOW! ARE YOU DEAD???
Have a look at the form here:
http://support.catalyst2.com/index.php?_m=tickets&_a=submit
1. Submit the first page with any option (doesn't matter).
2. Type a few words like "email settings".
3. Notice the suggestions which pop up at the bottom, allowing to you find the solution without even having to actually submit your query, thus cutting down on questions which could easily be answered by the questioner themselves with a little research.
I'm not saying it will be easy, and it may very well reduce the site to a crawl, but you could have a pre-fetch on the articles held in the Wiki which would provide common solutions to a lot of threads which pop up with simple questions.
What might this require?
1. An up-to-date, correct, and well-referenced Wiki
2. Presumably a lot of server horsepower!
What will this prevent?
1. Easily answered questions like "Where can I find links to all the WM6 ROMs?
What will this not prevent?
1. Idiots who don't even read suggestions as they type their question
2. Recently solved problems in threads that get swamped by meaningless posts
3. Posts like "Thanks <insert name>, downloading now..."
Looks Good, BUT...
Looks good, but if you can't get a noob to search the forum using the provided search tools or to even correctly (correctly, being the operative word) google the site, we won't be able to get them to use this form...
Now, I do believe that you are on to something... IMHO, the search function should also include a link to google with the advanced search part already populated for searching in xda-devs... I know that there have been threads with the google links already posted, but they aren't stickies anywhere...
You are on the right track... Maybe all of the more knowledgeable members that are bother by this noob thing (like myself, since I am still a noob...) can simply add a link to the google search function in their sig, it will make it easier for newcomers to the site to locate the information they require...
Sorry, I didn't make myself clear -
The Create a thread, or Reply to thread, message box would have this feature implemented - so even as the person was typing in their mundane question, it would provide a link to the answer right in front of them which they would hopefully click before actually posting their question.
I think the search function on this forum is partly to blame, as any search under about 5 letters simply doesn't work. To make it better there are a few options:
1. Make it search Google by default
2. Make it default to replying with Posts rather than Threads (as some threads are hundreds of posts long)
3. Make it search both the Wiki and the Forum (solved with Google)
IMHO, the search function should also include a link to google with the advanced search part already populated for searching in xda-devs... I know that there have been threads with the google links already posted, but they aren't stickies anywhere...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a google sticky alread. It just so happens to be 3 threads above this one
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=304582
1. Make it search Google by default
2. Make it default to replying with Posts rather than Threads (as some threads are hundreds of posts long)
3. Make it search both the Wiki and the Forum (solved with Google)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you have a valid point Oli. I haev seen many posts with ppl voicing concerns about the search function, and I would tend to agree that it would help if it could be re-structured. Especially with the rate that this site is growing, some search function upgrading would be a good suggestion. However, just like finding any other type of info on the net, its all about your search skills. After spending enough time using the search tools, you find tricks and techniques to narrow your results. Im happy to see this thread, and hopfully the mods will combine their powers to find a way to simplify finding info here.
I am glad that there are ppl here that realize there is an issue with the search function... I also agree that there should not be a lot of stickies, but the BEST place for it, would be in the Search FAQ.... Have any of your read it... It is not that good and as a noob, doesn't show me the best way to implement it... It just says to use the search function... If I were top dog, I might change it a little, just to alleviate some of the darn stupid posts... maybe have it come up as a precursor to registering... Not that everyone will read it, but they will see it...
Just my .02 again... I'm gonna have to get some credit around here... these two pennies are gonna start to add up...
I have yet to find anything I'm looking for by using the search function here on XDA. I use specific language in my search, usually looking to sideload apps or mods and every time I attempt to use the search function it NEVER produces the results I'm looking for. Maybe someone should kang Googles search algorithms or something because it just plain doesn't work...
From my Sexii G Nexii 4.0.4
[email protected] said:
I have yet to find anything I'm looking for by using the search function here on XDA. I use specific language in my search, usually looking to sideload apps or mods and every time I attempt to use the search function it NEVER produces the results I'm looking for. Maybe someone should kang Googles search algorithms or something because it just plain doesn't work...
From my Sexii G Nexii 4.0.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you looking for? I've never really had any trouble.
Also, the search BOX at the top of the screen is actually a google one
pulser_g2 said:
What are you looking for? I've never really had any trouble.
Also, the search BOX at the top of the screen is actually a google one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This^^
If you're having problems with the search then maybe you just need some pointers on search terms.
It takes more time then it should, they need it fix it.
Editing myself now instead of having my post moderated or having to come back and edit it later.
Tell us what you're trying to search for...give us an example.
Personally, I think search works very well considering the sheer number of threads on the forums.
I have no problem with the search, as long as you use specific keywords.
^Agree use keywords to for you to search properly.
Agreed...searches are only effective as the keywords you use
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
missed search button
I do not have problems with search before.
May be I'm stupid, but today search button missed from all brousers (Chrome and IE).
How I can turn it back?
Hmmm..yea, it is missing. I'll speak with the server admin, see what's up.
I've not really had any problems with search on the site, search in the premium app seems to struggle though, maybe it's just me
Maybe the site needs a "server issues" page, since the same issue is getting reported over and over again. It would help people see what's a known issue and find out what's happening about it.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk
leonironchef said:
Agreed...searches are only effective as the keywords you use
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And the ability of people to spell correctly.
the_scotsman said:
Hmmm..yea, it is missing. I'll speak with the server admin, see what's up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
search button is still missed ....
They are having issues with the forum and search button. Look around there's like 100 threads that ask about the search button in the same section your posting in. Give then some time to square it away.:banghead:
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda premium
Archer said:
Maybe the site needs a "server issues" page, since the same issue is getting reported over and over again. It would help people see what's a known issue and find out what's happening about it.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Either that or the sites users need the ability to at least briefly glance at the titles of the first six or seven threads in a given section before posting yet another thread about how search is borked and they need to spam 12 posts to get it back....
:banghead:
Sent From My Fingers To Your Face.....
If people could look at the top 3 threads in a forum, then we wouldn't need anything
@Idiots, please learn to read existing threads. They suggest it's not just you having the issue. Meaning we know about it, and it will be back as soon as possible.
conantroutman said:
Either that or the sites users need the ability to at least briefly glance at the titles of the first six or seven threads in a given section before posting yet another thread about how search is borked and they need to spam 12 posts to get it back....
:banghead:
Sent From My Fingers To Your Face.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well maybe there should be an announcement somewhere indicating there are technical issues and some parts of the site are non-functional, then you wouldn't have "12" threads all about how there's no search button!
---------- Post added at 12:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:04 AM ----------
pulser_g2 said:
If people could look at the top 3 threads in a forum, then we wouldn't need anything
@Idiots, please learn to read existing threads. They suggest it's not just you having the issue. Meaning we know about it, and it will be back as soon as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can understand your frustration with people not reading, but I think your language is inappropriate for a senior mod, don't ya think?
stargaterules said:
Well maybe there should be an announcement somewhere indicating there are technical issues and some parts of the site are non-functional, then you wouldn't have "12" threads all about how there's no search button!
---------- Post added at 12:07 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:04 AM ----------
I can understand your frustration with people not reading, but I think your language is inappropriate for a senior mod, don't ya think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pushing an announcement across the site right now, so that will be done in the next few minutes.
Regarding use of the word idiot, if someone will make a thread without their eye being drawn over the top 2 or 3 threads (all on topic of search), I stand by my statement these people highlight the need for Darwinian survival of the fittest...
What happened to the "Search this thread" button? It was there last night, but gone today. Am I just not seeing it somewhere?
What's up with search?????
Me too.
I'm logged in, yet every forum page I go to does NOT have a search tool.
What's going on with these forums.
This happens all the time!!!!!
Yeah I'm also having this issue. At least now I can post stupid threads in the wrong places and no one can say to search before I ask dumb questions.
This site has been riddled with nothing but problems a lot of yesterday and so far today. Hopefully, the team will be able to get it sorted ASAP for us
Sent from Sony Xperia S using XDA Premium
Join my threads here and here
If you're using the new theme then it may be in the collapsible side bar. Otherwise it's a bug.
Sent From My Fingers To Your Face.....
Why does search keep disappearing and reappearing?????
What is going on with this site????
Search is absolutely essential to get anything done here.
Why does it keep going away???????
It's gone again..?
Perhaps it's in maintains mode?
Would be nice have some kind of notification/warning when such things happened.
yeah it's gone again coz i'm not seeing it :/
It's gone... And the n00bs are going to be even more dumb if they don't even have the option to search Help!
+1 I need search!
This is really annoying. Makes large threads hopeless to search...
Azurael said:
It's gone... And the n00bs are going to be even more dumb if they don't even have the option to search Help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's already started!
I understand if the site is having a problem with the search function. Those kind of things happen. But if it's broken, then please put up some prominent stickies to let people know it's broken and what the status is!!!
Because, well, with the search function broken, we can't search the forum to find out if the search function is broken! See how that works?
Please bring this back!
FYI, I was using the 2010 theme and "Search this thread" disappeared. I just switched to the new beta theme, and now I can see a "Search this thread" function, but when I use it, I get a message that "search is temporarily not working". An error message is definitely an improvement over a disappearing function.
I really hate this too. If its broken mods could easily let all us know in the portal.
The google search function works but it **** hard.
I always get this error
vBulletin Message
Search is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
They must want everybody to stop using the pesky search function and just post new threads. Easier for everybody that way.
thepieguy said:
They must want everybody to stop using the pesky search function and just post new threads. Easier for everybody that way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nooooo
without search function it's hard to find anything in lots of pages thread
It's back!
It has been a couple months since I've been on the site and quite often I am directed to what I want to find via a google search.
However when trying to access the forums today from the top banner bar, the options seem extremely limited.
It lists things like "Top Phones" "New Phones" "Root Tools" "Top Apps", etc. and each of these has a small sub menu of choices.
However I can't find a way to just access the General discussion forum...the one I'm posting in now.
In order to get here I needed to google "XDA general discussion" and then clumsily navigate to this "About XDA" sub section.
Am I missing something with how this site has been updated and how one is supposed to navigate it?
thanks.
TraderJack said:
It has been a couple months since I've been on the site and quite often I am directed to what I want to find via a google search.
However when trying to access the forums today from the top banner bar, the options seem extremely limited.
It lists things like "Top Phones" "New Phones" "Root Tools" "Top Apps", etc. and each of these has a small sub menu of choices.
However I can't find a way to just access the General discussion forum...the one I'm posting in now.
In order to get here I needed to google "XDA general discussion" and then clumsily navigate to this "About XDA" sub section.
Am I missing something with how this site has been updated and how one is supposed to navigate it?
thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=72689104&postcount=2
sd_shadow said:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=72689104&postcount=2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, that does give me a little bit more control.
However (to anyone listening who cares) - this still has problems. In order to search for a forum to jump to, I must first know its name to search.
In my case, since I've been here a while I know/knew there were general forums, so I typed "general" and I was able to pull some of them up.
But for new users, or anyone unsure of where to post a topic that doesn't have to do with a specific device it still obscures the entire forum structure from them.
Also, unless I was referred to the link above, there is really no way for me to know that typing in that box is how I find a forum, since it says "Type device...& more"....that "more" is pretty broad.
Wouldn't/couldn't it be a good idea to both write somewhere up there that the box is how you are meant to navigate to a specific forum rather than just search? Also couldn't there be a link within the list of results that always shows that allows one to view an entire structured list of the forums?
Part of the issue as I see it is that while many thinks are device based, there are certain issues that have the same solutions across a wide array of devices. For instance I just had an issue with APN settings being grayed out (non editable) on my wife's Galaxy S5, but I saw similar posts and partial solutions scattered throughout device forums for dozens of devices. I know that there will never be full consolidation into one "general" topic for these, but I think having a "general" forum (or forums) as the first landing page for these types of questions is more beneficial than forcing users (simply by the current design) to post in their specific device.
Anyway, I might be late to the party and these discussions may have already beat the horse dead, I still love the site for the wealth of information it provides but IMHO the redesign in this aspect borked functionality/ease of use when it comes to "finding" the right place to go to post a new thread.
/
TraderJack said:
Thanks, that does give me a little bit more control.
However (to anyone listening who cares) - this still has problems. In order to search for a forum to jump to, I must first know its name to search.
In my case, since I've been here a while I know/knew there were general forums, so I typed "general" and I was able to pull some of them up.
But for new users, or anyone unsure of where to post a topic that doesn't have to do with a specific device it still obscures the entire forum structure from them.
Also, unless I was referred to the link above, there is really no way for me to know that typing in that box is how I find a forum, since it says "Type device...& more"....that "more" is pretty broad.
Wouldn't/couldn't it be a good idea to both write somewhere up there that the box is how you are meant to navigate to a specific forum rather than just search? Also couldn't there be a link within the list of results that always shows that allows one to view an entire structured list of the forums?
Part of the issue as I see it is that while many thinks are device based, there are certain issues that have the same solutions across a wide array of devices. For instance I just had an issue with APN settings being grayed out (non editable) on my wife's Galaxy S5, but I saw similar posts and partial solutions scattered throughout device forums for dozens of devices. I know that there will never be full consolidation into one "general" topic for these, but I think having a "general" forum (or forums) as the first landing page for these types of questions is more beneficial than forcing users (simply by the current design) to post in their specific device.
Anyway, I might be late to the party and these discussions may have already beat the horse dead, I still love the site for the wealth of information it provides but IMHO the redesign in this aspect borked functionality/ease of use when it comes to "finding" the right place to go to post a new thread.
/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try the Search Plus feature?
Wood Man said:
Did you try the Search Plus feature?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've looked at it, but it doesn't really remediate the issues I mention above.
While it can help you "find" answers to questions, google is just as capable in most cases of directing you to the relevant threads on XDA.
The problem is not really where to go to find answers, as much as it is to ask a question.
It seems the way the site is now structured as far as indexing/lookup is concerned is more of a "knowledgebase" then a forum.
I'm not sure if that is necessarily a bad thing - but it is different from how things used to be and for long time users it makes things a bit more difficult to adapt.