Develop Bugs

[Possible Solution] To Newbie RTFMs

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...
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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)
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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...

Filter forums

Hi guys,
If I can make a suggestion to the forum usage, most users here would love to be able to mask out forums related to phones they do not have, OSes they don't have and so on.
There's a great hack to vbulletin that will allow us to choose what to see and what to hide.
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=98360
DESCRIPTION
Ever came across large boards with a huge number of sub forums? Couldn't find your info? Wanted to run away from that huge load of stupid threads? This hack is intended to save your users from having such a horrible experience. It provides them with an opportunity to exclude any number of forums from the forums list (as well as from "get new"/"get daily" searches), which still letting them to access those forums directly and search within them, too.
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Thanks.

Interesting, you might want to post it up on the Sticky: "(requests) From the Users to the Mods & Admins".

Site suggestion for easier ROM discovery and greater exposure

I'm not very good with MSPaint, but I mocked up something I think could help a lot of people navigate this site a little easier. The search function works, but why shouldn't you be able to see a list of ROMs at a glance? A lot of the development forums here have several sticky posts, and things become difficult to navigate.
When threads that just list ROMs contained in a forum have to be stickied, it shows that a change is necessary because people aren't able to locate the one they're looking for. There are several threads in the same dev forums that have the same keywords, and this makes searching very aggravating sometimes.
Let me know what you think about this mock-up. I know it looks kind of ****ty, but try to see what I was getting at. Instead of drilling down into the forum to find an official thread about a specific ROM, just click the icon at the top of the forum page... or you could put this type of list on it's own page separate from the actual developer forum.

generic.imitation said:
I'm not very good with MSPaint, but I mocked up something I think could help a lot of people navigate this site a little easier. The search function works, but why shouldn't you be able to see a list of ROMs at a glance? A lot of the development forums here have several sticky posts, and things become difficult to navigate.
When threads that just list ROMs contained in a forum have to be stickied, it shows that a change is necessary because people aren't able to locate the one they're looking for. There are several threads in the same dev forums that have the same keywords, and this makes searching very aggravating sometimes.
Let me know what you think about this mock-up. I know it looks kind of ****ty, but try to see what I was getting at. Instead of drilling down into the forum to find an official thread about a specific ROM, just click the icon at the top of the forum page... or you could put this type of list on it's own page separate from the actual developer forum.
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They are currenty working on a Dev tool, that will make finding Roms much easier, plus lots more features, so your idea is a good one, just they are already on it.

I don't knock anyone who has an idea, good or bad. At least it shows ppl are thinking and want to share their idea

[Q] Question re forum vs. subforum, subscribed vs. participated

I am not sure if the android app (I am using the premium app) is taking a different path than the XDA website... but there are things that are different between them and it is making it very difficult and confusing to seamlessly move from the app to the website, or back.
On the app, there is a sidebar with, among other items, a line that says "Subscriptions" followed by number in parentheses. Above that line there is a line/option for "Participated" .
If you select "Subscriptions", and you will get a list of Forums and Subforums you have subscribed to. It is easy to "Subscribe" to a forum (or subforum), as the dropdown menu has an option to Subscribe.
Before continuing, this is how I see the logical breakdown of forums, subforums and threads:
Forum (example HTC ONE (or VERIZON HTC ONE if it exists)) ==>
Subforum(example: HTC ONE Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting) ==>​Thread(example: Help! I bricked my phone!!!).​
In the app, when you select "Participated" you are presented with every thread in which you have added a comment.
However, on the website, when I navigate to the forum (not a subforum) and I want to "Subscribe" to it, I cannot find any way to do so on that page (the main forum page). I notice however, that if you go to one a subforums (see example above), you have the option there to subscribe to that subforum. However, like the app, I would like to have quick access to all subforums for a particular device.
I have "subscribed" to them from the mobile app, but they are not showing up once I am at my laptop... the only subscriptions that appear anywhere (without having to go to a dedicated page with subscibed threads, etc.) is in the right sidebar under the three tabs entitled "MESSAGES THREADS FORUMS." Here (for me) it shows I am subscribed to one subforum that I accidentally subscribed to 3 years ago (from the app I believe). The app too, correctly shows I am subscribed to this subforum. But there is no where on the website that shows the Forums I am subscribed—which the app does (as described above).
With the number of forums for devices growing to several hundred why is there not just a way to create a bookmark to go directly to the forum that you have already added as a subscribed forum/a favorite??? I swear I think every time I have come to this webpage I have to navigate down past 90 devices to find the forum I want (google XDA XYZ Device works, but there should be a way on the forum landing page). A way to find "bookmarked' forums. I use the work bookmark" because using the word "subscribe" with "forum" is actually confusing. You already have an option to subscribe to a thread on the website (and the app). And further, a subscription to a thread will send you email updates when there have been new comments to that thread. However, you do not need email notifications to a forum, nor even a subforum... you just need a quick way to navigate to them.
Further confusing the "thread subscription" component of "subscribing" is that now the app has "Participated" (as mentioned above) which I find helpful as no action is required; it automatically allows you to quickly find a thread where you have contributed or asked a question. But this is not available (or easily locatable) on the website....
Can we get the ability to create a favorite or a bookmark to a Forum or Subforum?
I understand that subscribing to threads still makes sense as people may want to be notified or have quick access to a thread which is being updated, but in which they have not made a comment. I think we just need to add a new category to "favorite" or "bookmark" a forum or subforum, and then have threads subscribed to, and threads in which we have participated.
I think in the past few years (and you guys would know!) more people use the app than before... So I think by modifying things as set forth above, it will allow increased usability of XDA overall. XDA has always had to manage and structure/organize a huge amount of information... and I have always found it quite difficult.. Only recently with the options have I noticed more productivity (although I cannot say for certain how "recent" these changes are....
Either way, I hope you can make the app and the site consistent... and preferably let the app's above-mentioned features lead the way.
Thank you...

syntropic said:
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Wow, that's a lot of questions!
I definitely won't be able to answer them all at once, so I will just answer the ones I can.
1. In answer to the question "Where are the Participated threads on the website?", just do [your_username's_profile] > Statistics > See all posts by [your_username]. It does essentially the same thing as Participated does in the app.
EDIT- More answers to come... when and if I have time!

The Search Functionality Post Website Update / Migration (in 2022 at least) is TERRIBLE

This is going to be a moaning post, which falls in line with the topics of discussion in the forum description.
Like many of you most likely, I've been lurking, contributing if it makes sense, and relying on XDA for a long time. It feels like a decade by now. This is the most frustrated I've ever been with the Search functionality of the website. It's so bad, I'm writing this post, but also I feel like competing sites (there are none in reality) could lure forum users away with nothing more than an intuitive, easy to use search functionality.
For example, every single time you go to search something, XDA for some reason defaults to searching Everything. If I'm in a specific forum, and sought out that forum (which is the only way to get to something that you specifically need given the search won't produce it), why would I need to search the entire site seconds after entering that particular forum. I have not found a setting to allow me to set the default search to search specific forum and recall the previous site iteration as having the ability to easily within a click or two, search the forum itself for a specific thread.
Secondly, searching for items that have more than a single word is pointless. The query results are from all over the site, and largely not related. Additionally, the search results apparently don't believe in offering sort or filter capabilities post submission of a search query.
Third, do you really not follow a boolean logic? Taking the aforementioned example, if I use double quotes to signify a specific string or phrase, the query result is blank.
I'm going to keep adding to this because later because I need to go, but I loved this site, and I want to ensure this feedback is out there. Please for the love of god, do something about this.
Unfortunately, I tried to search for the ability to provide feedback directly and was unable to come up with anything. I shouldn't have to build a Google CSE or run a 'site:' search to produce a specific result on this website.
Just a couple of years ago, I could come into the site, enter a model number or SKU or something specific like that and immediately be able to access specific forums or threads. I just tried to search for SM-990 and nothing but Motorola results were produced. What?