What Search Engine is Behind Forum Searches?

[Minty23185Fresh]

When I search the forums for information it seems as though the matching process is a simple OR. For example, if I enter, "this that" in the search box, I get a list of threads that have either "this" or "that". The results don't have to have both. (I am not positive of this but it appears that way, given the voluminous results sometimes.)

The search limiters, like +, - , AND, OR, NOT, ", etc. etc. don't seem to work. Again, for instance, if I search for " "ONLY THIS TEXT" ", it appears as though the results contain any thread with any of the words "only", "this" or "text". Which is usually not would I am looking for.

Using advanced search doesn't seem to help much. Is there a document that helps with this? Possibly, if I knew the search engine behind forum searches I could investigate their search rules. (I actually searched for "advanced search", yikes, that was not very productive...)

Thanks.

[Zacchaeus]

I don't know whether this (https://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=253432) helps or not

And also the delimiters are working for me. "only this text" returns no results. A search for 'advanced search' seems to only find posts with those words etc.

[Minty23185Fresh]

Thanks Zacchaeus. The link is a great place for me to start.

And let me add, "BAH!!!". I hate looking like a moron! I'll try the quotes again. Maybe I'm just a space cadet.

Yesterday I tried "control template" (with quotes) and received many thread results that had "control" and /or "template" not just the phrase "control template" (or so it seemed, I got tired of wading through the nonpertinent results).

Maybe it is a profile setting or something. Maybe search limiters are only recognized in Advanced Search. If they work for you I'll keep trying. Again thanks.

[Minty23185Fresh]

Ok. Confirmed! I am an idiot. (and the quotes work fine :confused:)

The link you provided Zacchaeus, was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

[ddavison]

Ok. Confirmed! I am an idiot. (and the quotes work fine :confused:)

The link you provided Zacchaeus, was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

I prefer the SITE SEARCH option and then you can use the Google search features.

[LordEntrails]

I prefer the SITE SEARCH option and then you can use the Google search features.

Oh, good to know. Never thought of that.

[Zacchaeus]

I prefer the SITE SEARCH option and then you can use the Google search features.

I thought we were talking about the site search - and my advice was based on that. Which probably explains why all those things work for me.

I wasn't aware there was another option :)

[LordEntrails]

Forum/Thread search tool. You find in on the top right of the thread or forum.
1387213873

Vs the one you've been using (and Doug recommends) which is found under the site menu;
13874

[damned]

The forum search is pretty useless other than for narrowing it down to a particular subforum...
defintely use the google powered Site Search which accepts all google search syntax.

[Zacchaeus]

Forum/Thread search tool. You find in on the top right of the thread or forum.
Vs the one you've been using (and Doug recommends) which is found under the site menu;


Aha, I'm still using the old forum look which has the search button in the top bar.