Search Function on RailUK

[Karl]

I've always struggled to use the Search function efficiently on the forums. The results I get are overwhelmingly useless. I must be doing something wrong somewhere. Are there any tips I'm missing?

I want to search, for example, a phrase or pair of words and would like the results to include 'both' the words in the results.

Take 'Burscough Curve' for example...

My results return all posts with Burscough in them AND all posts with Curve in them. How do I eliminate those posts and just resolve ones with both words in them?

I've tried the Advance function and still no luck.

Thanks for any help and I hope you understand my dilemma

 

[yorkie]

Use Google, specifying site:www.railforums.co.uk


Example: "Burscough curve" search

 

[jb]

I never use forums' in-house searches any more - anywhere. Google or other search engine with a site-specific filter invariably works better in my experience.

 

[Karl]

Use Google, specifying site:www.railforums.co.uk


Example: "Burscough curve" search

Aha!! Thanks very much. That's exactly what I was looking for. I've seen it recommended a few times but never tried it myself.

Simples!

 

[Crossover]

Yep, I agree with the two above - the built-in search function is nigh on useless!

 

[jon0844]

vBulletin has never been great for searching, but there are hacks and plug-ins that can do a better job. There are options to do searches for just three characters too, which can perhaps help when looking for a class of train or a three-digit station code. I know because I did this on another forum I'm admin on.

This forum is now using a very old version of vBulletin, albeit with security patches (going by the 2013 copyright date, suggesting updates) and so I am not sure how much can be done. As said, Google seems to find posts far more effectively. In fact, this forum is very well ranked on Google and within a few minutes of me publishing this post, I'd expect it to show up on Google!

Tapatalk also needs to be updated on here, as that is now giving alerts on the latest apps saying it's out of date and doesn't support all of the latest features - which includes better alerts and searching, as well as displaying of posts, quoted text and images.

 

[Greenback]

I have to say I've never encountered an effective search function on any forum. So perhaps it's me at fault!

 

[jon0844]

I have to say I've never encountered an effective search function on any forum. So perhaps it's me at fault!

Forums are notoriously bad for searching. I am sure there's also a plug-in that would let you actually use Google to search the forum.

The advanced search facility can be quite good, but you need to enter too much exact information - and then there's a time delay between searches on here, which makes it impractical to use.

I do prefer vBulletin over other forum software though, but this is a very old version. It works, so some might argue not to mess around with it, but there are lots of improvements from vBulletin 4 onwards.

 

[Muzer]

Forum searches have their uses, especially when you want to put a load of forum-specific detail in, or search by post time, or something similar. But they are a right pain to get right.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It works, so some might argue not to mess around with it, but there are lots of improvements from vBulletin 4 onwards.

Exactly so, if it's not broke, don't fix it. I fall into the category of the "some" referred to in your posting.

 

[Donny Dave]

Forums are notoriously bad for searching. I am sure there's also a plug-in that would let you actually use Google to search the forum.

Your sort of right with this, it's not a plug in, but the search function is part of the Adsense program.

I do prefer vBulletin over other forum software though, but this is a very old version. It works, so some might argue not to mess around with it, but there are lots of improvements from vBulletin 4 onwards.

vBulletin 3.8.7 (the version used by this forum) is the best software that Jelsoft wrote. Since Internet Brands bought Jelsoft however, vBulletin has gone downhill. 4.x.x was/is crap, and 5.0.1 (the latest version) isn't much better. Also, out of the main "paid" software, for the basic package, vBulleting is the most expensive (although if you add the extras onto IPB, that can be very pricey).

Personally, out of all the forum software available, I prefer Xenforo. Yes, you still have to buy a license, but the software is much more user (and admin) friendly.

 

[jon0844]

I use Tapatalk a lot now, as I am sure more and more people do, so the biggest improvement on here would be to update the plug-in to the very latest version.

I am happy for any forum to stay where it is and just apply the security patches, as I know there are lots of fun and games when upgrading.. having moved first form phpBB to vBulletin and then V2 to V3. In both cases, data was mostly retained but we had lots of other issues.

 

[michael769]

I have to say I've never encountered an effective search function on any forum. So perhaps it's me at fault!

Most forum software simply use the underlying database's search function. Unfortunately database search functions are not designed to be used as search engines so the results tend to be erratic at best and unhelpful at worst.

 

[Mojo]

I want to search, for example, a phrase or pair of words and would like the results to include 'both' the words in the results.

Take 'Burscough Curve' for example...

My results return all posts with Burscough in them AND all posts with Curve in them. How do I eliminate those posts and just resolve ones with both words in them?

I've tried the Advance function and still no luck.

Thanks for any help and I hope you understand my dilemma

If you put what you are looking for in quotation marks (e.g. "Burscough Curve") - just like you'd do on Google - then this shows the whole phrase and not either word.

 

[Eagle]

If you put what you are looking for in quotation marks (e.g. "Burscough Curve") - just like you'd do on Google - then this shows the whole phrase and not either word.

I just tried, and no it doesn't. It seems to have interpreted that as Burscough OR Curve because it's thrown up a lot of hits that don't mention Burscough in any form.

 

[Mojo]

I just tried, and no it doesn't. It seems to have interpreted that as Burscough OR Curve because it's thrown up a lot of hits that don't mention Burscough in any form.

Do you have an example of this as I have just done a search for "Burscough Curve" and it returned 19 results, 5 of which were in this thread. Of the other 14 results all of them contained the text "Burscough Curve" (without the speech marks).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is there any RailUK administration wish to upgrade the current eBulletin 3.8.7 package ?

 

[IanXC]

Is there any RailUK administration wish to upgrade the current eBulletin 3.8.7 package ?

I can confirm that the matter is currently under consideration. We'll of course let you all know of any relevant changes at the appropriate time.

 

[Donny Dave]

Is there any RailUK administration wish to upgrade the current eBulletin 3.8.7 package ?

I can confirm that the matter is currently under consideration. We'll of course let you all know of any relevant changes at the appropriate time.

Just to add my tuppence worth, but I think upgrading to the latest version of vBulletin would be a slight retrograde step, as there is better (and cheaper) alternatives out there, IMO.

 

[jon0844]

Just add the latest Tapatalk API and I'd be happy. 90% of my usage is now via a mobile or tablet, but we're missing out on new features - and the plugin update won't need any change to vBulletin itself!

 

[Mike395]

To add to this - we are looking at several alternatives as a team. The issue is that with a forum of this size, moving to any other software is going to be time-consuming considering the amount of posts that will have to move into a different format. That said, it's not something we have written off totally.

 

[jon0844]

Given this is a railway forum, I have to assume that any new forum software introduced will have to have loads of bugs, tiny text windows and a nasty smell.

And then you'll have to contend with those who are against newer software and just think it's better to patch up the old code instead.

 

[Crossover]

Given this is a railway forum, I have to assume that any new forum software introduced will have to have loads of bugs, tiny text windows and a nasty smell.

And then you'll have to contend with those who are against newer software and just think it's better to patch up the old code instead.

Don't forget moving from that "shiny new(ish) fast Pendolino" server to a Pacer...apparently its progress

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

To add to this - we are looking at several alternatives as a team. The issue is that with a forum of this size, moving to any other software is going to be time-consuming considering the amount of posts that will have to move into a different format. That said, it's not something we have written off totally.

I think that many forum members may not have realised the size of that particular task.