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As a note can some one explain to me how the search engine works. I tried to find the Beatles commercial thread and a whole number of searches failed using words I know are there, even using the advance one.

A random example of a mystifying failure would be come together. Using advanced thread with the settings at “all forums”, “Match any word” and “posts and topic titles” come together brings up 0 results. Same for Something – 0 results.

Joe said
Sadly I can’t make any changes to forum search. I suggest you use the Google search at the top of the page instead – it’s probably more useful.

Some of you (perhaps all of you for all I know) may already know this, but just in case, I thought I would share this search tip.

In Google, after you put in your search terms you can add:

site:beatlesbible.com

and you will only get results from this site.

If it is a short thread of a page or two, you might find it easier to just use ctrl+F (or however you get to “find” on your computer/phone/etc.) and search for a word you know is there.

I did that once with the word “apple” on a page in the “what are you eating” thread. It kept finding “Apple Rooftop”.

EDIT 4: I just realized what’s going on. I was using the search box/feature within the forum which didn’t work beautifully. I just used the one with the full site, and it works wonderfully. So forget all that I said below.

Joe said

You could search site:beatlesbible.com, but the Google search on this site does the same thing. It’s limited to this site only.

In my experience, when you do a search using the website’s built-in search box, it only takes you to p. 1 of the thread where your search terms are found. Using a Google search with site:beatlesbible.com takes you to the exact page of the thread that you need.

For example, using the website’s search box, I did an advanced search and match phrase option for sciatic nerve. It took me to p. 1 of

Joe said

cbatcu said
EDIT 4: I just realized what’s going on. I was using the search box/feature within the forum which didn’t work beautifully. I just used the one with the full site, and it works wonderfully. So forget all that I said below.

I think I can remove the forum search, if it’s causing confusion. Yay/nay?

Its a nay from me. It would be an added hassle when wanting to search the forum to have to go elsewhere and type it in.

Tho if folks are doing that already maybe I’m just lazy. Well, I am as I just give up if the search doesn’t work (see above/elsewhere posts).

Why is there an empty box here? These keep popping up.

meanmistermustard said 

Joe said

I think I can remove the forum search, if it’s causing confusion. Yay/nay?

 

Its a nay from me. It would be an added hassle when wanting to search the forum to have to go elsewhere and type it in.

Tho if folks are doing that already maybe I’m just lazy. Well, I am as I just give up if the search doesn’t work (see above/elsewhere posts).

 

Why is there an empty box here? These keep popping up.

MMM, don’t worry. The homepage search box is always at the top of the page (under Joe’s black menu bar beside the twitter, facebook, etc. icons) even when you are in the forum so you wouldn’t have to go elsewhere to type it in.

I’m cool with keeping both. I will test them out from time to time to see which one produces better/more useful results. That’s one of my nerdy things: not just finding the answer but the search process itself. I love it when a student says to me, “Can I just sit here and watch you do a search for my topic? I get so many ideas from just watching how your mind thinks.” Strokes my ego, for sure.

meanmistermustard said
Well then ignore me. Completely forgot that search box existed, thanks cbatcu.

No worries. I’m the ditz that spent about 30 minutes doing a big huge reply to Joe about going out to Google to do searches when the answer was staring me in the face the whole time.