How to use Search function effectively

[IBM]

No matter what I type in Search I keep getting this:

Your query was not specific enough. Try using larger words, or less common phrases.

Anyone know if there's a technical issue with the search function? I've tried putting in entire sentences so I'm pretty sure I can't get anymore specific than that.

 

[Weiner]

Same thing here.  I guess anyone can ask any question they want now and not get grilled for it...

I doubt it will be like this for long, the admin seem to do a really good job at fixing issues when they pop up.

 

[old medic]

Try using the advanced search feature.

When you place a sentance or full question into the search engine, it will try to return every message with any of those words in it.
When there are too many hits, you will get that error message.

Try reducing your query to specific key words.

 

[George Wallace]

I have run into that problem a couple of times today.  I just resubmitted the same query and I got results.  So, just hit enter a second time.

If the problem persists, I am sure Mike will have picked up on this Thread very soon.

 

[McG]

I've tried putting in entire sentences so I'm pretty sure I can't get anymore specific than that.

Have you put your sentences inside quatations? ("")

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

I can't reproduce the problem, what search terms are you using? I think the advice that every word in a sentence is searched for individually is key here. If you want to search for an exact phrase put quotes around it or else any post with any matching word will be included in the results.


Cheers
Mike

 

[p_imbeault]

I also get the same error, although it only seems to be when I search with the Search Bar that is up when your reading a post, so when I search using that bar I will get the error, but when I re-enter my query into the new search box, that appears on the "Try you search again" it will work. I hope that helps  ???

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

Ah, there's another key element here...

Search is context sensitive. That is, when you use the search bar when reading a message, it will only search that message. (Try entering 'question' in the bar above.) When you search using the search bar in a forum, it will search only posts in that board, not the entire site.

I've also made a change to the search engine which should help.


Cheers
Mike

 

[p_imbeault]

Thanks Mr. Bobbit, I wasn't aware of the top search bar was used for searching the specific post. I see that it now shows the Forum Section you are searching in.
Regards,

 

[GAP]

The search function here causes me no end of grief....I must not be doing something right...

Everytime I do a search, I get 22,000 hits for the, and, it, is, etc. etc.. So I single out one word that should limit it (this is on advanced search) to one word....and I get zip repeatedly. I have myself convinced that I am not a stupid man (no I am  NOT female!  ;D), but I am getting to the point where I avoid using search.

Suggestions are welcome.

 

[Mithras]

When doing searches in general you should never use words like "and", "the", "is".  Stick to the key words.  For instance if you wanted to do a search for Canadian Leopards in Afghanistan you should just use the words "Afghanistan", "Leopards", "Canadian".

The search function used by this software isn't as sophisticated as Googles or any of the other major search engines so I tend to use as few words as possible.

 

[241]

Some search programs will also search specificaly for what you type if you put it in quotation marks ie: "How to use Search function effectively", pretty sure it works on here as well

 

[warspite]

Also being selective where you search from can help....
i.e. If you search from the Radio Chatter Forum you will only get hits that are in the Radio Chatter Forum

 

[Mike Bobbitt]

GAP, if you want to drop an example maybe we can help "optimize" it for you. Searching shouldn't be rocket science, but there are some definite tricks to it.

 

[GAP]

Ok, I wanted to do a search for the "Put Leopards in Afghanistan stuff HERE " (approx-couldn't remember the exact title, but knew it contained Leo or Leopard).

When I did a search under leo or under leopard...I got no hits on the thread, but because it has been posted to today, it comes up now.

Edited to add: I then went to advance search, selected 5 days (I knew it had been posted to within the last 2 days)....still nothing.

It came up on the Recent Topics Menu, so I got to it that way.

 

[Pearson]

Always open home page in a new window to search.

For "leopard stuff" I get two pages of hits from the home page.

For "Put Leopards in Afghanistan stuff HERE" I get 1 page

Using the thread title on any page other than the sub-forum that it is on will yield bupkiss,
(not to be confused with pupkiss...that little smear you dog's nose leaves on the car window), unless it is the home page.

edit to remove link as it shows nothing when opened.
http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php?action=search2

 

[Mithras]

Hey GAP, I used the following to search for the topic you needed - Leopards Afghanistan Stuff Here, and it showed up first.

I see someone beat me to it, anyways the trick is to remove the small words, anything =< 3 letters is probably a good rule.

 

[McG]

Google search of Army.ca - http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=+site%3Aarmy.ca+%22search+term%22&btnG=Search&meta=
(follow the link then replace "search term" with what you are looking for)

Your specific search would be: http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=+site%3Aarmy.ca+Leopard+Afghanistan&meta=

 

[Donut]

Any way to improve the search function on here?  I've seen people post the thread to get a site-specific google search, which always seems to work when I can remember how it's done.

I've done several, through advanced search or forum specific, and then had Mods (rightly) merge the thread into an existing (but unfound) thread?

Is it just me, or could this be improved?

DF

 

[p_imbeault]

I've found this to be a problem for me sometimes. When you are browsing say the military history thread, and you do a search for say "2007 budget" you will not bring up any results because the search only pertains to the Military History threads. If you want to search all the threads at once you need to be at the main menu. I hope this helps, its something I've blundered myself more then a couple times.