Search Function: What Am I Doing Wrong?

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

You might try Google for searching DIYS.
* Click on the 'Advanced Search' link
* Enter your search string
* Paste "http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/" in the domain box.

Doesn't work for me.
You do get a couple of hits, but only a very few. I don't know why this is.
The strategy appears to work perfectly on some other sites.

[The Tone God]

My guess is that google can't access certain areas because those areas need membership.

Andrew

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

It's not a membership thing - I'm not a 'member' of the secret section, just registered.
And the hits one does get, seem pretty random.

[The Tone God]

Registration == membership

Some areas of the forum are not availible to the general public without an account. Google is not really setup for searching forums. It does okay with some forums type but is not compatible with all forums. Usually the results from forums are from what Google could find on the first page when it came by the forum.

Andrew

[Joe Kramer]

Where would we put the FAQ? In the FAQ?

Maybe a sticky that says something like "Hints and Tips for Using The Search Function?"  You could start by laying out a few of the known tricks, and then others might be able to add as time goes on?  At any rate, the easier it is to find and access, the more likely and more often it will be read and applied.  There is such an accumulated wealth of information here on DIYS, it really begs to be as accessible as possible.

[aron]

OK, try the search now and see the link.

[Joe Kramer]

I think that's a great place to put the link.  It's a good start that will hopefully help out and grow over the long term.  Thanks Aron for taking the time and trouble to address this. 

[aron]

Thank you Joe!

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I'm impressed at how fast the search works! (not often one has a chance to say that!)

[Chawk]

Is there any way to do a search within a specific thread? For example I've done a few searches on various topics and once in a while I'll be directed to a thread that is about 20, 30, 40 or 50 pages long. I know it sounds lazy but it would be helpful to be able to search within those threads that are longer to find the topic of the search without having to click through dozens of pages.

I haven't seen any options like this in the advanced search section. Maybe I missed something.

[aron]

I think the "Show results as messages" might help you more.