Search function fails big-time (i.e. sux)

[Peculiar_Investor]

Hopefully, the Financial Webring Forum folks can help with the customization of the Forum header, since it seems they've hit all the most commonly requested features for the header: a logo in the upper left, an additional search box in the upper right, and links to the donation and wiki pages on the right below searching. As one who uses the Forum page (as opposed to the Bogleheads.org page) as my primary portal to this site, it would be nice to have these features eventually.

This post made my weekend for two reasons. Unknown to you at the time, I was busy helping LadyGeek implement what we'd done on FWF but couldn't divulge the information and secondly I appreciated the supportive comment on the job we'd done on FWF.

[LadyGeek]

To mudpuppy and Petrico - Now you see how close your comments were to home. I shared Peculiar_Investor's frustration that we couldn't tell you what we were up to.

[Mudpuppy]

Thanks for your hard work guys. The compass is back. All is well with the world.

[bdpb]

There appears to be a problem with the "search by author" method of searching.

When I search for my username it finds 627 posts.
My number of reported posts is 683.

Why such a big discrepancy?

[sscritic]

You might have posted 56 times in threads that have been removed for violations of policy. At least that's how I understand how things work. Your post count never goes down, but if you post in a political thread that gets deleted, your deleted post will not show up in a search.

Do you remember ever posting in a thread that disappeared? Do you remember 56 such posts?

[bdpb]

You might have posted 56 times in threads that have been removed for violations of policy. At least that's how I understand how things work. Your post count never goes down, but if you post in a political thread that gets deleted, your deleted post will not show up in a search.

Do you remember ever posting in a thread that disappeared? Do you remember 56 such posts?

Possibly yes. Very probably not 56 posts.

Posts that I've made in locked threads show up in my search.

[sscritic]

Possibly yes. Very probably not 56 posts.

Posts that I've made in locked threads show up in my search.

Locked threads haven't reached the threshold for deletion, but others go all the way, e.g., threads started by spammers.

[Duckie]

There appears to be a problem with the "search by author" method of searching.

When I search for my username it finds 627 posts.
My number of reported posts is 683.

Why such a big discrepancy?

One possible reason is that when you click on "View your posts" it shows the number of threads you posted in. When you use the "Advanced search" function you have the option of "Display results as: Posts" which is the default and has a higher number if you posted more than once in a thread, or "Display results as: Topics" which gives you the same number as "View your posts" does.

[bdpb]

There appears to be a problem with the "search by author" method of searching.

When I search for my username it finds 627 posts.
My number of reported posts is 683.

Why such a big discrepancy?

One possible reason is that when you click on "View your posts" it shows the number of threads you posted in. When you use the "Advanced search" function you have the option of "Display results as: Posts" which is the default and has a higher number if you posted more than once in a thread, or "Display results as: Topics" which gives you the same number as "View your posts" does.

I'm not logged in when I do this, so I'm not looking at "View your posts". I'm using the "Advanced Search",
"search by author" and "Display results as: Posts". It shows 627. I'm comparing it to the info that is displayed
when viewing posts that contains userid, "Posts:" and "Joined". This shows 683.

When I login and "View your posts", it shows 555. When I use "Advanced Search", "search by author" and
"Display results as: Topics", it also shows 555.

I imagine the difference between 555 and 627 is due to multiple posts to the same topic. I'm just wondering
where the 683 comes from. I seriously doubt there are 56 posts that I made posts to that were purposely deleted.

[LadyGeek]

I found 686 (bdpb's current post count listed) using the forum's advanced search.

Search for all terms or use query as entered
Search for author: bdpb
Search subforums: Yes
Search within: Post subjects and message text
Display results as: Posts

Logged in: 686 Results
Not logged in: 630 Results

The difference between 686 and 630 is that the Consumer and Recreation forum is not visible to guests (what you are when not logged in). As a guest, you will not be allowed to see information that's for "members-only"; the software adjusts its results accordingly.

[petrico]

Now you see how close your comments were to home. I shared Peculiar_Investor's frustration that we couldn't tell you what we were up to.

It's coming along great, LadyGeek. Thanks for all your time and effort. I guess some of us get a little impatient.

--Pete

[bdpb]

I found 686 (bdpb's current post count listed) using the forum's advanced search.

Search for all terms or use query as entered
Search for author: bdpb
Search subforums: Yes
Search within: Post subjects and message text
Display results as: Posts

Logged in: 686 Results
Not logged in: 630 Results

The difference between 686 and 630 is that the Consumer and Recreation forum is not visible to guests (what you are when not logged in). As a guest, you will not be allowed to see information that's for "members-only"; the software adjusts its results accordingly.

Great job, LadyGeek.

Now a requirements question.
Should a guest user be able to determine that I've made 56 posts that are for "members only"?
Should they see 686 or 630?

[LadyGeek]

It's coming along great, LadyGeek. Thanks for all your time and effort. I guess some of us get a little impatient. --Pete

Great timing. Look at the top of the page (refresh browser).

Now a requirements question.
Should a guest user be able to determine that I've made 56 posts that are for "members only"?
Should they see 686 or 630?

A guest will see 630 and have no idea of anything else you may have done.

[petrico]

It's coming along great, LadyGeek. Thanks for all your time and effort. I guess some of us get a little impatient. --Pete

Great timing. Look at the top of the page (refresh browser).

That's excellent!

Looks like several other important additions just below the banner also. We got paint on the walls just in time for the furniture to arrive.

--Pete

[bdpb]

Now a requirements question.
Should a guest user be able to determine that I've made 56 posts that are for "members only"?
Should they see 686 or 630?

A guest will see 630 and have no idea of anything else you may have done.

I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't clear enough. When viewing posts, a guest user sees 686 in
the author's information (Posts:, Location:, etc.) area.

[LadyGeek]

OK, let's take this a little slower. Logout and be sure you see the "Register" and "Login" links at the top right corner, which means you are really logged out.

Try to find the "Members" list in the forum header - it's not there. There's no way for guest to access the member list. However, I saved the link. When I pasted it back into the browser, I was presented with a login screen. So, there's no way a guest could see your (now) 689 posts. If you figured out how to do this as a guest, I'd be interested to know the technique.

This software can be difficult at times to understand; if this description helped straighten anything out, it's not a problem.

[bdpb]

OK, let's take this a little slower. Logout and be sure you see the "Register" and "Login" links at the top right corner, which means you are really logged out.

Try to find the "Members" list in the forum header - it's not there. There's no way for guest to access the member list. However, I saved the link. When I pasted it back into the browser, I was presented with a login screen. So, there's no way a guest could see your (now) 689 posts. If you figured out how to do this as a guest, I'd be interested to know the technique.

This software can be difficult at times to understand; if this description helped straighten anything out, it's not a problem.

I'm not logged in when I read posts. I didn't say a guest could see my 689 posts. I said a guest could see that I have
made 689 posts. This info is displayed in the author's info area to one side or other of all posts when viewed as
a guest user.

[LadyGeek]

I'm not logged in when I read posts. I didn't say a guest could see my 689 posts. I said a guest could see that I have
made 689 posts. This info is displayed in the author's info area to one side or other of all posts when viewed as
a guest user.

OK, my mistake. I didn't get the "info is displayed in the author's info area to one side" intention. I checked against this thread and see what you mean. Good point, but I don't have an answer for this - it's what the software does.

[bdpb]

I'm not logged in when I read posts. I didn't say a guest could see my 689 posts. I said a guest could see that I have
made 689 posts. This info is displayed in the author's info area to one side or other of all posts when viewed as
a guest user.

OK, my mistake. I didn't get the "info is displayed in the author's info area to one side" intention. I checked against this thread and see what you mean. Good point, but I don't have an answer for this - it's what the software does.

That's why I stated it as a "requirements" question.

Many thanks for all your efforts around here.

[livesoft]

Many thanks for the improved search on the forum. I'm glad it didn't take too long to get implemented. Thanks!