Search isn't searchin' so well anymore

Mark_Everson · December 16, 2002, 21:46

Hi All:

I'm having some problems with searching the Clash forums. We have numerous times discussed issues that should have the string "time scale" in the threads.

I searched in the Clash forum only, with time setting anytime, on the string "time scale" and only got a few very recent threads. As an example of things it should have found but didn't, it failed to find that string in the third quote block of the first post in the A changing game turn length thread. In that block it says:

Quote:

I think FE we can leave the player in control of the time scale as you suggest, so you can have "realistic" wars. But they'd have to be infrequent, or you'd never be able to finish the game!

I'm sure I could find by hand several other threads the search is failing to find. Any wisdom on a workaround?

PS, someone should vote for me as outstanding mod, or my itty bitty feelings will be hurt.

Thanks in advance,

ixnay · December 16, 2002, 21:48

I believe they reworked the search index to try and save the server under the hight ptw load a month or so ago. Some threads are not indexed. I would think that it would be a good idea to fix this soon.

Mark_Everson · December 16, 2002, 22:32

Thanks ixnay, now that you mention it I recall reading something about that a ways back. . .

Straybow · December 19, 2002, 00:36

vBulletin search never has been able to find its ass with both hands tied behind its back…

Mark_Everson · December 19, 2002, 22:45

Hey Straybow:

Yeah, but its tactile - posterior identification capability has declined radically since the summer. . . I think Saddam H. is clearly to blame.

Apocalypse · December 20, 2002, 01:27

The search use to be fairly good. Frequently I'd search for my name to see who was talking about me in forums I don't normally go it. Someone suggested we all do it, or called people who did it vain. I forget. Anyway, I thought it was a good idea so I started doing it.

ixnay · December 20, 2002, 02:48

I do that on all forums that I visit.

DrSpike · December 20, 2002, 11:54

It's like self-googling........always happens within the academic community anyway.

Apocalypse · December 20, 2002, 14:31

Yes, I am the second most famous Will Moeller according to Google. I just have to beat out this college basketball player, which shouldn't be too hard.

MarkG · December 20, 2002, 14:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Apocalypse
Yes, I am the second most famous Will Moeller according to Google.

i'm the most close thing of the world you can get to a real Giannopoulos

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=...Froogle+Search

H Tower · December 20, 2002, 14:50

you're obssessed with froogle mark, did you know that?

spartak · December 22, 2002, 03:43

Did you know that if you searched for Ming and Case Closed you get only 22 results.

The search is clearly broken.

Dis · December 24, 2002, 05:21

I'm trying to find an old off-topic thread from a few months ago. Only 2 results.

Anyone know if the search feature is going to be fixed?

spartak · December 24, 2002, 05:48

No idea - I think its a bandwidth saving issue so it might be never.

Sirotnikov · December 25, 2002, 17:44

Mark, in my endless ME threads I had to find some quote by Cybergnu.

I was eventually forced to find the quote manually, going over hundreds of pages on dozens of ME threads in the recent 6 months.

Why?

Because the earliest threads the search would show were from the end of October.

The post I wanted appeared finally in the early middle of october.

Argh.

Mark_Everson · December 28, 2002, 21:30

Markos:

I am in talks to potentially merge Clash and another java-based civ project. If we do that, and it is looking reasonably likely at this point, having the search capabilities going back more than a few months would be Extremely valuable.

Is there any way you could make the search function be able to search all the way back, as it was before? I haven't been noticing big slowdowns with the site or anything. If you can't do it globally because of processor power concerns, can you at least do it for the Clash forum if possible? Pretty please

Thanks,

Mark

Hercules · December 29, 2002, 22:31

I half know what you are talking about so will come back again

Heresson · January 1, 2003, 10:23

I agree. It does not. I asked Ming about it. Got no reply.

spartak · January 1, 2003, 14:01

Ming is probably busy right now.

Heresson · January 1, 2003, 14:24

Hopefully he'll find some time to explain the thing

spartak · January 1, 2003, 14:28

He looks to be otherwise occupied.

Panag · January 1, 2003, 14:55

hi ,

Mark , on several times today the search would not show pages behind page number nine

please do something

have a nice day

MarkG · January 1, 2003, 14:59

Quote:

on several times today the search would not show pages behind page number nine

you mean that you did not get more than 9 pages of search results?

Quote:

Is there any way you could make the search function be able to search all the way back, as it was before? I haven't been noticing big slowdowns with the site or anything. If you can't do it globally because of processor power concerns, can you at least do it for the Clash forum if possible?

i 'll give it a try

MarkG · January 1, 2003, 15:18

Quote:

in my endless ME threads I had to find some quote by Cybergnu.

you could also try searching for just the posts of cybergnu, from the links in his posts and profile page

Panag · January 1, 2003, 15:34

Quote:

Originally posted by MarkG

Quote:

on several times today the search would not show pages behind page number nine

you mean that you did not get more than 9 pages of search results?

Quote:

Is there any way you could make the search function be able to search all the way back, as it was before? I haven't been noticing big slowdowns with the site or anything. If you can't do it globally because of processor power concerns, can you at least do it for the Clash forum if possible?

i 'll give it a try

hi ,

yes , no more then nine , everytime you tried to go to page ten it could not find it , not even the last page , ....

the "+" had some troubles also , even the wild card

snif , snif , this is a very sad day , snif , snif , ....

for some reason or the other the server gave several time-outs also , well maybe its just that with the new year traffic is very high and such and shall the problem go away in a couple of days , ....? lets hope so

the benefit of having you and Dan on this site is that the two of you always find a solution , sooner rather then later

have a nice day

Mark_Everson · January 3, 2003, 09:01

Quote:

Originally posted by MarkG

Quote:

Is there any way you could make the search function be able to search all the way back, as it was before? I haven't been noticing big slowdowns with the site or anything. If you can't do it globally because of processor power concerns, can you at least do it for the Clash forum if possible?

i 'll give it a try

Thanks Markos!

Mark_Everson · January 28, 2003, 22:32

Markos, any luck on the search function restoration for Clash?

It is Really screwing up our effectiveness needing to search by hand for threads that are more than a few months old.

Anything you can to to help out would be Very appreciated

MarkG · January 29, 2003, 04:15

mark sorry for the delay

as i suggested for cybergnu before, try searching for your own posts(without any other criteria)
http://apolyton.net/forums/search.ph...ser&userid=834
the results go back to 1999

Mark_Everson · January 29, 2003, 21:27

Quote:

Originally posted by MarkG
mark sorry for the delay

as i suggested for cybergnu before, try searching for your own posts(without any other criteria)
http://apolyton.net/forums/search.ph...ser&userid=834
the results go back to 1999

NP on the delay Markos, but your suggestion is of no help whatsoever. I have literally thousands of posts on the Clash Forum. Basically that would reduce to what I am doing now, which is searching thread titles by hand and Hoping to find what I'm looking for before I decide its not worth any further time investment.

Know of any search engines that allow searches restricted by url? I may be reduced to that. . .

MarkG · January 30, 2003, 03:53

google can search in only a domain, but it hasnt scanned our forums correctly(only a few thousand threads)

give it a try
http://apolyton.net/search.php
(it's google searching only apolyton. this is also available in the search boxes on forum pages, in the "Apolyton" option)