Author Topic: I think we need a better search engine.  (Read 7528 times)

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Offline fb39ca4

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I think we need a better search engine.
« on: February 22, 2011, 03:49:16 pm »
Just now, I was looking for the TNOC thread. I typed "tnoc" into the search box and nothing came up ??? Maybe we could use google custom search or something.

Offline JosJuice

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2011, 03:52:20 pm »
Yes, I agree that it can be hard to find information using search. A better search would be nice, but I have no idea if it's hard to implement...

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2011, 03:52:49 pm »
From where did you search? If you are in site feedback sections and search for TNOC, it will only search through these 2 sections. You need to be on the board index to search all sections, or you have to use Advanced search (click the magnifier icon).

That said I never liked SMF search engine, though. Nothing that can be done, but I never figured out how to set it up so results are as relevant as possible.

Offline fb39ca4

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2011, 04:17:48 pm »
Oh, I get it. We should have two search buttons, one for the current forum section and one for the whole forum.

Offline Darl181

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2011, 09:39:32 pm »
Or it could tell you which part of the forum you're searching.
Another idea would be to have search in its own page, like the reply page or something.  From that page, one can select options such as which boards to search and stuff like that.
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Offline Deep Toaster

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2011, 09:42:11 pm »




Offline Darl181

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2011, 09:46:33 pm »
[flashback to quick modify]
Look at the magnifying glass...
http://www.omnimaga.org/index.php?action=search;advanced
O.O
* Darl181 goes off to try to find other half-hidden icons
« Last Edit: February 22, 2011, 09:59:42 pm by Darl181 »
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Offline ruler501

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2011, 09:53:57 pm »
I think the bars at the top need a reformat on this site. i believe this site is set up wonderfully but with a few changes the navigation might become simpler and easier.
I currently don't do much, but I am a developer for a game you should totally try out called AssaultCube Reloaded download here https://assaultcuber.codeplex.com/
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GCM/CS/M/S d- s++: a---- C++ UL++ P+ L++ E---- W++ N o? K- w-- o? !M V?
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Offline fb39ca4

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2011, 09:57:06 pm »
I agree. Also, some of the links on the right hand side of the main page need to be updated, with many of the forum sections being restructured.

Offline ruler501

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2011, 09:58:51 pm »
I hope this happens to make this site even more amazing than it already is (If that is possible:)) This site is truthfully wonderful especially if you add in how wonderful the community is.
I currently don't do much, but I am a developer for a game you should totally try out called AssaultCube Reloaded download here https://assaultcuber.codeplex.com/
-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.1
GCM/CS/M/S d- s++: a---- C++ UL++ P+ L++ E---- W++ N o? K- w-- o? !M V?
PS+ PE+ Y+ PGP++ t 5? X R tv-- b+++ DI+ D+ G++ e- h! !r y

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2011, 11:05:27 pm »
Yeah I just don't know how to setup the top navbar really. The issue is that I try to make the site run in 1024 pixels width, so if I add too many links the bar will look screwy. Initially I was gonna put 2 bars, but I discovered it was beyond my PHP/CSS knowledge.

I think the IRC link is redundant, though, since later we added OmnomIRC anyway.

If I knew how, I would just stuff some links in the light blue bar above, which barely has anything.

That said, the advanced search link icon needs to be changed to something saying advanced search and the front page needs to have some extra links. X.x
« Last Edit: February 22, 2011, 11:08:23 pm by DJ_O »

Offline ztrumpet

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2011, 11:37:47 pm »
That said, the advanced search link icon needs to be changed to something saying advanced search and the front page needs to have some extra links. X.x
Maybe it could say just "Custom" instead of "Advanced Search" to save width. :)

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2011, 11:47:13 pm »
Probably. One thing is that I do not want to change too many things either, however, as I will have 6 themes to edit one by one.

Also a sidebar is out of the question, since EzPortal doesn't support that on forum pages (the forum will appear below everything.)

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2011, 09:25:28 pm »
Guys,

In the search settings, there's a weight setting that was a bit confusing with the settings in the first part of this page: http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Search_(admin)

Everything was set to 50, meaning equal for all. I decided to change the age of the last matching message so it has priority (2), then set subject title to lower and everything else was set to 0.

I wonder if it will help the relevancy of search results? Note that the board will still search from the part you're in, though, not parent folders.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2011, 09:28:31 pm by DJ_O »

Offline Munchor

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Re: I think we need a better search engine.
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2011, 02:23:28 am »
Just now, I was looking for the TNOC thread. I typed "tnoc" into the search box and nothing came up ??? Maybe we could use google custom search or something.

I actually find the current one quite good, the 'Revise Search' can help sometimes, but changing to a better one would always be good.