Hey Fred... there two types of searches I find myself often wanting to do but that are impossible as the site is designed. We can search on "topic" which means the word must appear in the topic line of the thread. That can be useful but it is a rather blunt instrument. Often I find myself wanting to search on username but that feature doesn't exist. If I stumble on that user I can access his or her profile but I can't search for the person. Going back through multiple pages to find a person is frustrating, especially if the person is not active at the moment. Having a search function that includes username would help. It might also be useful to have a directory of users. That would provide even more direct access to folks we're seeking. That could include both username and actual name...
Even more useful would be a search function WITHIN threads that will permit keyword searching. This is especially so in longer threads. In the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread, for example, those who post photos generally note the lens used. For anyone curious about a particular lens, being able to search WIHTIN the thread by lens would permit them to see how it performs. I can't help but believe quite a number of members would find this feature helpful.
So how about a couple of new features Fred? This is certainly the pre-eminent photography site on the Web, but it can always be made even better...
DanBrown wrote:
If you click on the drop down menu that says "Topic Subject," the last option is "Poster Username." The other option is "message body."
As Dan wrote, there are 3 search options: Topic, Message and Username. Our search code was designed for speed. We have over 12 years of content and every single thread or post can be found in your search engine.
Try the drop-down options and search variables including "Archives".
Now, search for a keyword "within a thread" is a great idea and is in your list of future upgrades.
We are constantly updating our code.
Fred
I often find it's just as easy to use Google to search the site. It is very powerful, particularly when using the advanced search operators.
For example, in Google:
site:fredmiranda.com search words
Then in the results list that Google gives you, you can use the Search Tools to further refine the search, limiting it to only recent posts or posts between certain dates, for example.
If you use Firefox as your browser, I also suggest checking out the "Googlebar Lite" add-on for the browser. It makes a search box always available, it has a "search this site" button so you don't have to type the "site:fredmiranda.com", and it puts the search terms at the top of the page so when you get to the page you want you can just click on the words and it will take you to that place on the page.
Slightly off topic, but I occasionally find Google Alerts handy, too. Google will email you when it finds your search terms.
Clearly, I need to learn the site a bit better... I'll check out the features both Dan and you mention Fred. And we will love the search within a thread feature when it is up and running. I hope you'll have an announcement so we can pat you on the back... Yes, you're doing a fantastic job with this website. Thanks for all your hard work!
I'll check out the features both Dan and you mention Fred. And we will love the search within a thread feature when it is up and running. I hope you'll have an announcement so we can pat you on the back...