Searching the Forum

[withnail]

I am about to post a question on the forum to get some advice from the many old hands we have here, but thought I better do a quick search first, just to check it hadn't been asked before. I used the search term "Tar" and was rather surprised by the results I got back. Any post that contained the word "start" and any other word that contains the letters T, A & R!
Is there any better way of search previous posts to avoid asking the same question again?

 

[schmitzbitz]

Unfortunately, I can't help you with searching existing posts, but there is a very underused function that will make all future searches easier if people would just start using it. Perhaps try searching through members who have posted in the thread? Click into their name, and look under activity.
When creating a new thread, there is a box to imput "Tags". These tags will return the forum search. So, for example, tag a thread about Medico Varsity line pipes "Medico; Varsity; Pipe;", and a search for any of those three words will return said thread.

Now, if you click into an old thread, and think you may want to revisit it in the future, check above the title bar. If there are no tags listed (or the ones that are make no sense) beside the "Search Box" above the title on the left, then add some via the "Add" box on the right.

 

[olderthandirt]

At the bottom of the search results page you will see a link titled "You may also try your search at Google"

I've found that this is the only way to get a successful search of the forum!

 

[withnail]

Thanks for the information. Thinking about it, I have found old threads on this forum by "accident" when searching for general info on Google. I try and use tags on new posts that are likely to contain stuff that other people will want to reference in the future.

 

[olderthandirt]

Just now, using Google to search the forum for "tar" returns large number of relevant posts, unlike what comes back with the forums search engine.

 

[withnail]

Cheers OTD - I shall have a look through them and see if I can find a cause for the build up

 

[withnail]

LOL - I also did a search from the Google home page and I guess "Black Tar" has some other meanings! Amongst the pages suggested was one that advised against smoking heroin from aluminium foil as the foil could add dangerous chemicals to the smoke!!! Live and learn

 

[hobie1dog]

I'm on more forums than I need to be on, and the search engine on here is the poorest one I've ever used. I can't find crap when I need it. :crying:

 

[brewshooter]

Amongst the pages suggested was one that advised against smoking heroin from aluminium foil as the foil could add dangerous chemicals to the smoke!!!

Good advice that!

 

[admin]

Parts of this website are held together by bubble gum and duct tape, and parts of it work by a squirrel running on a wheel.
Until that improves, here's my suggestion for finding stuff. Use the Google Advanced search feature, where you can tell it to only search within a domain.
For example, if you wanted to search for G. L. Pease in the forums, the advanced search would look like this.

To get to the advanced search, you have to do a regular search first. When you get the results page, scroll to the bottom to find the Advanced Search link, then put the url of the forums in the "Search within a site or domain:" field at the bottom.
That's what I do.

 

[withnail]

Thanks for the tip Kevin. I did try using the "Search using Google" option that comes up at the bottom of the results page when you use the site search. From that I discovered the format to use to do a site search from the Google home page.
site:http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/ what you want to search for.
Saves having to do a search first

 

[cyndi]

I do what withnail does. ^^ I just put the search terrms first and the pm.com URL after.
And lol about the black tar! As soon as I saw that I went "oh, that's so much more dangerous than white powder heroin!"