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Mike Irwin
December 14, 2001, 03:18 PM
Is there any way to search for a specific posting made on a specific date by a specific user?

In other words, I'd like to punch in a member's name and a specific date, and come back with all posts made by that member on that date.

If there is, I'm missing it.

Mal H
December 14, 2001, 07:23 PM
The answers are: no and you're not. No, that is, from an end users viewpoint. I'm sure you could do what you wish with a simple SQL query string if you had access to the raw DB.

Mike Irwin
December 14, 2001, 10:24 PM
SQL?

DB?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHH!

WORK ACRONYMS ARE CREEPING INTO MY HOBBIES!

TheBluesMan
December 14, 2001, 11:30 PM
Actually there's a way to get you very close to your desired destination...

1. Click the Search button
2. Enter the user's name. Be sure that the "Match exact name" option is selected.
3. Limit the search to one forum if possible. Be sure that the "Show results as posts" option is selected.
4. Select the time frame for the search. Use the "and newer" and the "and older" options to further define the time frame.
5. Hit the "Perform Search" button.

I don't know if this will work, but here's an example: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=139084&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending

This is a search I ran of all posts by Mike Irwin that are in the S,Q&F forum and are more than a year old. They are listed in decending order by the date of the post. If there are multiple pages, (there aren't in this case) you can jump ahead to the exact month or day you seek by clicking on page 2 or "next page." On the results page you will get a preview of the post by the member for whom you are searching. You will also have the option of choosing to be taken to the thread or the exact post within the thread from that results page.

This ought to at least get you within spittin' distance of where you want to go.

Please note that this type of searching is very resource intensive. Please use it sparingly if possible.

HTH! :)

-Dave

Mal H
December 14, 2001, 11:44 PM
Dave, I'm not sure that really does what Mike was asking for. Your example gives threads over a 6 month period. That's not exactly the single date type of search he was looking for.

Also you say "Use the "and newer" and the "and older" options ...". That selector is of the radio button type, one or the other, not both. Can you clarify what you meant by the statement?

TheBluesMan
December 14, 2001, 11:58 PM
I should have written "or" instead.

4. Select the time frame for the search. Use the "and newer" OR the "and older" options to further define the time frame.

Meaning that you can limit your search to a specified time frame just to take some of the load off of the search function. You are correct that it doesn't do what Mike was hoping, but it's close.

(And yes, I know all about horseshoes and handgrenades) ;)

Mike Irwin
December 15, 2001, 05:33 PM
Blues,

Unfortunatly, I can't remember in which forum I posted the message, but for some weird reason I can remember the date on which it was posted, or at least a 3 to 5 day period in which it was posted.

But, I think your method, with some keyword massaging, will get me a lot closer.

Thanks for the suggestions.

C.R.Sam
December 15, 2001, 08:16 PM
Mike......Blues system works pretty well. If havin to search all forums will take a little longer since you will show a lot of pages but still only a few minutes to get the date wanted.

What the date ?.....me try.

Sam

Mike Irwin
December 16, 2001, 01:38 AM
Thanks, Sam, but I'll track it down.