Help with forum searching

wileybelch · August 25, 2012, 06:15 AM

I could use some suggestions for proper searching of the forums. For example, how would you set up a search to locate all threads dealing with 10 gauge shotshell loads using black powder? If the originator of a thread does not include any tags, does The Firing Line add something automatically to the tag field?

**Mike Irwin** · August 25, 2012, 08:42 AM

I think your best bert its going to be to use a google directed search of the site, not the vbulletin search feature.

I can't remember exactly how to search TFL using google, but you should be able to google how to do that.

**Mal H** · August 25, 2012, 11:43 AM

Mike's right - for more complicated searches (that's more than 2 words), although it's far better than it used to be here, it's still best to use Google.

Just start off your Google search with "site:thefiringline.com", and only threads and posts from this site will be included in the results.

wileybelch · August 26, 2012, 06:17 AM

Thanks, Mal...
Just to clarify, be sure to follow the site:thefiringline.com entry with a 'space' before entering the terms you want to search on (any other character will confuse the site name to Google). In my case, I wanted to search on 10 gauge, but that returned everything containing '10' and 'gauge'. So you have to use the classical literal form by enclosing the mixed term in quotation marks like this: "10 gauge", which will return ONLY those items that contain the literal 10 gauge entries. Despite the extra effort of going through Google, this search tactic works better than the search form on The Firing Line.

**Mal H** · August 26, 2012, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Just to clarify, be sure to follow the site:thefiringline.com entry with a 'space' before entering the terms you want to search on ...

Well, yeah. Any other character following that string and ".com" is no longer ".com".

August 25, 2012, 06:15 AM	#1
wileybelch Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Posts: 115	Help with forum searching I could use some suggestions for proper searching of the forums. For example, how would you set up a search to locate all threads dealing with 10 gauge shotshell loads using black powder? If the originator of a thread does not include any tags, does The Firing Line add something automatically to the tag field?

August 25, 2012, 08:42 AM	#2
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	I think your best bert its going to be to use a google directed search of the site, not the vbulletin search feature. I can't remember exactly how to search TFL using google, but you should be able to google how to do that. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

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August 25, 2012, 11:43 AM	#3
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Mike's right - for more complicated searches (that's more than 2 words), although it's far better than it used to be here, it's still best to use Google. Just start off your Google search with "site:thefiringline.com", and only threads and posts from this site will be included in the results.

August 26, 2012, 06:17 AM	#4
wileybelch Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Posts: 115	Thanks, Mal... Just to clarify, be sure to follow the site:thefiringline.com entry with a 'space' before entering the terms you want to search on (any other character will confuse the site name to Google). In my case, I wanted to search on 10 gauge, but that returned everything containing '10' and 'gauge'. So you have to use the classical literal form by enclosing the mixed term in quotation marks like this: "10 gauge", which will return ONLY those items that contain the literal 10 gauge entries. Despite the extra effort of going through Google, this search tactic works better than the search form on The Firing Line.