Can we get a search tool that does exact matches?

[Dan Hintz]

I don't know if it's a relatively easy switch to throw or a major rework that's simply not possible, but I'd love to have the ability to search on a phrase rather than individual words.

For example, if I type bench foot, I get every thread that includes either of those terms. What if I want only threads that include both terms? This is even worse when the key words are only three letters, like hot[/u] or [b]pin... it simply won't search on those at all. But I should have no problem searching for "hot pin" as a complete phrase, using the quotes to specify I want these words exactly as typed and in that order next to each other.

[John Fabre]

Some places (forums) you type bench + foot and it searches exactly the phrase typed, I never tried it here. You add the plus sign between words as many as you want to search.

[Derek Gilmer]

When I put phrases in quotes I get exact matches only. "hot pin" gets much fewer results than hot pin.

[Prashun Patel]

Put the search term in quotes. It'll find the phrase only.

I just tried and it seemed to work.

[Dan Hintz]

Then something is off, because I tried the quotes before starting this thread... it was a phrase I knew existed in a thread I read earlier this morning, but it came up empty. Hmmmm....

[Derek Gilmer]

Maybe the google index updates at night or some weird time? I just searched for "earlier this morning" and this thread did not come up.

[Dan Hintz]

Okay, so it's not just me,then...

[Jim Koepke]

Okay, so it's not just me,then...

No, it is not.

Since the latest update of the site the search feature has gone rouge. The search used to be able to get me to threads I was looking for quite easily. Now sometimes it will show the thread I want in the search results, but when it is selected it will take me to the forum list page that does not have the thread that is being searched.

There was another thread just recently about weird search problems. I have not tried any searches recently to see if anything has changed since then.

In the world of technology it is beyond me as to why software creators get the idea that 3 letter words are too short to use in a search or that people will not want to do one thing or another.

jtk

[Derek Gilmer]

No, it is not.

Since the latest update of the site the search feature has gone rouge.

Maybe it decided to resign its duties for the good of the forum while courting a career searching larger sites? :)

[Bill Edwards(2)]

go to google and enter:


site:sawmillcreek.org +"bench foot"

[Aaron Koehl]

The search box in the upper right hand corner IS a Google search. Google reindexes SawmillCreek just about daily.
To search on a phrase, use quotes.

The built-in vBulletin search functionality can be accessed by clicking "Advanced Search". I think the Google search tends to be better.