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The Search Function

Improving (and sorting) Your Results

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#1 Carbon

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 04:02 PM

The search engine on NerfHaven is very good...if you play around with it. There are a few methods which aren't talked about much which have always adjusted my results from nothing to a screenful, so I thought I'd run through the entire search screen and give a preview.

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1. Pretty self explanitory. However, Google it's not: operands such as AND, OR and "" don't affect your results. However, it will search word fragments: a search for AT2k will also bring up posts that have, for example AT2ks (plural) in it...but they won't be highlighted. In cases like that, you can just juse your browser's search function (control/command-F) to smoke them out.

Also, something to keep in mind: you're searching posts, not whole threads. A thread may contain the words endcap, PVC and AT2k, but if one single post doesn't, you'll get no results.

2. You can filter results based on who said your keywords. This is an AND function: your keywords will be in the posts of who you chose. This can be more or less useful depending on how you display your results (which we'll talk about in #7). Depending on how results are displayed, you'll get threads which don't immediately show who you were looking for.

2a. Remember how keywords can search inside of words? You can turn that function off for names. Click on "Match exact name" and it'll search by exactly what you typed. With it off, a search for user "car" would return Carbon and Carrtoon, among others. Of course, if you know you're typing an exact user name, you'll get the same result as having it checked...since usernames are unique.

3. You can filter your results in this window. If you're searching for information on how to build a SNAP, for example, there's no reason reason to search in Modifications. Highlight Homemades, and you're done. You can also Control-click (Command-click on a Mac) to select multiple forums.

3a. ...doesn't seem to do much. We don't have child forums here (nested forums), so it won't affect your results (at least, not from what I've seen).

4. Tell the search if you want results going forward in time, or back. The dropdown menu is this:
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So, if you know that what you're looking for is older, you can filter out your results.

Having "older" or "newer" selected really shouldn't make a difference if you choose "any date", but it sometimes seems to (at least, it has for me). Play around with this area if you aren't finding anything, and you've checked over your keywords.

5. Pretty self explanitory. Do you want to look in the whole post, or just titles? If you want a specific thread about something, just search the title. Otherwise, you may end up with a random comment in an unrelated thread. If you're looking for something specific, try searching titles first, and then get broader from there.

6. Sort it up or down. Here's the dropdown with what you're sorting up or down:
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The useful one here is "poster name". If you're looking for a thread from a certain person, this will organize all the threads by name, in alphabetical order.

7. This is useful depending on what you're looking for. If you're looking for someone saying something in an unrelated thread, viewing your results as posts will pull those posts out of their related threads, and show them in a row. However, you're not seeing them in the context of their threads. Showing results as threads will show you titles, but you may not see who (or what) you're looking for by glancing down the list.

This is useful in conjuction with 2. Say you're looking for information from Boltsniper about the FAR. You can search for keyword FAR, filter by Boltsniper, and then sort your results by poster name. You'll get every thread created by Boltsniper where he mentions the FAR, all grouped together.

8. Frost Vectron pointed out this tip: If you come across a multiple page thread that has the word(s) you're looking for, you can use the "Search Topic" option found at the bottom of each thread, just after the last post. Put your keywords in here, and NH will bring up the posts with the keywords you put in. It makes pin-pointing things in multi-paged threads much easier.
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Ending notes:
Play with your keywords. Remember, you're searching each post, or just the title of the post. If you're not finding anything, try being more general.

Experiment. There are many ways to sort and display your results to ferret out what you're looking for. If you end up with a list of threads that don't seem to apply, remember that someone mentioned what you're looking for in there, somewhere. Turn it to post view and find it.

Turning it over to the 'Haven: what pearls of searching wisdom do you have? Also, this is based on my experience: if something here is wrong, please correct me.

Edited by Carbon, 17 June 2007 - 07:40 AM.

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Hello. I am Indigo of the Rainbow Clan. You Nerfed my father. Prepare to die.

#2 nerfboi

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 04:18 PM

This very very detailed and well written. Great jod Carbon.
PS. this should be sticked <_<
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#3 monkey with a nf

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 04:25 PM

This is very nice. Now, we have somewhere (besides the mods directory) to point noobs who ask "how do u mod a nf?????".
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QUOTE(Pineapple @ Sep 12 2007, 03:13 PM) View Post

For maximum efficiency?


1. Pump up. Count how many pumps.

2. Keep going until you hear a loud "bang".

3. Subtract one pump from the total. Rebuild your air bladder.


There you go.

#4 chefdave

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 04:28 PM

Nice Carbon, too many people ask too many questions before searching.
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QUOTE(VACC @ Jul 21 2009, 08:13 PM) View Post
QUOTE(crispy) View Post

Talio likes to eat his own shit.
It's a distinct possibility. But seriously, that's all you could come up with? You are a terrible Troll.

#5 Cennipe

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 05:11 PM

Wow, this is great and very usefull. You outlined some features that I didn't even know were there.
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"Man, a being in search of meaning" Pluto

My user name is pronounced "eat shit." I know that losing is looked down apon in nerf, but, what ever.

#6 Ronster

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 07:25 PM

Wait a minute...you use a Mac???

Noob.
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QUOTE(baghead @ Oct 25 2006, 09:55 AM) View Post
Ronster reminded me that I should have warned you all Prepare your Bladder for Imminent Release!!!!

#7 six-five-two

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 07:37 PM

Wait a minute...you use a Mac???

Noob.


Yeah I was like "a Mac? Nooo!"

Still a good tutorial and should be stickied.
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#8 Prometheus

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 07:55 PM

Thank God. Finally there is no excuse for recruits to not know how to search. Also, glad you're using a MAC. Pave the way to better processing. You using an Intel processor, or older model?
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QUOTE(VACC @ Jan 24 2008, 06:12 AM) View Post
I am NEVER going to sleep naked in the bed of a former child star ever again....seriously

#9 Carbon

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 07:56 PM

Yup, just got an Intel iMac, 20". It replaced an ancient G4 tower (which I now use as a server).

Wait a minute...you use a Mac???

Noob.


I've been using computers longer than you've been alive.

Edited by Carbon, 16 June 2007 - 08:01 PM.

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Hello. I am Indigo of the Rainbow Clan. You Nerfed my father. Prepare to die.

#10 Prometheus

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 08:04 PM

Yup, just got an Intel iMac, 20". It replaced an ancient G4 tower (which I now use as a server).

Wait a minute...you use a Mac???

Noob.


I've been using computers longer than you've been alive.



That, my friend, is bitchin'. I'm not sure what one I'm getting for University next year, the Mac Pro I wanted to get was gonna clock in at $4200. Without monitor. But, all aside, good purchase.
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QUOTE(VACC @ Jan 24 2008, 06:12 AM) View Post
I am NEVER going to sleep naked in the bed of a former child star ever again....seriously

#11 Team Slaya

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Posted 16 June 2007 - 09:10 PM

Don't worry about him, Carbon, that kid wouldn't know a motherboard from his own maternal unit. :lol:

But very nice, I enjoyed this. Got a laugh out of it, not because it was bad, but because of how much we need it. Good to see you're putting in time for the good of the forum. Points to you, sir. :D

TS
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#12 frost vectron

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Posted 17 June 2007 - 06:19 AM

Great post! If you don't mind, I have something else to add:

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8. If you come across an eight page thread that has the word(s) you're looking for, you can use the "Search Topic" option found at the bottom of each thread, just after the last post. Put your keywords in here, and NH will bring up the posts with the keywords you put in. It makes pin-pointing things in multi-paged threads much easier.

Edited by frost vectron, 17 June 2007 - 06:19 AM.

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#13 Carbon

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Posted 17 June 2007 - 07:30 AM

Wow...I never even noticed that was there, frost. I'll add that into the main post. Thanks!
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Hello. I am Indigo of the Rainbow Clan. You Nerfed my father. Prepare to die.

#14 Pineapple

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Posted 17 June 2007 - 11:50 AM

This, people, is why our Contributors are Contributors.

*stickied* And, hopefully, utilized by all who don't know.



And no more arguments about Mac vs. PC. I have both, and they do what they were designed to do just fine. It is a matter of personal preference, among other trivial details that we'll consider minutiae.



Shit, for those who don't know;

mi·nu·ti·a /mɪˈnuʃiə, -ʃə, -ˈnyu-/ Spelled Pronunciation[mi-noo-shee-uh, -shuh, -nyoo-]

–noun, plural -ti·ae /-ʃiˌi/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[-shee-ee]

Usually, minutiae.

"precise details; small or trifling matters: the minutiae of his craft."


That's your NerfHaven vocabulary expansion word for the day.


-Piney-
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-Piney- of White Dog Hobbies Armory


<!--quoteo(post=209846:date=Feb 5 2009, 06:27 PM:name=boom)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(boom @ Feb 5 2009, 06:27 PM) View Post</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
It's to bad you live in hawaii I bet there are not many wars there.Wait what am I saying<b> you live in hawaii you lucky bastard.</b>
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#15 Cennipe

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Posted 25 January 2008 - 11:25 PM

The way to use google to search The Haven, (or any other site) is "site:nerfhaven.com" minus the quotes of course. Then type what you need. It will have normal google results, except only on Nerf Haven. I find this very helpful lookinf for stuff on The High Road or Rim Fire Centarl.

Hope this helps.
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"Man, a being in search of meaning" Pluto

My user name is pronounced "eat shit." I know that losing is looked down apon in nerf, but, what ever.


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