Archive Search Help

[Larry M.]

Hello,

I needed to find a December 2, 2017 thread started by Roger Dupler and titled '1972 Coil Condensor. Quick Question'.

At the time I was looking, I did not know the date, author or title, so I did an 'advanced search' using terms that I thought might have been used in the thread, but was not brought to it. I eventually found it by paging through the forum until I found it on page 16.

At that point, knowing the thread title, I went back to square one, and performed another 'advanced search' using '1972 coil condenser', but that thread still was not returned as a result.

If a search using a majority of the terms in the exact thread title did not find it, what sort of search terms should be used for future searches to return correct results? (This question is not being asked sarcastically; I would like to learn how to better use the search feature)

Thanks,
Larry

[Don H.]

Re: Archive Search Help

Larry
one way to make a very quick search for such a thread is to use the tiny blue sorting icon 70-72 that most posters will put on their post when they launch such a thread. Just find any thread with that icon and click on the icon. That will result in all threads listed with that icon. I just did it and found the thread you want in last place on Page 1. In about 3 seconds.

[Larry M.]

Re: Archive Search Help

Don,

Thanks very much; I had no idea that feature existed. I can see the value of selecting an icon when making a post.

In the event that a thread was started without using an icon, are there any search term suggestions, for instance in Roger's post, that might have let me find it?

Larry

[Don H.]

Re: Archive Search Help

Larry
did you enter the terms of the thread title with and in between each, such as coil and condenser and 1972 ?
that method will usually yield results. These tips can be found under How to Search under the FAQ link in the tiny tool bar above.

[Larry M.]

Re: Archive Search Help

Don,

Thanks again; I will go through the FAQ link as you suggest.

Larry

[Don H.]

Re: Archive Search Help

my pleasure sir,
expect to hear from some of the wizards around here, like Jack Morocco and Rich Mozzetta with more tips on searching.
Its not hard, once you know the little tricks. Use the sort icon trick first.

[Larry M.]

Re: Archive Search Help

Ah - I see what works:
1972 and coil and condenser - does not work.

'1972 and coil and condenser' - does not work.

'1972' and 'coil' and 'condensor' - works.

'1972' 'coil' 'condensor' - works.

[Don H.]

Re: Archive Search Help

you learn fast, and I need to learn to spelllllllll.
thanks!

[Larry M.]

Re: Archive Search Help

Heh - I hadn't realized I screwed up the spelling, either!