Searching the Archives

[jscheuer1]

Any time that you are looking for an answer to a question here at the forums, you really should check to see if your question has already been covered. The forums have a search form that you can use by clicking on the 'Search' item at the top of any page here. Often this will get you a response much more quickly than posting a new thread or adding to an established one.

Many times you can get even better results by using Google. Use this as your base search term:

site:dynamicdrive.com/forums/archive

Put a space at the end and add your specific search terms, ex:

site:dynamicdrive.com/forums/archive Ultimate jscheuer1

Will give you list of all threads in which I participated that included the word Ultimate. This would include the Ultimate Fade-in Slide Show. Be inventive:

site:dynamicdrive.com/forums/archive cmotion image control

Would give you any information on the cmotion image gallery with images used as controls.

This method, searching the archives with Google, can be both broader and more specific than the forums' own search form, depending upon your terms.

[mwinter]

Many times you can get even better results by using Google.

Though people should be aware that Google might not have indexed all threads, especially recent ones, so they may miss possible answers.

site:dynamicdrive.com/forums/archive

The site operator should only be followed by a domain name. The inurl operator can be used to check for a word within a URL.

  site:dynamicdrive.com inurl:forums

Mike

[jscheuer1]

Though people should be aware that Google might not have indexed all threads, especially recent ones, so they may miss possible answers.


The site operator should only be followed by a domain name. The inurl operator can be used to check for a word within a URL.

**site:dynamicdrive.com inurl:forums

Mike

Mike, it has been my extensive experience that the inurl is unnecessary with Google and that the benefits of applying the Google search algorithm to the query almost always far outweigh any pages 'not yet indexed' - This is being presented as another way to search the archives, not the only method.

Try it, you'll like it.

[mwinter]

Mike, it has been my extensive experience that the inurl is unnecessary with Google

Google will return results if terms match contents in the URL, but the inurl operator is the way to limit the results according to URL path segments.

and that the benefits of applying the Google search algorithm to the query almost always far outweigh any pages 'not yet indexed'

How does that work? If the answer that the user is looking for hasn't been indexed, how is using Google better?

Mike

[jscheuer1]

Google will return results if terms match contents in the URL, but the inurl operator is the way to limit the results according to URL path segments.

This has not been my experience. The way I outlined works exactly like that, with a few less characters typed, if it makes you happy, type away.

How does that work? If the answer that the user is looking for hasn't been indexed, how is using Google better?

Mike

It works because the algorithms are much more often superior than that the content hasn't been indexed yet. Best approach would be to use both methods, this is not an either or situation.

I'm concerned that by quibbling over details, you are obscuring for others the usefulness of this as a search tool.

[ddadmin]

There is a commerical add-on for vBulletin that in fact modifies all URLs in vBulletin to be search engine friendly, similar to the archives section of vBulletin. Basically all the URLs end with an extension of .htm after the change. It's called VB SEO. I've been considering buying it, though paying $150 for such a modification, almost the price of a vBulletin license, is what makes me hesitant.

[jscheuer1]

paying $150 for such a modification, almost the price of a vBulletin license, is what makes me hesitant.

All the more reason to let our users know about the Google method. Now though, I am wondering. Isn't the search of the script libraries powered by Google? Couldn't a similar search form for the /forums/archive area be easily set up?

[ddadmin]

Now though, I am wondering. Isn't the search of the script libraries powered by Google? Couldn't a similar search form for the /forums/archive area be easily set up?

Actually not Google, but Freefind.com But you're right, it's easy to add to the Search Page on the forums a Google search box to search the forums. I'll be doing that once I upgrade vBulletin to 3.6, which hopefully is this weekend or the next at the latest.