Thread: Searches

How can I search for a specific string?

PS I just discovered I can use boolean operators for searching

I usually use plus & minus... learned about that when working for DataTimes (an online information company) in the late 90's.

For example:
"+boolean +search" (without quotes) returns this one post.

"+boolean -search" returns no posts.

Plus signs mean the term following is required to be present in the results.
Minus sign means the term following is to be excluded from the results.

In theory, you should be able to use quotes as well.
+"straight razor" would require the term to be included. Useful for excluding DE & D/E, but also excludes str8.

Last dozen times I tried, the search feature doesn't recognize quotation marks as defining a search string

[Edit: It just did though, so nevermind what I just said and thank you! hurrah!]

I finally pinned down a perpetrator. I used the forum search function for the "Stropping is King" thread, but searching "Stropping King" using the Search Titles Only option did not find any results. Searching for "Stropping is King" with quotation marks around the phrase using the Search Titles Only option did not find any results either. I searched all open forums both times.

I eventually found the thread by discovering its author and searching for Stropping King using the Search Entire Posts option and searching by username.

Can you find the Stropping is King thread?

You mean this one: http://straightrazorpalace.com/strop...ping-king.html

And I found it on my first search attempt with it being the first thread returned.

How did I do it you ask? Due to the amount of time I've spent on various forums, I know how *bad* the built in vbulletin search can be, so I simply went to google and typed in "stropping is king site:straightrazorplace.com" and it was the first hit.

Originally Posted by ByronTodd

Due to the amount of time I've spent on various forums, I know how *bad* the built in vbulletin search can be, so I simply went to google and typed in "stropping is king site:straightrazorplace.com" and it was the first hit.

Out of sheer laziness, I took things one step further, created a google custom search and plonked its search form into Web Search Pro for Firefox. Then added a custom keyword so all I need to do is enter "sr $search_string" in the location bar. Happiness ensued.

Web Search Pro is nice, because I have a group of websites that are shaving related, which I can now query in one search. Same result can be achieved by creating a google custom search with several sites for one query.

Thanks guys