poor search routine - can it be improved?

[Web_Woman]

The search routine within the forums seems to be somewhat poor.

For example, I tried to search for a popular item: net folders.

When entered with or without quotes, the search errored-out stating that it did not meet the minimum of 4 letters ("net").

Tried "net+folders" - no luck.

Eventually needed to search only the term "folders" which returned too many unrelated items.

Is there a better way to search a two-word phrase?

Can the search routine be improved?

[Web_Woman]

Additional:

Even using the boolean operators and reversing the term to place a word with more than 4 letters as the first word does not work.

For example: "folders" AND "net" (with or without quotes)
STILL returns the "less than 4 letters" error EVEN THO "folders" is the first word. IMHO, a very poorly written search routine. Very innadequate.

[Philip]

Searching 2-3 letter words is very resource intensive on the server, and possible DDoS threat and therefore has been disabled. Not to menton the fact that it usually returns too many results...

[Web_Woman]

Originally posted by Philip
Searching 2-3 letter words is very resource intensive on the server, and possible DDoS threat and therefore has been disabled. Not to menton the fact that it usually returns too many results...

Yes, I understand that. However, you're overlooking the obvious. The search routine is so bad that you end up over-utilizing the resources anyway.

As given in the aforementioned example, when placing the word with more than 3 letters first in a boolean search, it still bombs out because the 2nd word has only 3 letters. So in the example of searching for "net folders" one is forced to eliminate the 3-letter word "net" altogether and search on only "folders." This returns HUNDREDS of hits. Considering the fact that the very common word "folders" is contained in many, many posts doesn't this, in itself, utilize too much resources? What it does is defeat the purpose of eliminating the 3-letter word to begin with!

What I am saying is the search routine could at least be modified to (only) eliminate 3-letter word searches when the 3-letter word is the only word being searched on, and in the case of a multiple-word boolean search, only count the letters in the FIRST word giving the user the opportunity to reverse the words and complete the search.

As it stands I still say the search routine is either very poorly written by the program author and/or very poorly configured by this board.

Regards.

[HalfLifer]

DDoS threat? How?

[Qwijib0]

Originally posted by HalfLifer
DDoS threat? How?

someone continually running searches for "the" or "a" and so on, rendering the database unable to process normal requests.

Idea (though it's probably impssible):
Add an option to "search these results", so someone looking for "net folders" could search for "folders", then search the results for less than 3-letter words, "net", or even "net folders".

[drdoug99]

yea, I hate the search feature, I barely ever use it, due to limiting the feature to 4 characters.

can't search for IP, or ISA, PCI, AMD, Zone Alarm "Pro", ISP, the list goes on and on. Please don't limit it, it's pratically useless the way it is now.

[CompGeek83]

phil may not like this but there is a way around this little limitation,

try searching for net* folders

the vbulletin software sees this as four characters, it may return more than you need but............... i also find it annoying