[Forum]Better serach engine

make the search engine of the forums to search everything!!!!

What does that even mean.

It already searches everything within the site(excluding the wiki, which is technically a different site). What do you mean search everything?

Since we are on to improving it, maybe allow it to take abit shorter words? 3 character words for ecample are very usual

it dont allow certain words

And what certain words are you searching? If you are using terms that are 3 or less characters long, it will automatically stop the search, because there would be too many results. You kind of have to trick it by using exact searches, like "GPS host" (with the quotations)

use google :3
site:computercraft.info <insert term here>

Also, wrong section. Moved.

PixelToast, on 23 January 2013 - 09:02 AM said:

use google :3
site:computercraft.info <insert term here>

You don't even need 'site:' just
computercraft:<term>
Would be enough…

Well, I do think the restrictions on word length should be lifted. What purpose do they serve?

PixelToast, on 23 January 2013 - 09:02 AM said:

use google :3
site:computercraft.info <insert term here>

I came here to say this ;} +1 cookie for you!

I got ticked with the built-in search after about my 2nd day here heh, especially trying to search for an API for a specific function, since API isn't an allowed term. Also had a pain of a time referring a few people to the nsh program.

Using "site:computercraft.info <terms>" it will search both the forums and wiki, and ONLY this site.
Using "computercraft <terms>" will generally have the forums/wiki at the top of the results, but also include other websites.

Each is useful depending what you're looking for (IE a tutorial you likely don't care where it comes from as long as it answers your question, but getting the link to a program you know was posted in these forums, especially with a generic or common name, then the first method is better)

If you use Firefox or Chrome, you can even shortcut this.
For Firefox, make a bookmark stashed away in a folder somewhere (Mine are all together in a 'search' folder)
Add a keyword, which is what you will be typing first in your address bar. I use "cc".
Then in the location, put a query like this: ht tp://www.google.com/search?q=site:computercraft.info+%s
(Don't include the space in http of course.. silly forum trying to be helpful and breaking the link heh)

To use it, in the address bar just type: cc <terms>

When I name the bookmark, I'll include the keyword so I can just go Bookmarks -> Search and see all of them at a glance.
For example: "[cc] computercraft (via Google)"

Chrome is similar, but I'm sure the fields are named different. I saw that when typing the keyword you have to hit tab afterwards, but before typing the search terms.

Hope that helps!

Dlcruz129, on 23 January 2013 - 12:55 PM said:

Well, I do think the restrictions on word length should be lifted. What purpose do they serve?

Preventing overload of the Server and Database.
Without length restrictions, I could tell the Search Engine to show me every post with the letter a or e or i or o or u

Bang! I know with 100% certainty, that the search engine will now pull up every single post, and highlight every signal vowel.

If I made a link to that search query, and opened it several times on a loop of some sort.. I could probably crush the servers performance because it would tie up several threads serving my terrible requests to be a troll.

That's why there is word length limits.

NeverCast, on 24 January 2013 - 10:51 AM said:

Dlcruz129, on 23 January 2013 - 12:55 PM said:

Well, I do think the restrictions on word length should be lifted. What purpose do they serve?

Preventing overload of the Server and Database.
Without length restrictions, I could tell the Search Engine to show me every post with the letter a or e or i or o or u

Bang! I know with 100% certainty, that the search engine will now pull up every single post, and highlight every signal vowel.

If I made a link to that search query, and opened it several times on a loop of some sort.. I could probably crush the servers performance because it would tie up several threads serving my terrible requests to be a troll.

That's why there is word length limits.

Not just that - the search index IIRC only indexes words greater than four characters in length, simply because indexing every word regardless of length is the equivalent of selecting all 70-something thousand posts, and wading through them. Not only that, but from memory, there's limits on the minimum and maximum length of INDEX-able fields in SQL. (Don't quote me, I can't remember the exact value)

As far as searching goes - I have no problems. Use specific terms, and if you know where something might be, use the Advanced Search. As they say - GI;GO.

I've reached my quota of upvotes for today AfterLifeLochie, but know you are pending one tomorrow :P/>
Good explanation of the technical side of things, +1 !