search engine - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

RadioRon · 24th December 2006, 07:44 PM

I'm a bit surprised at how poor the search engine is, which makes me suspect that I simply need to RTFM, if only I could find that. You see, I tried to search on the keywords "lie detector" and the engine arbitrarily threw out my first word and searched only on "detector"! Needless to say, the search was useless. This is the first time I've experienced a search engine of such low quality. And yet, when I reviewed the FAQ I noticed that when you search the FAQ you get to choose some rules about how the keywords are used. Why can't we have a few options like this in the main search engine that forces it to use my small but oh-so-important three letter word? Is it just my ignorance getting in the way here, or is this board in need of an upgrade?

RadioRon

Marks256 · 24th December 2006, 07:58 PM

I somewhat agree. Every time i search for something like "TTL", or "LED", it always troughs them out. Then you end up with crap for links...

Sceadwian · 25th December 2006, 01:43 AM

Don't forget expressions.. "lie AND detector" unfortunatly, with the typical forum search engines this goes from a million useless links to no links at all. It's both, a user upgrade (look for those links on something like google... a dedicated search engine) and the forums are horribly searchless.

Hero999 · 27th December 2006, 09:56 PM

Just use Google, click on advanced search and enter http://www.electro-tech-online.com in the domain section.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=...s=&safe=images

Sceadwian · 28th December 2006, 01:17 AM

That will however only work on the last version of Electro-tech that google cached. Glad you said it though, I didn't think to try that on forums that had crappy searches (this isn't the only one) It seems to be a common thing with stock PHP boards.

**ElectroMaster** · 16th January 2007, 03:08 AM

Hi Guys,

You all have valid points and I have taken note.

I am modifying the search to allow 3 letter words. However I understand that there are a few 2 letter words so if you reply now I can add them to the "White List" and they will be searchable too.

I think the google search is also a really good idea. However as Sceadwian points out it will only search the latest cached version. But then again google is pretty much contantly on this site crawling new pages as it's the biggest electronics forum on the net. So we'll see how our new search goes first then if its still got big problems we maybe able to intergrate the google search.

Feedback would be appreciated.

Marks256 · 16th January 2007, 09:31 PM

Thank you!

Hero999 · 16th January 2007, 09:38 PM

Maybe you could include the following acronyms:
FM
AM
SW

What about extending the number of hits beyond 500 and only limit it if/when the server is really busy?

Marks256 · 16th January 2007, 09:49 PM

and maybe add;

AC
DC
RF

**ElectroMaster** · 16th January 2007, 10:03 PM

2 letter words added. thanks guys.

Marks256 · 16th January 2007, 11:13 PM

No, thank you.

Hero999 · 27th January 2007, 09:41 PM

Thanks but I was suggesting extending the number of possible hits to beyond 500, why have you reduced it to 100?

Is the server choking up or something?

100 isn't really enough, especially when I want to see the new posts made since my last visit especially when I haven't been here for a few days or when I'm searching for a post I made a couple of weeks ago.

Also, what about eliminating the minimum post length of 10 characters rule? It's really annoying when all you want to say is yes or no.

Marks256 · 28th January 2007, 12:37 AM

Well, with the minimum post lenth, it is actually making new posters say something intellegent so they can get their required 25 posts just so they can spam the forum...

Personally i think we have asked for enough for now...

**ElectroMaster** · 28th January 2007, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero999

Thanks but I was suggesting extending the number of possible hits to beyond 500, why have you reduced it to 100?

Is the server choking up or something?

100 isn't really enough, especially when I want to see the new posts made since my last visit especially when I haven't been here for a few days or when I'm searching for a post I made a couple of weeks ago.

Yeah, the search is the most intensive thing that this site does. Lets look at it. There are 190,017 posts on this forum with say 20 words on average per post. Every word with 3 or more letters has to be indexed in a database which works out to be 4 million rows. Each time a search is made that database is searched and the server counts the matching words (each words in the search phase) and then calculates which posts have the most relavance.

So for example if someone was to seach for "Ohms Law", the server has to trawl through 4 million rows twice.

I will allow 500 results to be returned again and will monitor it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero999

Also, what about eliminating the minimum post length of 10 characters rule? It's really annoying when all you want to say is yes or no.

Marks is is correct on this.

Hero999 · 28th January 2007, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectroMaster

Yeah, the search is the most intensive thing that this site does. Lets look at it. There are 190,017 posts on this forum with say 20 words on average per post. Every word with 3 or more letters has to be indexed in a database which works out to be 4 million rows. Each time a search is made that database is searched and the server counts the matching words (each words in the search phase) and then calculates which posts have the most relavance.

So for example if someone was to seach for "Ohms Law", the server has to trawl through 4 million rows twice.

Wow, that is inefficient!

Quote:

I will allow 500 results to be returned again and will monitor it.

Thanks very much for doing that.

24th December 2006, 07:44 PM	(permalink)
RadioRon Experienced Member	search engine I'm a bit surprised at how poor the search engine is, which makes me suspect that I simply need to RTFM, if only I could find that. You see, I tried to search on the keywords "lie detector" and the engine arbitrarily threw out my first word and searched only on "detector"! Needless to say, the search was useless. This is the first time I've experienced a search engine of such low quality. And yet, when I reviewed the FAQ I noticed that when you search the FAQ you get to choose some rules about how the keywords are used. Why can't we have a few options like this in the main search engine that forces it to use my small but oh-so-important three letter word? Is it just my ignorance getting in the way here, or is this board in need of an upgrade? RadioRon __________________ RadioRon

24th December 2006, 07:58 PM	(permalink)
Marks256 Experienced Member	I somewhat agree. Every time i search for something like "TTL", or "LED", it always troughs them out. Then you end up with crap for links... __________________ There is no "I" in "team", unless Apple makes it... Then it would be iTeam.

25th December 2006, 01:43 AM	(permalink)
Sceadwian Experienced Member Blog Entries: 1	Don't forget expressions.. "lie AND detector" unfortunatly, with the typical forum search engines this goes from a million useless links to no links at all. It's both, a user upgrade (look for those links on something like google... a dedicated search engine) and the forums are horribly searchless. __________________ Curiosity killed the cat; That's why they have nine lives.

27th December 2006, 09:56 PM	(permalink)
Hero999 Experienced Member	Just use Google, click on advanced search and enter http://www.electro-tech-online.com in the domain section. http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=...s=&safe=images __________________ What's so bad about Microsoft? Get Opera it's simply a superb browser.

28th December 2006, 01:17 AM	(permalink)
Sceadwian Experienced Member Blog Entries: 1	That will however only work on the last version of Electro-tech that google cached. Glad you said it though, I didn't think to try that on forums that had crappy searches (this isn't the only one) It seems to be a common thing with stock PHP boards. __________________ Curiosity killed the cat; That's why they have nine lives.

16th January 2007, 03:08 AM	(permalink)
ElectroMaster Administrator	Hi Guys, You all have valid points and I have taken note. I am modifying the search to allow 3 letter words. However I understand that there are a few 2 letter words so if you reply now I can add them to the "White List" and they will be searchable too. I think the google search is also a really good idea. However as Sceadwian points out it will only search the latest cached version. But then again google is pretty much contantly on this site crawling new pages as it's the biggest electronics forum on the net. So we'll see how our new search goes first then if its still got big problems we maybe able to intergrate the google search. Feedback would be appreciated. __________________ Electro Tech Online Owner - PM me if you find a problem! Email verification didn't arrive? Click here. (PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME FOR CIRCUITS OR PARTS - I WILL NOT ANSWER)

16th January 2007, 09:31 PM	(permalink)
Marks256 Experienced Member	Thank you! __________________ There is no "I" in "team", unless Apple makes it... Then it would be iTeam.

16th January 2007, 09:38 PM	(permalink)
Hero999 Experienced Member	Maybe you could include the following acronyms: FM AM SW What about extending the number of hits beyond 500 and only limit it if/when the server is really busy? __________________ What's so bad about Microsoft? Get Opera it's simply a superb browser.

16th January 2007, 09:49 PM	(permalink)
Marks256 Experienced Member	and maybe add; AC DC RF __________________ There is no "I" in "team", unless Apple makes it... Then it would be iTeam.

16th January 2007, 10:03 PM	(permalink)
ElectroMaster Administrator	2 letter words added. thanks guys. __________________ Electro Tech Online Owner - PM me if you find a problem! Email verification didn't arrive? Click here. (PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME FOR CIRCUITS OR PARTS - I WILL NOT ANSWER)

16th January 2007, 11:13 PM	(permalink)
Marks256 Experienced Member	No, thank you. __________________ There is no "I" in "team", unless Apple makes it... Then it would be iTeam.

27th January 2007, 09:41 PM	(permalink)
Hero999 Experienced Member	Thanks but I was suggesting extending the number of possible hits to beyond 500, why have you reduced it to 100? Is the server choking up or something? 100 isn't really enough, especially when I want to see the new posts made since my last visit especially when I haven't been here for a few days or when I'm searching for a post I made a couple of weeks ago. Also, what about eliminating the minimum post length of 10 characters rule? It's really annoying when all you want to say is yes or no. __________________ What's so bad about Microsoft? Get Opera it's simply a superb browser.

28th January 2007, 12:37 AM	(permalink)
Marks256 Experienced Member	Well, with the minimum post lenth, it is actually making new posters say something intellegent so they can get their required 25 posts just so they can spam the forum... Personally i think we have asked for enough for now... __________________ There is no "I" in "team", unless Apple makes it... Then it would be iTeam.

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