Search function

[Tony Smith]

Geoff, is the size of search terms a setting you can adjust as Moderator, or is it part of the software? Currently, search terms must be a minimum of 4 letters, which suffices most of the time, but is a real PITA if you are searching for "GSW POL can" or "4x4 Guy Ant".

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Tony Smith
Geoff, is the size of search terms a setting you can adjust as Moderator, or is it part of the software? Currently, search terms must be a minimum of 4 letters, which suffices most of the time, but is a real PITA if you are searching for "GSW POL can" or "4x4 Guy Ant".

Tony, the current setting is for 3 characters. If that's not working, it's either a glitch in the software, or I can back that off a notch.

[Petr Brezina]

Hanno, may I ask you for checking this function? I think that now searching term must be five letters at minimum, otherwise its ignored by searching engine. If Im right, could it be set back to 3 characters? Thanks in advance!

[Jordan Baker]

Easiest way to search on this forum is to use google. I just put in my search term followed by ", mlu forum"

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Am travelling, will check when I'm back.

[Petr Brezina]

Thanks Hanno!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Petr Brezina

Hanno, may I ask you for checking this function? I think that now searching term must be five letters at minimum, otherwise its ignored by searching engine. If Im right, could it be set back to 3 characters? Thanks in advance!

Hello Petr,

I have set the "Search Index Minimum Word Length" to three. However, the smaller this number is, the larger our search index, and conversely our database is going to be. So I may have to reset this number if the database is going to be too large. Also, the minimum word length may well have to be changed at the server level. The software is currency rebuilding the search index so it will be a while before the results can be found. Let's see if this resets brings us what we are expecting from it.

Also, as Jordan pointed out, one can use Google to search for content on MLU very well. If you add site:mapleleafup.net to the search bar it will only search for results on the mapleleafup.net domain.

HTH,
Hanno

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Hanno

Is there any adverse effect on MLU's server if you use advanced google search?

When I have used the advance search and narrowed the search to just MLU I get much better search results than the internal MLU search, particularly if my search phrase is broad in nature.

But before recommending this to others want to make sure that it is not causing more problems than it is solving.

Cheers Phil

[Petr Brezina]

Excellent, thank you very much, working now!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Is there any adverse effect on MLU's server if you use advanced google search?

When I have used the advance search and narrowed the search to just MLU I get much better search results than the internal MLU search, particularly if my search phrase is broad in nature.

But before recommending this to others want to make sure that it is not causing more problems than it is solving.

Phil,

I'll have to ask our system administrator re. the bandwidth usage.

But for now I have disabled the Search-Friendly Archive, making it harder for search engines like google, MSN, baidu to search for content on our site. I have done this because despite implementing anti-spam measures recently, the increase of applications by spammers is increasing faster than genuine, real members.

Here's hoping making MLU less accessible by search engines will make MLU less vulnerable to spammers trying to register.

Hanno