Search error (?)

chuckcintron · Post by **chuckcintron** » 03 Jan 2009, 08:45

Hope this is the right place to ask this question...please move it if not...

When using the search feature I found something I think may not be working correctly.

If I do a simple search -- for example clean abs it returns over 2,000 hits. Many (most) of these results only include the word clean and do not have abs in the thread. I tried various combinations of +clean +abs, clean AND abs, etc.

Is it a glitch or am I doing something wrong?

-Chuck

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2009, 10:01

I'm not sure...this is a good question for Matt.
I have personally stopped using the search function (really, never have) of the site and am using the browser plug-in that I made: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 11&t=16926
It works very well! For instance, using 'Clean ABS' as search criteria, it returned the following: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... tnG=Search

Post by **matthew1** » 03 Jan 2009, 12:23

Chuck,

I'm re-indexing the site after a screwup a week ago. I think after it's done -- in about 3 hours -- your search will turn up better results.

Quick summary of MVS search options:

Built-in Search (what Chuck and I are talking about)
These search areas are found at the bottom of MVS Forums pages and begin with "search for:".

Google Search (what MIJ is talking about)
There are several ways to use this, but the results are identical.
1. Use the search bar at the top of every MVS page "Search this Site";
2. Use MIJ's wonderful Firefox MVS Search plugin;
3. Search Google traditionally.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2009, 12:32

Let me add that if you go to Google first to search JUST this forum (as indicated by Matt for option 3), you'll need to put 'site:matthewsvolvosite.com =' in the search line prior to the information you want and leave no space between = and the first word of your search.

Matt, I hope you get the "within" MVS search function figured out. Like I said, I've never used it due to the same concerns that Chuck brought up.

Post by **matthew1** » 03 Jan 2009, 12:53

Thanks MIJ, good point. To be picky, you don't need the = sign.

To all: the site: argument in Google works with any site. Examples:

site:matthewsvolvosite.com abs cleaning
tesla site:damninteresting.com
site:yahoo.com 2009 Volvo C30 review

Enter any of those into Google, and it will narrow your search to the web site that is defined by what's after "site:".

You don't need (or want) the "http://".

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2009, 13:01

Thanks, Matt...didn't know that. Nice to learn something new!

chuckcintron · Post by **chuckcintron** » 03 Jan 2009, 13:22

Thanks guys!

-Chuck

Post by **matthew1** » 03 Jan 2009, 16:13

Search, SEO, web development... I could talk about this stuff all day, really. Hey! I do talk about that stuff all day on my site http://mattherrebout.com/ :-p

I went to the Google campus outside of San Jose for a party in 2004 and I can say it was the highlight of my career. It was part of a conference on SEO. I was a pig in sh!t.

Chuck, indexing still in progress.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 03 Jan 2009, 16:27

Very cool Matt!
I left a comment on (one of) your (other) websites.

-Dave

Post by **matthew1** » 09 Jan 2009, 12:13

Working on the forum's search again. Looks like the previous indexing attempt failed.

Please use Google Search at the top of every page on this site in the meantime (or regularly -- I find it's more flexible and just as thorough).