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Searching The Forum


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Wasn't sure where to put this topic, so I figured studio operations would have to suffice.

 

I have always been a bit frustrated when trying to search previous topics on the forum.  Well yesterday I was reading one of Marcias comments about "bray wax" and as I had no idea what that was, I googled it.  Came up with a great previous forum discussion on wax resists.  Interestingly, when I then tried to search the topic on the forum search tool using various relevent words, I got no results.

 

So, from now on, I'm just going directly to google.

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I often will check on titles, that are in the forum, using Google, to check spelling. When misspelled, I will change the title to be correct. When a title is ambiguous, I send the originator of the strand a message suggesting a clarified title. This has resulted in a corrected title that makes sense. I do this to ensure that the search engines will be able to include titles correctly in searches. I do meddle, hope I am not offensive.

 

Best,

Pres

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I agree the search forum doesn't really find what you are asking for. Even when searching for my own topics and I know what the title/subject is about it struggles. Easier to go on my profile and find all topics I have posted.

Google probably does it better with mixed user input. I think there is probably a skill to searching this forum with particular words and options getting you what's needed.

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As I said before- I think the reason people are not finding threads is because they are not searching from the home page but rather in a section or even a topic.  Your search will be limited to the section or topic that you are searching from, so you need to go to the home page to broaden your search.  I have made this mistake several times in the past, you may not even realize if you are doing it. 

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Guest Sherman

Rebekah, that's a great point. I just tested as admin and as a regular member, and it worked just fine (with the very search flowerdry mentioned)---but then I have made that mistake before and have long since forgotten it was something folks might do.

 

Sherman

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it is true, sherman, that your familiarity with something blinds you to the troubles of other people.  there have been many members who have indicated dissatisfaction with parts of the forum but no, absolutely no, response from the administrators.  a computer expert friend even wrote to a person by name.  it took 2-3 months to be read, we never got a reply.  i have since deleted the message to gain space.

 

it might be educational to ask a passerby to try to do something like sign in as a new member and watch what ACTUALLY happens.  it ain't as easy as you think.

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Good thread, I've struggled sometimes too.   Personally though......wish there was a 'Favourites' option so I could 'collect' all the subject titles I'm interested in in one place.....often lose things when I forget the title or lose great ideas altogether because I can't bookmark them for a later day.

 

Any chance of "Favourite' or 'Bookmark' options?

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I have stopped relying on any internet site to save things I want to remember. Sites go out of business or they move the page you bookmark and you can't find it again.

 

If a site offers "print this post" (like CAD does) or something similar you can frequently save rather than physically print. Google Chrome has on their print menu, a destination of "save as pdf. You can save it to your local drive, Google drive, skydrive ...whatever your preference.

If they don't offer printing, you can usually copy the text, and sometimes the pictures, to a Microsoft word document (or whatever text tool you use) and save it that way.

 

If I do ever want to refer to that topic again now I have a searchable library that I control! I also don't have to keep up with a bunch of printed material that I might never use again.

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