Please run these queries!

[Floris]

wetalknation.net

mysql> use xxx;
Database changed

mysql> SELECT COUNT(search_id)
    -> FROM xf_search;
+------------------+
| COUNT(search_id) |
+------------------+
|               78 |
+------------------+
1 row in set (0.06 sec)

mysql> SELECT search_order, COUNT(search_id) AS total
    -> FROM xf_search
    -> GROUP BY search_order;
+--------------+-------+
| search_order | total |
+--------------+-------+
| date         |    78 |
+--------------+-------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> SELECT COUNT(search_id) FROM xf_search
    -> WHERE search_constraints LIKE '%reply_count%';
+------------------+
| COUNT(search_id) |
+------------------+
|                0 |
+------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

mysql>

 

[Kier]

Thanks everyone - it certainly looks like everyone wants to use date sorted results rather than sorting by any other data point.

 

[dieketzer]

i dont know if id say 'wants'.
i suspect ppl simply use the default. they type the term in the box and submit and use whatever result is returned. it would be interesting to know how many people have actually ever used advanced search.

 

[Floris]

Isn't an argument for that not because people can find each others posts from the recent activity page, or their profile > recent activty > or the profile > posts .. or profile > info > find all posts .. Rather than using the search section?
And that the discussion listing page has sorting option there for content?

In other words .. the interface is intuitive and extensive enough to quickly use alternative content resulting finding stuff - rather than feeling one needs to use the search engine?

 

[Paul B]

it would be interesting to know how many people have actually ever used advanced search.

Almost exclusively.

 

[dieketzer]

Almost exclusively.

well, youre different
im talking about the average forum user on my own xf.

 

[Kier]

Floris, dieketzer - both interesting points.

 

[Deleted member 745]

COUNT(search_id)
29

search_order total
date 29

COUNT(search_id)
0

From my test site.

 

[Paul B]

From my test site.

Please note that I only require data from active boards, I am measuring usage patterns so data from test installations is not useful to me. Thx.

 

[Deleted member 745]

sorry

 

[trilogy33]

COUNT(search_id)
10

search_order total
date 10


COUNT(search_id)
0

Live board

 

[Walter]

The search in Xenforo is so much better than the search in vb, at least from a user standpoint.

The options that are needed 99% of the time are there without using advanced search (titles only, member) so I rarely use the advanced search. On vb I almost exclusively used the advanced search.

 

[bambua]

About the only time I drop down to the advance search is when I need to search a specific forum and can't remember something that was in the title of the post

 

[Dean]

Thanks everyone - it certainly looks like everyone wants to use date sorted results rather than sorting by any other data point.

Absolutely. For the record I would say advanced search is used the vast majority of the time by most people on our forum, if that is needed to find information of interest.

We have many technical discussions and the quantity of replies have little to do with quality. Generally userA has discussed TopicQ and the main problem we have is trying to remember the correct search terms to use to find that specific discussion - without being buried with irrelevant results. Many times the results do not include the desired thread because we cannot specify 'older' in the search criteria, even though we can specify 'newer'. Ideally we could specify what year(s) to search.

Historically when I've wanted to be sure to be able to find a specific thread I have posted a 'key word' in it, typically the word 'useful', which does not tent to be posted much on any forum and is long & unique enough to get the thread of interest. Poor mans tagging system.

All that aside, we generally give up after a couple of minutes and use the general google search for all sites to find information anywhere. When information is needed, it is needed.

 

[Dean]

A bit off topic - thank you for the fantastic xf search user interface (and all the rest of the ui as well).

 

[Luke F]

From my live site (in sig).

 

[HannahP]

616
616
0

 

[Kier]

Thanks everyone. It's worth noting that search results are only retained for a day, so if you wouldn't mind running the queries again 24 hours after you first run them, I'm really keen to find out if non-date sorting and post count filtering really is used.

 

[James]

Thanks everyone. It's worth noting that search results are only retained for a day, so if you wouldn't mind running the queries again 24 hours after you first run them, I'm really keen to find out if non-date sorting and post count filtering really is used.

You could equally just ask admins to run a poll! Of course, your method is much more accurate.

 

[Walter]

You could equally just ask admins to run a poll! Of course, your method is much more accurate.

You would be astonished how many admins don't know how their users use their site