XF 2.0 Search functionality - Repeating threads

[mg33dev]

Hi everyone,

I've been meaning to post this for a while, we've got a niggly problem with the search since moving from VB couple/few years back.

Few members are complaining that the search functionality isn't great.

Please see below from one of our members.

When searching for example: "Mary A Taylor"

"The following words were not included in your search because they are too short, too long, or too common: A"

If it is not included why is every 'a' in bold in the search results?

Also, we prefer the search function be like is was with the previous software?

It makes no sense at all to have the same topic repeated and repeated and repeated in the results.

The previous search function returned the topic once with the search term highlighted within that topic.

I personally don't think it's a problem, but I do understand their frustrations.

I will be upgrading to 2.1 > 2.2 in the coming weeks, but is there anything we can do to help the above?

Does the search functionality have more options in 2.2?

You can have a search for yourself at https://forums.familyhistory.uk.com

Thanks

 

[Paul B]

Few members are complaining that the search functionality isn't great.

You are using standard MySQL search in XF and assuming you were using it VB, then the performance and results are the same.

Out of the box, MySQL has a list of stop words and "a" is one of them - https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/fulltext-stopwords.html

XF just highlights the results for ease of reference but in this case, the search is actually only being performed on "Mary Taylor".




Results can be filtered by checking the threads option:

 

[Paul B]

Can't seem to find it unless I click on Advanced search, then Threads tab.

Yes, that's where it is.

We're soon to upgrade 2.0 to 2.2 in coming weeks, so we will have the same search functionality as this forum with the drop down box at the side of the search input - which is handy.

You already have that.

 

[mg33dev]

Ah! Perfect

The only issue is the search drop down on the main index of forums / index.php doesn't have the dropdown.

When viewing a thread or in a forum the Search does show this feature,

Haven't a clue why?

 

[Paul B]

It's context aware so appears in the relevant sections only.

 

[mg33dev]

It's context aware so appears in the relevant sections only.

Any possible way to make it permanent search feature?

 

[Paul B]

The options to search 'threads' and 'this forum' are only relevant when in a forum.
They have no relevance anywhere else.

The forum index search defaults to everywhere, which is also the default setting when searching a forum.