The search could not be completed because...?

[Grover]

A user...

• Clicks on [Search...] in the Search dropdown @ the upperright corner,
• Put's in: 'How do I',
• Clicks [Find Now] and then...

... get's presented the following error message:

XenForo Community - Error
The search could not be completed because the search keywords were too short, too long, or too common.

Nothing quite much wrong with it, but it would be a little more userfriendly to actually list the words that were too short, too long, or too common. Or... just keep the words displayed in the [Search...] - field. Since this field is cleared out when the above error message appears, you just are wondering (people who have a brain like me... a dysfunctional one that is ) what words you actually typed in that were too short, too long or too common.

You see, when you are typing in 'How do I install', XenForo presents us with the following convenient message:

Search Results for Query: how do I install
The following words were not included in your search because they are too short, too long, or too common: how, do, I

Then the words are included.

 

[Paul B]

You need to check the MySQL stopwords list.
There are quite a few...

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/fulltext-stopwords.html

In addition, there is a minimum 4 character limit (on a standard installation).

 

[Grover]

You need to check the MySQL stopwords list.
There are quite a few...

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/fulltext-stopwords.html

What do you mean? I am not a programmer, so I am not understanding why the words are included in the second example and not in the first example I posted above?

 

[Paul B]

You edited that in after I replied.

It stands to reason that if you get presented with the error you mentioned, then all of the words are excluded.

Otherwise you would encounter the second situation.

 

[Grover]

It stands to reason that if you get presented with the error you mentioned, then all of the words are excluded.

Otherwise you would encounter the second situation.

Sure, but I just miss a little bit of user-friendly feedback that shows me (either by listing the words, or by not clearing-out the [Search...]-field) what words I actually typed in then.

 

[Digital Doctor]

In the Addons forum.

• When I Title search for *welcome* I get 197 his.
• When I Title search for welcome* I get no hits.
• When I search (titles and posts) I get : The search could not be completed because the search keywords were too short, too long, or too common.

I think this is confusing.
I see welcome is a MySQL Stop Word.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Just a sample of words that cause problems to the end user without any logical feedback. How does other software that uses MySQL handle this ?

it
itself
know
later
lest
likely
ltd
me
more
must
nd
needs
next
none
nothing
of
okay
ones
others
ourselves
own
placed
probably
rather
regarding
right
saying
seeing
seen
serious
she
so
something
soon
still
t's
th
that
theirs
there
therein
they'd
third
though
thus
toward
try
under
unto
used
value
vs
way
we've
weren't
whence
whereas
whether
who's
why
within
wouldn't
you'll
yourself
able
across
against
almost
although
an
anyhow
anywhere
are
ask
away
become
beforehand
beside
beyond
c'mon
cannot
certainly
come
considering
could
described
do
done
edu
elsewhere
etc
everyone
example
first
for
from
getting
going
had
hasn't
he's
here
hereupon
himself
howbeit
i've
in
indicated
into
it'd
just
known
latter
let
little
mainly
mean
moreover
my
near
neither
nine
noone
novel
off
old
only
otherwise
out
particular
please
provides
rd
regardless
said
says
seem
self
seriously
should
some
sometime
sorry
sub
take
than
that's
them
there's
theres
they'll
this
three
to
towards
trying
unfortunately
up
useful
various
want
we
welcome
what
whenever
whereby
which
whoever
will
without
yes
you're
yourselves
about
actually
ain't
alone
always
and
anyone
apart
aren't
asking
awfully
becomes
behind
besides
both
c's
cant
changes
comes
contain
couldn't
despite
does
down
eg
enough
even
everything
except
five
former
further
given
gone
hadn't
have
hello
here's
hers
his
however
ie
inasmuch
indicates
inward
it'll
keep
knows
latterly
let's
look
many
meanwhile
most
myself
nearly
never
no
nor
now
often
on
onto
ought
outside
particularly
plus
que
re
regards
same
second
seemed
selves
seven
shouldn't
somebody
sometimes
specified
such
taken
thank
thats
themselves
thereafter
thereupon
they're
thorough
through
together
tried
twice
unless
upon
uses
very
wants
we'd
well
what's
where
wherein
while
whole
willing
won't
yet
you've
zero
above
after
all
along
am
another
anything
appear
around
associated
be
becoming
being
best
brief
came
cause
clearly
concerning
containing
course
did
doesn't
downwards
eight
entirely
ever
everywhere
far
followed
formerly
furthermore
gives
got
happens
haven't
help
hereafter
herself
hither
i'd
if
inc
inner
is
it's
keeps
last
least
like
looking
may
merely
mostly
name
necessary
nevertheless
nobody
normally
nowhere
oh
once
or
our
over
per
possible
quite
really
relatively
saw
secondly
seeming
sensible
several
since
somehow
somewhat
specify
sup
tell
thanks
the
then
thereby
these
they've
thoroughly
throughout
too
tries
two
unlikely
us
using
via
was
we'll
went
whatever
where's
whereupon
whither
whom
wish
wonder
you
your
according
afterwards
allow
already
among
any
anyway
appreciate
as
at
became
been
believe
better
but
can
causes
co
consequently
contains
currently
didn't
doing
during
either
especially
every
ex
few
following
forth
get
go
gotten
hardly
having
hence
hereby
hi
hopefully
i'll
ignored
indeed
insofar
isn't
its
kept
lately
less
liked
looks
maybe
might
much
namely
need
new
non
not
obviously
ok
one
other
ours
overall
perhaps
presumably
qv
reasonably
respectively
say
see
seems
sent
shall
six
someone
somewhere
specifying
sure
tends
thanx
their
thence
therefore
they
think
those
thru
took
truly
un
until
use
usually
viz
wasn't
we're
were
when
whereafter
wherever
who
whose
with
would
you'd
yours

 

[Paul B]

In the Addons forum.

• When I Title search for *welcome* I get 197 his.
• When I Title search for welcome* I get no hits.
• When I search (titles and posts) I get : The search could not be completed because the search keywords were too short, too long, or too common.

I think this is confusing.

I see welcome is a MySQL Stop Word.

I answered that here: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/search-how-does-it-work.9873/#post-195406

 

[Digital Doctor]

Thanks Brogan.
I think I understand the problem now.
My forum users will not.

 

[Paul B]

Just to clarify, this isn't unique to XenForo.
It's standard behaviour for any default SQL search functionality.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Welcome search

I see vBulletin 4 handles this fairly similarly to xenforo.

The following errors occurred with your search
The following words are either very common, too long, or too short and were not included in your search:
welcome

vB3 returns this:

The following errors occurred with your search:
Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

phpBB3 does fine.
SMF does fine.
...

 

[estranged]

Just to clarify, this isn't unique to XenForo.
It's standard behaviour for any default SQL search functionality.

Coming from phpbb2, we did not have this problem. My users started complaining about this after moving to xenforo.

I think these words could be ignored by xenforo before sending them to mysql.

Any plans to improve/fix this in 1.0.2? Or should we wait for 1.1?

 

[Paul B]

There are no plans to change this functionality for the standard search as far as I am aware.

If you have the necessary access you can modify your own server/SQL to allow searches for less than 4 characters.

 

[estranged]

I have root access, but problem seems to be with the stopwords. Is it possible to disable them too?

Edit: Found it.

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/fulltext-fine-tuning.html

 

[SgtSpike]

Necro time. Is there any way to change the mysql server to allow searches for less than 4 character without having direct access to the mysql config file or console? I only have the ability to run queries via PHP/phpmyadmin...

 

[Dean]

Necro time. Is there any way to change the mysql server to allow searches for less than 4 character without having direct access to the mysql config file or console? I only have the ability to run queries via PHP/phpmyadmin...

Not that I know of. Which is why my forum is using a vps with root access.

 

[Paul B]

You need root access so if you're on a shared server you will have to ask your host.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Do you know the wildcard (aka *) tricks ?

search for: php* not php ?

 

[SgtSpike]

Not that I know of. Which is why my forum is using a vps with root access.

Super lame... how does phpbb get around the 4 char limit? I know we didn't have such search limitations when we were using it...

 

[SgtSpike]

You need root access so if you're on a shared server you will have to ask your host.

Thanks.

Do you know the wildcard (aka *) tricks ?

search for: php* not php ?

Didn't know about that, I will give that a try, thanks!