New advanced forums search available

[Kimberly Ann]

FYI, a new user interface for searching the forums is now available. The UI provides search options that include filtering on specific forums categories and within specific date ranges. You can also search for keywords contained in question titles or entire message threads, and filter on author names.

A "solutions" filter returns question-answer threads that contain messages that are rated as solutions. You can also use filters to find messages you have posted or those posted by other authors. A nice feature for frequent forums experts is a filter for "unanswered" questions - a way for experts to find members that have yet to be helped.

The search results page is also enhanced, allowing the sorting of results based on subject title, posting date, and forum. You can also select the number of results to be returned, from 25 up to 200.

To access the advanced search, click on the "more options" link in the search area at the top of any forums page.

Thanks,
Dan

[A. Clay Stephenson]

Nice feature, Dan. Unfortunately I found a bug immediately in the Boolean search:
xxx and yyy and zzz
is not a valid search string but
xxx AND yyy AND zzz
works.

The Boolean operators must be upper-case to be recoginized as such.

It may just be a documentation issue but it ain't obvious to us novice users.

[Kimberly Ann]

Hi Clay,

Well, sure enough...I was leaving this one to you. I did check the search help documentation (linked called 'search criteria' on the search UI page) and the boolean operators are listed in caps. I'll see if this was intentional for some reason and/or if they can be changed.

Thanks,
Dan

[Todd McDaniel_1]

I tried to use the "unanswered" or "solutions" filters with nothing in the search field..However, the search failed b/c I didnt put any string in the search field...

Since I wont know what questions havent been answered, How can I put anything in the search field? to know what to search for???

[Kimberly Ann]

Hi Todd,

Great question. Looks like both of those fields should be able to be left blank to allow searching a specific category for unanswered questions. In the meantime, I found if I used a simple keyword like HPUX a host of results are returned.

-Dan

[Randall L. Kline]

Is this new search UI accessed by the search field at the top of the screen? If so, this looks identical to the one that has been in place for a while.

[Todd McDaniel_1]

has new features...

[Randall L. Kline]

Never mind. I guess I should pay attention when I'm reading the messages. I see the answer. Sorry about that.

[Roger Faucher]

Dan:

I think I've found a problem, too. Go to this thread:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=568429

Look at the second paragraph of my first post where I use the term Spyware Blaster. There is no way I can get the search engine to find that (at least no way that I've already tried). I assume if I search all the forums for that exact phrase, it should find it but it doesn't.

P.S.: I tried all lower case and mixed case (like it was written).

Make a great day!

Roger

[Roger Faucher]

Dan:

I created a test message in the Microsoft forums:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=568993

with the expression "spyware blaster" in the subject as well as the message body and the search engine can't find it either way. I even tried boolean "spyware AND blaster" and it failed to find it. BTW, all my searches were without the double-quotes.

FWIW! (Probably a cockpit error!)

Roger

[Geoff Wild]

At first glance, it doesn't work as I expected:

I searched for mpack, with author name Geoff Wild:

http://tinyurl.com/22mbx

Returns - nothing - yet I know I have made several posts about mpack - the latest:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=566491

Rgds...Geoff

[Marco Santerre]

Hi Geoff,

sorry if I answer instead of Dan here, but from the looks of it, it seems that it will return something only if you initiated the thread, not if you answered in the thread.

I tried just searching for my names and only the threads I started came up..

Don't know if it's how it should work though.

[Geoff Wild]

Dan,

If that's the case, then why doesn't this show up:

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=566714

When I search for: redhat
and my name....

http://tinyurl.com/yq3cr

Rgds...Geoff

[Kimberly Ann]

Hi Guys,

It looks like those posts are in April. Probably an indexing problem. I have a feeling they'll show up start of next month. I'll check on when the indexing is being done. Geoff, I figure this is what is happening because I was able to pull up a host of your other questions posted prior to April using your titles as keywords and filtering on your name.

Thanks,
Dan