Admin Attention Proposal for the change of a default search option [advanced search]

[Tommyboy]

I'm wondering if the admins/engineers can switch the default of the search keywords drop-down bar so that the 'search titles only' option would be the default instead of the current default of 'search entire posts.'

The image below is of the proposed change that I am referring to, with the red pen circling the drop-down menu in which I had changed the option to the one that I think would be a more suitable default due to efficiency:



The current default of 'search entire posts' is of little to no help when using the advanced search. Almost any keyword you search for is mentioned in so many different threads that the search results when using the 'search entire posts' default return with threads that are mostly irrelevant to the search content. I think that a lot of people give up on using that search because of this, as they don't think/take the time to mess around with the search options.

Changing the default would ensure that members that are new to the site (because we all know that everyone else always searches before posting new threads ) would get better results their first time without having to play around with the options. I know that the google custom search was just fixed, but I still prefer to use the advanced search on the top right due to the additional options it has.

I think that the search default on the advanced search page was recently changed from search multiple content type, to search single content type, so I think that changing the default mentioned above would be technically possible.

Does anybody else use the advanced search and think that a change in the keyword search default would be an overall beneficial change, assuming it is possible from the technical standpoint? Does anybody prefer the current default option, and if so, how do you find it to be better than the other option? If you are reading this and don't know what I am talking about, I urge you to try using the advanced search to find something, once with the current default, and again with the second option, and report back about which option you found better and more helpful.

 

[effie]

I can't see any downsides to that, I always automatically change it anyway.. search entire posts is essentially useless unless you are searching for something very unusual.

The better the search engine, the better/easier to mod BDD will be :D already loving the change to "search single content type"..

 

[tambourine-man]

I think, many moons ago, the default was set to 'thread titles only'... or that might have been another forum I frequented.

I tend to change it to 'thread titles only' anyway.

Have flagged for admin attention.

 

[TheLoveBandit]

At the bottom of the 'Advanced Search' page, there is a pulldown to 'Save Search Preferences' and to 'Clear Search Preferences' with a 'GO' button next to it. These are pretty easy to figure out, and they do indeed 'save' and 'clear'. The 'save' is, in fact, annoyingly accurate in that it not only defaults to thread titles as I'd set, but also to the keyword, username, and forum selection I had when I set the preferences 8).


EDIT - I think I've found it, but being 5AM, I can't see anything thru blurry eyes. I think we can change this over the weekend. However, I would ask if it really makes sense to restrict things by default for 'Title Only'. As Tommyboy points out, you get a lot of hits that have the keyword but aren't that relevant to a n00b's search...but there are also as many instances where the keyword is left out of the title on a very relevant and useful thread. Six of one, half dozen of the other.

 

[tambourine-man]

At the bottom of the 'Advanced Search' page, there is a pulldown to 'Save Search Preferences' and to 'Clear Search Preferences' with a 'GO' button next to it. These are pretty easy to figure out, and they do indeed 'save' and 'clear'. The 'save' is, in fact, annoyingly accurate in that it not only defaults to thread titles as I'd set, but also to the keyword, username, and forum selection I had when I set the preferences 8).

Good catch. I stopped using this years ago as it was non-functional.

Question is, do the preferences get saved server-side, or locally (an issue for those who clear their cookies/cache on browser shutdown)?

Must. Do. Test...

EDIT: Server-side! Excellent! I may add this feature to the Support FAQ.

 

[effie]

That is handy to know!

You're right TLB, there are times when the key word isn't in the title but is in the body of the post - however I know in BDD and TDS we make an effort to change thread titles so that they accurately reflect content, and I would presume this is a site-wide thing (if not, it should be :D ) so in theory the title only should be more useful.. Especially for noobs as it is more likely to pick up the megathreads etc rather than a load of useless stuff which just makes them give up and come and ask us in BDD (not that we mind people asking us things there! hehe)