Improved Search Function

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I just installed a modification to the forum that enhances the search features.  As we all know, good search capabilities are essential to any forum.  As the Festool Owners Group grows, we get an increasing amount of very useful information.  It's essential that members are able to locate that information easily.

A lot of the new features work in the background, producing better, faster results.  But you will notice several visible advantages over the standard search feature:

• When you start a search, it takes you directly to the "advanced search" screen.
• You now have the option of choosing three "matching" modes to tweak the results.
• The results page displays the specific posts and the topics that match your search criteria, as well as the number of posts in each topic that match your criteria.
• Within the search results, you can now "revise" the listing and fine-tune according to several criteria.
• You can now sort the results by replies within a topic, relevance, and date posted.
• You can now use the "Search" feature to find members as well as posts.  You can also use it to find documents within the forum.

Of course, you don't have to use the advanced, user-controlled features if you don't want to.  But they are there if you need them.  In any case, all search results will be better.

As the forum develops, I think members will appreciate these new features!

Matthew

PS: This discussion will be moved to the "Forum Software Tutorials & Instructions" board after people have had a chance to read it here.

 

[Tinker]

Matthew, When, or, do you ever sleep?
Tinker

 

[Eli]

Thanks Matthew! ;D

One gold-plated attaboy, duly delivered.

 

[Dan Clark]

Matthew,

This is great!  With FOG content soaring, finding it has become critical.  These enhancements will make that task much easier.  Two thumbs up!!!  ;D

Thanks,

Dan.

 

[Overtime]

Yes, your work is much appreciated !  And you still have your sanity     hang on to it !  As the member numbers steadily increases, also the guest visitor numbers - way way up there. It's turning into a Festool Gorilla,   Great job Matthew  ;D

 

[Matthew Schenker]

...As the member numbers steadily increases, also the guest visitor numbers - way way up there. It's turning into a Festool Gorilla,  Great job Matthew  ;D

Hey, you noticed that too!  In the last two months, the unique peak hits to the forum (the highest number of people on the forum at a particular moment in time) has averaged around 340; in the three months before that, the average was about 140.  The number of new members is rising quickly as well, but it's interesting how many visitors the forum has been getting.  These are people who come in and read posts, but who may not necessarily register as members.  One of my goals is to understand the transition from "visitor" to "member" better!

Matthew

 

[Tinker]

Matthew,
You are really doing a terrific job.  i can't immagine how many hours you have been/are/will be spending keeping this whole thing together.  What I especially appreciate is that you really care about members needs and problems.  so many forums are set up with an attitude of "What ya see is what ya got>>>" It has to be difficult to try to work in so many different problems so that everybody comes up satisfied.
Tinker