What's the deal with the search function here?

MotherNatrsSon · 08-01-2003, 05:56 PM

I just tried searching for "fluid css" and I get an error page that tells me css is under the minumum character length of 4 and I need to enter a different search term. Why is it not seeing "fluid css" and only "css"? This has happened with "box model" as well. It just sees "box" and gives me the same error page.

MNS

Roy Sinclair · 08-01-2003, 06:36 PM

The keywords you search for need to be at least 4 characters long.

Simple fix though, search for "fluid css*", the wildcard attached to the word "css" makes it four characters but it'll still match CSS alone.

MotherNatrsSon · 08-01-2003, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roy Sinclair
The keywords you search for need to be at least 4 characters long.

Simple fix though, search for "fluid css*", the wildcard attached to the word "css" makes it four characters but it'll still match CSS alone.

I guess I wasn't clear. I DID search for "fluid css" and it told me in the error I was only searching for "css". Same with "box model". That is what I searched for but the error was telling me I only searched for "box". I don't understand it.

Do I need to search for "fluid css*" and "box* model"?

I tried "fluid css*" and it only finds fluid.....

MNS

Roy Sinclair · 08-01-2003, 07:07 PM

It finds CSS, it just doesn't highlight it when you click on the links to the messages it finds. However, you can adjust the URL to remove the %2A from the end of the 3 character word and it'll highlight CSS too.

oracleguy · 08-01-2003, 07:18 PM

None of your search keywords can be three characters or less long.

MotherNatrsSon · 08-01-2003, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oracleguy
None of your search keywords can be three characters or less long.

OK. guess I'll have to search for something else. Thanks for the explinations.

MNS

cg9com · 08-11-2003, 09:38 PM

You can search for whatever you want to, under the search box it states clearly:

Advanced query: Join words with AND, OR and NOT to control your search in more detail.
Add asterisks (*) to use wild cards in your search (*bullet* matches vBulletin etc.)

MotherNatrsSon · 08-11-2003, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cg9com
You can search for whatever you want to, under the search box it states clearly:

Advanced query: Join words with AND, OR and NOT to control your search in more detail.
Add asterisks (*) to use wild cards in your search (*bullet* matches vBulletin etc.)

No you cannot. Try searching for "fluid and css", you get 0 results, Search for fluid and you get plenty.

MNS

cg9com · 08-12-2003, 09:40 AM

fluid css** actually gave me results.

they may have only been 3 including this page, but ...

Sayonara · 02-11-2005, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oracleguy

None of your search keywords can be three characters or less long.

This is something of a problem, since many web languages, resources and so forth are known by, and referred to with, 3-character acronyms.

I am trying to find posts on P3P, and I very much doubt anyone writing about it will have taken the time to type "The Platform for Privacy Preferences" at any point.

codegoboom · 02-12-2005, 10:50 AM

Well, there's always a field expedient method of some sort...

Code:

javascript:var q =  prompt("Query CF ala Google...", ""); if(q) location = "http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Acodingforums.com+" + q;

Sayonara · 02-12-2005, 05:53 PM

It works, but it's not exactly user-oriented.

codegoboom · 02-12-2005, 07:07 PM

It may be oriented onto your browser toolbar, if quick access is what you're referring to.

Sayonara · 02-12-2005, 09:24 PM

No, what I'm referring to is the fact that -- for a coding forum -- expecting users to go to an external site in order to perform a perfectly reasonable search is user-hostile, whereas letting users search for strings of a minimum length of 3 characters is not.