May 18, 2014, 11:08 am
Last edit by: JDiver
Using the Search Feature on FlyerTalk: the Definitive Thread
The moderators did a great job of re-organizing this discussion pertaining to the use of the Search function available on FlyerTalk after it was moved from its original forum — posted long before there was an Information Desk forum.
However, the functionality does change over the years — and you can help keep information regarding the functionality updated by contributing to this WikiPost.
Please contribute your helpful tips, tricks and suggestions on how fellow FlyerTalk members can improve the results of searching for anything which has been posted on FlyerTalk.
Thank you.
Regards,
Canarsie
_______________________________
This long-overdue thread is intended to contain all of the information you need to know pertaining to how to successfully search for information on FlyerTalk. This thread also assumes that you possess basic knowledge pertaining to how to navigate around the FlyerTalk Internet web site.
The vision I have for this thread is not only to simply give instructions on how to perform every kind of search possible on FlyerTalk, as well as how to search for information without using the FlyerTalk search engine, but it is also open to questions about how to perform specific types of searches, as well as give tutorials on how to do all types of searches on FlyerTalk. Be as creative as you can be in having the FlyerTalk search engine perform the most efficient search for information for you and post your questions in this thread!
Although I will do my best to help, I do not intend to be the only person assisting other FlyerTalk members with the FlyerTalk search function. I encourage other knowledgeable FlyerTalk members to also participate in and contribute to this thread not only by helping other FlyerTalk members, but also by posting tips and tricks to help harness the power of the FlyerTalk search engine and use it as efficiently as possible.
This thread is NOT for asking about technical issues regarding the Search feature for FlyerTalk, such as “Search is not working today — what is the problem?”. Please post your questions and comments regarding technical issues pertaining to the FlyerTalk search engine separately in this forum.
Thank you in advance for your assistance and for your patience.
The following are quick links to take you directly to the specific infomation which you are seeking:
Basic Uses of Search
- Basic Search on FlyerTalk in General
- Basic Search Within a Forum on FlyerTalk
- Basic Search Within a Thread on FlyerTalk
Advanced Uses of Search
- Search Using Two or More Key Words
- The Wildcard Search: Asterisk You Take...
- Advanced Search Functionality: Specific Forums or FlyerTalk in General
- Advanced Search Functionality: Specific Threads
- How to Customize Search to Your Specifications
- Searching Multiple Forums — or Fora, if you prefer...
Searching for Information Without Using Search
- Look for “Sticky” Threads in Your Favorite Forum
- Using Display Options to Search Instead of Using the Search Feature
- Go to the Internet Web Site of Your Favorite Frequent Travel Loyalty Program to Find Information
Tips and Tricks for Searching for Information on FlyerTalk
_________________
Please add more links to the above list when you add your own tips and tricks to this discussion. Thank you in advance.
Using the Search Feature on FlyerTalk: The Definitive Thread
Aug 17, 2007, 10:30 am
#46
Guest
Posts: n/a
there are others here who have posed the general question of search for 3 letter airport codes, but just to expand on the general theme of 3 letter airport code search, how does one search within a particular forum (ie, Mileage Run Deals) using this functionality?
I don't want to see the 10,000 or so returns if I search for LAX or SNA or xxx.
I don't want to see the 10,000 or so returns if I search for LAX or SNA or xxx.
LAX "Mileage Run Deals"
in the example you mention. Thanks,
Aug 17, 2007, 12:43 pm
#47
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: irvine, ca
Posts: 368
Also, using the 3 letter code + wildcard (ie LAX*) works albeit you'll get lots of other extraneous results. I wanted to at least restrict the search to the mileage run deal forum.
Sep 4, 2007, 1:29 am
#48
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: HH Diamond,SPG Plat,Gold Points Plus Silver, Sixt Plat,
Posts: 40
The search term you specified (new) is under the minimum word length (4) and therefore will not be found. Please make this term longer.
If this term contains a wildcard, please make this term more specific.
When i search for, ex SEARCH i get results.
When i try something like: HILTON NEW YORK I cannot get a result. only the message listet above
How to search for things like this?
If this term contains a wildcard, please make this term more specific.
When i search for, ex SEARCH i get results.
When i try something like: HILTON NEW YORK I cannot get a result. only the message listet above
How to search for things like this?
Sep 4, 2007, 1:36 am
#49
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
Simply search for York but choose Search Titles Only.
You will find the threads for Hilton New York. This is what I do all the time in the Hilton forum for threads pertaining to New York.
Sep 9, 2007, 9:54 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel
Posts: 17,575
It is extremely easy to limit a search to a specific forum (such as Mileage Run Deals). Just use the "Search this forum" feature rather than the "Search" feature. (And then click on "Advanced," and go from there, if you want to use the advanced features such as Titles-Only, etc.). @:-)
Sep 23, 2007, 10:35 pm
#52
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: TPA, PHL
Programs: NW: SE & WC
Posts: 2,136
Not that you would need to in this case, but FT search will work with Hilton "New York" as the search terms.
Nov 24, 2007, 9:50 pm
#53
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: TPA, PHL
Programs: NW: SE & WC
Posts: 2,136
Since the announcement is now gone I'm pasting my reply about the Beta Search:
It was in the announcements above the Technical Issues Forum, but that's now gone.
I posted this a while ago in Three-Letter Search Not Working! thread:
EDIT: Three letter search (such as airport codes) can be used as search term(s) in the Beta Search.
It was in the announcements above the Technical Issues Forum, but that's now gone.
I posted this a while ago in Three-Letter Search Not Working! thread:
EDIT: Three letter search (such as airport codes) can be used as search term(s) in the Beta Search.
Last edited by ed1; Nov 25, 2007 at 5:09 am
Nov 27, 2007, 11:56 pm
#54
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
The three-letter search, which I just tested, has improved tremendously in terms of both performance and accuracy. There are still some features that the beta search engine lacks when compared to the traditional search engine, but in some ways the traditional search engine does not compare to the latest version of the beta search engine. If those missing features were added to the beta search engine, as well as any new suggested features, the beta search engine will then be the most powerful, useful and usable search engine that FlyerTalk has ever had.
Please see the IB Search Beta Update thread for more details.
If and when the beta search engine is not in its test phases anymore, I intend to update this thread with how to use that search engine.
Nov 28, 2007, 5:16 am
#55
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: TPA, PHL
Programs: NW: SE & WC
Posts: 2,136
...as well as two-letter and one-letter searches, which I still have to test.
The three-letter search, which I just tested, has improved tremendously in terms of both performance and accuracy. There are still some features that the beta search engine lacks when compared to the traditional search engine, but in some ways the traditional search engine does not compare to the latest version of the beta search engine. If those missing features were added to the beta search engine, as well as any new suggested features, the beta search engine will then be the most powerful, useful and usable search engine that FlyerTalk has ever had.
Please see the IB Search Beta Update thread for more details.
If and when the beta search engine is not in its test phases anymore, I intend to update this thread with how to use that search engine.
The three-letter search, which I just tested, has improved tremendously in terms of both performance and accuracy. There are still some features that the beta search engine lacks when compared to the traditional search engine, but in some ways the traditional search engine does not compare to the latest version of the beta search engine. If those missing features were added to the beta search engine, as well as any new suggested features, the beta search engine will then be the most powerful, useful and usable search engine that FlyerTalk has ever had.
Please see the IB Search Beta Update thread for more details.
If and when the beta search engine is not in its test phases anymore, I intend to update this thread with how to use that search engine.
I don't know why they removed the announcement about the beta, I have a feeling a lot of newer users don't even know it exists. I just added it here since it was a sticky where someone with a search problem should start. I found out the announcement was gone when I wanted to point a long-time user to it in Search Options - New Beta Option after they combined their advanced search into both beta and advanced search forms and got strange results.
I was sure you'd update this thread when the beta search becomes the FT search. It's nice to see they've made a lot of progress.
Nov 28, 2007, 12:23 pm
#56
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
...and I am happy to report that searching two-letter terms works just as accurately and just as quickly as searching three-letter terms on FlyerTalk!
Dec 1, 2007, 5:16 am
#57
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: TPA, PHL
Programs: NW: SE & WC
Posts: 2,136
Well, I can report that a one letter/number search can provide great results using the new beta search.
I searched NW WP Forum for 2% (as it turns out it only searches for the 2 in this case) and found three threads on the "2% club" without even adding club to the search terms. Results were posted in 2% - can I get a straight answer ? in answer to a user who said it wasn't possible to search for 2%.
I searched NW WP Forum for 2% (as it turns out it only searches for the 2 in this case) and found three threads on the "2% club" without even adding club to the search terms. Results were posted in 2% - can I get a straight answer ? in answer to a user who said it wasn't possible to search for 2%.
Jan 22, 2008, 1:35 am
#58
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
Sort Results By *** using one of the following choices:
- Relevancy
- Title
- Number of Replies
- Number of Views
- Thread Start Date
- Last Posting Date, which is the default for FlyerTalk
- User Name
- Forum
Although obvious in hindsight, until I looked more closely, I had assumed that Search was broken.
Could you reset the default back to Last Posting Date (also for the IB Beta Search), as in FT recency usually means relevancy!
Jan 22, 2008, 12:52 pm
#59
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,997
I wondered why I was having trouble finding things recently. On closer inspection I found that at some point I must have reset my search fields, which now default to Sort Results By Relevancy.
Although obvious in hindsight, until I looked more closely, I had assumed that Search was broken.
Could you reset the default back to Last Posting Date (also for the IB Beta Search), as in FT recency usually means relevancy!
Although obvious in hindsight, until I looked more closely, I had assumed that Search was broken.
Could you reset the default back to Last Posting Date (also for the IB Beta Search), as in FT recency usually means relevancy!
Jan 22, 2008, 12:58 pm
#60
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: London
Programs: AA EXP 2 MM
Posts: 2,823
I assume that if you use the reset button, the original search will now default to Relevance?