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
Sep 19, 2010, 8:18 pm
#76
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,996
I have been trying to search within this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...u-bna-pit.html
for the word "posted", but I keep getting the following response:
"Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.
The following words are either very common, too long, or too short and were not included in your search : posted"
As far as I can tell, I am following the below procedure exactly. Any idea what I might be doing wrong? Thanks.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...u-bna-pit.html
for the word "posted", but I keep getting the following response:
"Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.
The following words are either very common, too long, or too short and were not included in your search : posted"
As far as I can tell, I am following the below procedure exactly. Any idea what I might be doing wrong? Thanks.
Please let me know if this works for you.
Oct 8, 2010, 7:07 pm
#77
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 589
Yes! Thank you very much. Was not accustomed to putting quotes around a single-word search term-- but that works!
I get 51 results when I used the search term "posted" — but be sure you include the "" around the word posted, or any other word that the vBulletin bulletin board software which powers FlyerTalk thinks is very common or too short.
Please let me know if this works for you.
Please let me know if this works for you.
Mar 24, 2012, 1:30 am
#78
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,996
I never reported that I am able to successfully search for two-character and even one-character terms when using "" around the term used for searching.
Apr 21, 2013, 7:49 am
#79
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
However, the use of quotation marks has worked for me when searching titles only, results in titles, for extremely common terms (see Canarsie's post immediately above) or terms using three or fewer characters. "ba" works quote well to find any threads in the American Aadvantage forum, for example, containing the term BA, or "lax" for LAX. (Case is not of consequence when using search, AFAIK.)
May 18, 2014, 4:48 am
#81
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 15
I am really heaving hard times with the search. According to the FAQs, use of an asterisk should work (oh blessing!).
I would like to search for Meli* in forum titles, because sometimes it's Melia and sometimes it's Meliá and because I am a smart user, I dare to hope that I can avoid two searches. But searching for Meli* in forum titles gives no results. Neither does Melia or Meliá work
.
Could somebody please open my eyes?
Thanks
I would like to search for Meli* in forum titles, because sometimes it's Melia and sometimes it's Meliá and because I am a smart user, I dare to hope that I can avoid two searches. But searching for Meli* in forum titles gives no results. Neither does Melia or Meliá work
.Could somebody please open my eyes?
Thanks
May 18, 2014, 10:57 am
#83
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
Adding quoation mark to your key-word searches...
Hope it helps!
May 18, 2014, 10:58 am
#84
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,996
May 20, 2014, 11:25 am
#85
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: BKK
Programs: AA Plat, HH Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,395
According to the FAQs, use of an asterisk should work (oh blessing!). I would like to search for Meli* in forum titles, because sometimes it's Melia and sometimes it's Meliá and because I am a smart user, I dare to hope that I can avoid two searches. But searching for Meli* in forum titles gives no results.
Click the Search pulldown in the menu bar near the top of the page
Click Google Search in the pulldown box
Make sure the radio button for flyertalk.com is selected
Type the following string in the search field: Melia OR Meliá OR Melias
(Note the word OR must be in all caps)
Otherwise, just do separate searches.
Good luck!
May 22, 2014, 10:28 am
#86
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 15
Melia OR Meliá
So this is a boolean OR, because I want to avoid two searches.
The following search term also does not give anything:
Meli*
@Google search: I can use wildcards here, but I can't restrict the search to thread titles only, can I?
Thanks
May 29, 2014, 10:16 am
#87
Moderator: Hilton Honors forums
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Marietta, Georgia, United States
Posts: 24,996
I received the same results as you with Meli*, which is nothing. As a test, I then attempted Star* as a search term. In the past, I would have received results for Starwood and Starpoints; but in this case, I only received the same results which I would have received if I used Star instead of Star*.
I do not believe that you can restrict Google search to titles of discussions only. I suppose that is the tradeoff.
I personally would like the ability to search images on FlyerTalk using Google search; but I have not found a way to do that.
I will contact someone from Internet Brands to hopefully participate in this discussion to let us know what can be done; what used to be functional but is not anymore and for what reason; and what is possible to implement in the future.
Jun 5, 2014, 9:46 am
#88
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 15
The * used to give wildcard searches; but it currently seems to be nothing more than a superfluous character.
I received the same results as you with Meli*, which is nothing. As a test, I then attempted Star* as a search term. In the past, I would have received results for Starwood and Starpoints; but in this case, I only received the same results which I would have received if I used Star instead of Star*.
I do not believe that you can restrict Google search to titles of discussions only. I suppose that is the tradeoff.
I personally would like the ability to search images on FlyerTalk using Google search; but I have not found a way to do that.
I will contact someone from Internet Brands to hopefully participate in this discussion to let us know what can be done; what used to be functional but is not anymore and for what reason; and what is possible to implement in the future.
I received the same results as you with Meli*, which is nothing. As a test, I then attempted Star* as a search term. In the past, I would have received results for Starwood and Starpoints; but in this case, I only received the same results which I would have received if I used Star instead of Star*.
I do not believe that you can restrict Google search to titles of discussions only. I suppose that is the tradeoff.
I personally would like the ability to search images on FlyerTalk using Google search; but I have not found a way to do that.
I will contact someone from Internet Brands to hopefully participate in this discussion to let us know what can be done; what used to be functional but is not anymore and for what reason; and what is possible to implement in the future.
No matter what question, I am sure there is already a thread about it somewhere in the depths of these forums. A powerful search functionality (and I consider wildcards a must for this) would be very handy for finding it...
Jun 5, 2014, 3:28 pm
#89
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: SPG
Posts: 607
Looking into the issue with FT specific search.
Regarding google - it can be targeted to only search a specific forum or a specific thread.
Examples of Google query (without quotes):
" site:flyertalk.com inurl:forum/information-desk/ technical "
Specific thread search:
" site:flyertalk.com inurl:/forum/information-desk/676224-using-search-feature-flyertalk-definitive-thread technical "
Regarding google - it can be targeted to only search a specific forum or a specific thread.
Examples of Google query (without quotes):
" site:flyertalk.com inurl:forum/information-desk/ technical "
Specific thread search:
" site:flyertalk.com inurl:/forum/information-desk/676224-using-search-feature-flyertalk-definitive-thread technical "