Search only going back about one month
 

No matter what I try, I can't get search to pull up threads more than about one month old. Does the BBS need to be reindexed?

A reindex probably wouldn't hurt, but first, what terms - and in what forums - are you searching? And, are you using the "Advanced Search" and its options?

I was trying a search in Community and experienced some problems. Specifically, I was using the "advanced search" and trying to locate some old threads with "Name" in the thread title. I know that they exist, as I stumbled acrooss another one last week (which I bumped up and is still active).

What were the problems? What error messages did you receive (if any?)


UPDATE: The word "Name" is considered by vBB to be a common word, and isn't indexed for searching, so I've removed that word from the "don't index" list. Try your search again and let me know what you get (or don't get); also, include any error messages you may receive.

Here is the MilesBuzz thread I was searching for:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9124

I searched for UPS, which is in the title as well as the body of the thread. Yes, I fiddled with Advanced Search, Find Posts From. I tried searching both All Open Forums and MilesBuzz. It would only pull up matches as far back as mid-April, regardless of what I put in Find Posts From.

Just tried it again today, and it's still happening, so you can replicate the problem.

For instance, this thread (titled 'Name Five FTers...':

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193368

doesn't come up when I search thread titles using either "name" or "five".

I believe that the search function requires 4 or more letters.

Yeah, I can't get that thread either, using "UPS". But, when I use "FedEx", I get it. I think it's based on our allowing three-letter search terms after we already set up the board and indexed everything. More than likely when we reindex (don't have a date yet, though), it'll fix some of these weird results/non-results.

That was the case when we relaunched, but the demand for three-letter search terms (to use for airport code references, etc) was too great, so we dropped the limit to three letters or more (from the default four letters).

"Five" is another of those common words. I just removed "one" through "nine" (ten wasn't in there) so they won't be restricted words anymore.

As for finding results with "name" and "five", even though I've removed those two words from the "do not index" list, it may take a while for them to start showing up within the search system.

Still only going back about a month
 

In the Marriott forum using the advanced search, looking for San Juan or SJU, I'm only getting four returns. I know there are alot more threads than this, because I've posted on several of them.

Are they in the archives? How do search for them there? Am I doing something wrong?

We don't have an "Archives" any more like we used to (ala PastTalk). Now, the "Archives" link at the bottom of the page takes you to a stripped down, read-only version of our forums. It's main purpose is to enable search engine spiders to crawl the site easily. It also has a useful secondary function, which is to allow traveling members to read (but not post to) FlyerTalk while on a PDA, etc.

As for your search terms, it sounds like you're doing everything correctly... your limited results are probably related to an incomplete search index.