Our search engine for the site

Is anyone else having issues with the general search forums function or the specific search function?

I just tried a test--searched for the word "flowers" in the forums and it worked fine (a bit slow, but I got results). And the specific search--are you meaning the Plant Files specific search? I checked that too and it was working fine for me.

Yes, this afternoon, I tried searching daylilies by hybridiser "Moldovan" and it insisted there was no match!

A few minutes ago, I was unable to search for flowers using the space provided to the left of (: Search forums :) underneath the date and time. I tried it again using the word Callicarpa and it worked, albeit painfully slow.

I haven't tried the PlantFiles search. That generally always works.

The specific search that I was referring to is the one up above in that horizontal bar right below where the tabs for Home, Garden Talk, Home Talk, Plant Files, etc.

Look for it the third over-
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That is where I go to search for a post in a specific forum to help narrow down the search. You can also search by member there too if you want.

This specific search function is still not working for me. I tried to type in bog for myself and received no results yet I know I have used that word in posts. Then I tried to type in Callicarpa again for the Trees and Shrubs forum and got no results.

I have had problems with the search problems on and off. Sometimes they work, many times they don't lately.

I keep getting no matches and I am trying to find something to post for somebody who needs a little bit of help. Like I said, this search function has not been working for me.

How do we put in a request to have this fixed so that it works?

Hi Equilibrium - I suppose you just did. Sometimes you can get results searching DG with google. I got hits by searching 'bog Equilibrium Dave's Garden' on google, you might try that. Some folks search plantfiles that way too, just type 'Dave's' after the species name.

I searched for hybridizer Moldovan (and added "Daylily" to the common name here: http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=daylily&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=moldovan&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search

I searched for Callicarpa in the T&S forum here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/search.php?forum=&search_text=Callicarpa&limit=tas&limit_poster=&Search=Search

"bog" will not come up in a search because it's under four letters (I think that's the minimum. You can try searching for a phrase (e.g., "bog garden" - with the double quote marks) if you know a particular phrase that will bring up the results you're looking for.

I don't know any phrases I used in the old post I was looking for. I'm still having problems.

I would try the Google approach and see if you have better luck that way--I've heard that people have good luck using that to find things in Plant Files when they have trouble finding things using the search here so I don't see why it wouldn't work for posts too.

I tried the google approach and came up with a boatload of other sites that provided the same information I had posted a long time ago that I can link her too need be. Thanks so much for that self-help work around. I guess bog is too small to look for.

Wow, that putting a phrase in quotation marks in a search is a big help! I just found a post I'd been searching for that had been bringing up hundreds of others that had the words separately.... Yay!

Hi Terry,

I know it's working now, but it wasn't this afternoon (sure, sure... this is like taking your car to the mechanic and trying to convince him it was making a strange noise for the last week, as it purrs quietly for him!)

I'd used:

Common name: Daylily

Hybridiser: Moldovan

Sort by: Cultivar

Limit to: Only show entries with images

It refused me several times, and I went over and over, checking my spelling, placement - I find it will do this every now and again, and one thing it often refuses me, is if I put in:

Common name: Daylily,
and then,
at the cultivar line, if I use all capitals, it will say no match, and if I then erase, and type it in lowercase, I get a match...

This message was edited Apr 27, 2007 8:06 PM

Now that IS strange - it shouldn't be case sensitive. I just ran it with all upper and all lower case...no problems. Weird, huh?

Very wierd. Shall I write to you next time it does this to me?

Ok, here's the problem with trying to use the SPECFIC search in place of the general search. I am looking for MINA LOBATA - I put that in the specific search, it doesn't find anything because on PF this is under IPOMOEA LOBATA and MINA LOBATA is an "AKA" name. The specfic search won't find it but a GENERAL search (that is working properly) SHOULD find that.

I KNEW there was a reason that I needed the general search to work - of course, good ole GOOGLE will find it for me. . .

Onalee

Onalee, the specific search includes botanical synonyms and cultivar "aka's"):
http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=mina&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=lobata&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search

Terry - I did it and it did not come up with anything! I swear! Now, I did use all caps, so maybe I have the same problem as 2zeus ???

Onalee

unbelievable - it is working now, even in all caps . . . . the next time this happens I will screen print it - I swear it did not come up with anything.

sorry . .

Onalee

Are you positive you typed everything in the right fields before? I've accidentally typed the genus name into the family or species fields on occasion when I wasn't paying attention and then it won't find anything.

I thought so - but certainly I could have messed - that's why I'll have to do a screen print next time this happens so someone can tell me what I did wrong!

[[sigh]]

I have been struggling with the search features forever, in plant files-even the generalized search.

That's why I'm so thrilled to see the new Google search on Plant Files!

Many times in the past I have just given up, and typed my search request into Goodle, and it would bring me back to DG Plant Files, to the page I was looking for in the first place.
So, finally, I think we have a "win, win" situation for all.

Doing the happy dance, here.

Sasha

I'd like to see a more sophisticated search for the forums. That's where the majority of the more indepth discussions of plants occurs.

The new search capabilities are excellent.... and more forgiving of typos and spellig errorrs...

My only microscopic quibble is the forum search brings up pages of Plant Files Pictures forum posts before you can get to the more discussion oriented forums, it would be cool to be able to get straight to them.

Try this one out:

http://davesgarden.com/search.php

I'd be interested in hearing feedback on it.

dave

That's pretty slick ;o)

I'm not sure if my misspelling 'tests' are a real indicator or not, but my deliberately misspelled searches didn't get anywhere...
I wouldn't mind putting the search on my favorites, which I guess I'd have to do, not having tried the firefox browser yet. I still have the new IE on this computer with the google toolbar which is much better than it was a few months ago.

Other than that, it's as if a weight has been lifted and I get to sink into a hot tub in the middle of someplace like this:

I like it. I might suggest you use another term in plantfiles rather than "happily grown by ..........". Some of the plants were invasive and had been given a negative rating so it is misleading unless you review every plant listed. It is wonderful to have the forums come up and be able to easily find references to plants in posts. Thank you.
Oh, BTW, although I do not see sponsors on anything else I did see them on the new search.

This message was edited May 3, 2007 10:39 AM

I love it!!!!!!!!!!

dave- that last link you provided worked much better for me. How do I get back to that particular search engine other than coming back here to do it?

You'll have to just bookmark it for now. In time, if we enhance it and like it enough, I'll make it more accessible.

dave

bookmarked! Thanks.

Fantastic!!!