IPB just is not good when it comes to searching. The software is not upto scratch against the likes of VB which I think has a far superior search, which is also integrated much better. I loathe how you have to click on the search button every time you need to search - or scroll to the bottom of a forum/thread. The slick drop-down search in VB is miles better.

bfarber has said this is just a 5min skin change for admins to make... yes, correct, but IPB must improve the search as a default thing, so we dont have to go skinning things around. Please incorporate this - the current way of searching doesn't cut it.

and something really needs to be done about how the search doesn't tolerate anything less than 4 characters. I know its been discussed endlessly before, but we want comprehensive full text searching AND 3 char ability.

Then you're taking it up with the wrong people. You need to complain the the MySQL team as IPB has no control over that setting, neither does any forum software that uses full text searching.
If it bugs you that much, switch to simple searching and reduce the limit

OK. Do you happen to know the disadvantages of simple searching from a practical point of view?

Yes, but there is nothing IPS can do. You can just open up the mysql configuration file and edit the limit in there (or ask your host to do so if you don't have access).

You say it like vB has it perfected but they're in the same situation regarding full text searching.

no i meant, what really are the disadvantages, so I can inform my forum members?

about changing the config - i'm on a shared server, so doubt my host will change it....

I've used simple searching before without issues - on a smaller site, you'll likely not notice too much of a speed difference either. It's on really large sites that the fulltext indexes really help.



The 5 minute skin change I was referring to was only to make the search drop down a little dhtml deal at the top of each page. Wasn't referring to the backend.

The difference is so small, I'm surprised you present it in terms "not upto scratch", "far superior" and "miles better". Not an everyday vB user myself, but IIRC you have to click the search button on both forum engines. Only one then displays the search form on the same page using "JavaScript" (so having disalbed JS won't even make any difference from IPB) and the other displays it on a new page. You call this "far superior"?...


I'm OK with the 4 character limit if only it would not prevent me from searching several word strings where one (or more) of them is shorter than 4. Meaning, if I put those several words in quotes, it should be considered as one long word and it shouldn't matter wether I have a 3 characters word in it or not. If I'm not mistaken, currently this does not work.

One of my members said that if you want to search a 3 letter word, you just put it in quotes. You may try this, maybe it works for you. It may also work if you put plus signs between the words. I haven't really experimented with this though.

Limitation of the MySQL engine *shrugs* I just set it to simple search mode *cough*when I need 3 word searches *cough* and then back to speed things up (I have a slow server)

forget the words I used. The effect of the vB implementation is greater than the parts - it really does make a HUGE difference. I encounter nothing but irritation at the way search works on IPB. Having to click the search link at the top menu and then fill out the search term and then click submit is a PAIN IN THE ASS. Search has to be available instantly at the top of the topic/forum. I use many vB forums, and I tell ya, you start to notice this after a while. Doesn't even have to be a javascript implementation - could just be the search field at the bottom of a topic/forum replicated/moved to the top.

And if users havent got JS turned on, screw 'em. They're not worth knowing about.
I agree

Never tried that three letter trick you mention....

Search is available instantly at the top of the page in IPB. Open up My Assistant and click the search tab.

Clicking a link to go to a search page is a pain in the ass to you? Seriously? Man, I wish I had your life where something as trivial as that would be the big thing that got me all upset.

But rakaposhi, this is exactly what you also have to do on vB!

1) Having to click the search link at the top menu and then
2) fill out the search term and then
3) click submit

Which of these is not present in vB engine?


In IPB search is available instantly at the bottom of the topic/forum. So, basically you're saying that having at the top makes a huge difference as opposed to it being at the bottom?

I can see the usefulness of having the search box instantly accessible. That said, This could be a skin modification unless it proves to be popular - this is something you really need to ask users about. As FuSoYa correctly points out search is accessible on any page via my my assistant.

With regards to the search backend, I also dislike the limit, and you have the option to bypass it by changing to simple searching as opposed to fulltext searching.

In closing, I think the current search implementation on IPB is excellent and can't see what else could be added really.

Ah. I have hardly ever used My Assistant. Do people actually use this thing? Now that you mentioned it, I checked it out, and yeah, the search over there could work.... BUT once again it isn't as easily accessible as it should be: you click My Assistant, then you gotta click the search tab, then you fill in the searchterm.... I seem to remember asking around the time v2 came out why IPS just didn't put the search tab the first one you saw when you opened MA... I mean, who really wants to check the list of moderators!!?? I suppose it could be skinned...


Nope thats not how I've seen it on vB forums. See this vB forum. Look how there's a search option right at the top of the forum. And to answer your second Q: yeah. Sounds trivial I know, but there you go. Its the scrolling thing I guess....

Well one thing that may help as far as him not wanting to scroll to the bottom to get to the search box is maybe have a button somewhere that forces you down, like the ones that force you to the top of the page currently.

I wander if that's a default feature for vB though. "vBulletin" official forum, for example, doesn't seem to have that search input on top. I suppose that "Sitepoint" forum has skinned it themselves.

Hmmmm. Well here's another one....

Well, here are a couple of IPB boards for you with the search input at the top.
http://www.gmailforums.com/
http://www.neowin.net/forum/

They all have skinned it in. It is not an original feature neither for IPB nor vB.

ah thats the default search option thats present on the board index. It goes away if you move in to a forum (Neowin - default) and remains visible on GMail (skinned)

I guess that can work if you've room in your skin.

Here's a thought: Switch to vB.