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Author Topic: Using the Forum Search Engine  (Read 1142 times)

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Offline The GrimSqueaker

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Using the Forum Search Engine
« on: August 9, 2012, 10:36:33 PM »
Many of you attempt to search for the answer to a question prior to posting about it. Kudos! The answer may often be already found in one of the board's sticky threads or in a thread previously posted. Then comes the Forum Search Engine. Tricky little thing located in the menu bar. Sometimes a source of an easy answer or oft time an unspeakable horror of head desk pounding frustration.

Step 1 - Always select Advanced Search. Always. 

Step 2 - Try and narrow down the Boards you'll be searching through. Bottom left of the Advanced Search window, deselect "Check All" and open the menu using the + icon. Just look at all those lovely, lovely Boards all sitting there waiting to be clicked on. Brings a tear to your eye doesn't it. Now, select only the Boards you think your answer should be within. Say you have an Eldar question - then only select the Eldar Boards and maybe Background or Rules depending on where your questions is going. No point going into the Tavern for that sort of thing as the Tavern is only for other sorts of things we won't go into at this time. Dirty, filthy things which won't be expanded upon. Unless you're in for that sort of thing...

Step 3 - Always put a time limit in there. Go to Message Age and put an upper limit to the search in units of Days. Like sands through the hour glass and all that jazz. The way the Forum Search Engine works is from first to last so without a time limit you'll be seeing replies from the early 2000's that must certainly have nothing to do with your current question. So, say you have a 6th Ed question - make sure to put a time limit of between 0 - 90 days in there (as of August) as 6th Ed didn't exist prior to June 2012 and you hardly wait to search through rumours.

Step 4 - If you're able to, try and put in a member name as the person who uttered the complete words of wisdom you're looking for. Sometimes our resident Oracle Hymirl has been known to have a rule opinion or twenty. If you're looking for a rules clarification it doesn't hurt to start with him even if you know it's going to hurt reading what he's said afterwards. For Background it depends on the subject at hand so if you look around you may see who seems to have the good eyes and bad back of a Fluff Expert in the field you're interested in. Search under their name if you think you've read Good Wads of Experience from them previously. Tissues are located in the corner.

Step 5 - Search, search, and search some more my glorious Googlenauts! Happy hunting!
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Offline Irisado

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Re: Using the Forum Search Engine
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2012, 06:01:38 AM »
This is a really good explanation, thanks Rummy.  I would just add that I have found that trying to search through more than a year's worth of threads often causes the search engine to time out, so focussing a search to as a short a time period as possible is highly recommended.

I've added a link to this topic in the Beginner's Guide to 40K Online thread.
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Offline The GrimSqueaker

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Re: Using the Forum Search Engine
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2012, 11:53:53 PM »
Like stricken heads on pikes, many turn away from sticky threads thinking them full of ill fortune and disease. Dangerous threads clearly left in an obvious place to better warn new posters away from the deadly life of treason and putting the bog roll on the holder the wrong way around.

None of that is true. Read the damn(ed) sticky threads please people.  :)
Quote from: @TracyAuGoGO
Tact is for people who are too slow witted to be sarcastic.
Drink
Knights Tippler
Quote from: Surviving the World
If you can't make fun of something, it's probably not worth taking seriously.

You have to love the smell of science in the morning. It smells of learning.... or perhaps a gas leak.

 


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