How to use the SEARCH FUNCTION on TBMF

Hey guys!

I was just wondering if any of you have been having problems with this forum's search function lately, because I recently got 2 PMs of people with whom this search function has been playing its wicked game.

Thus I thought I would clarify how that thing works, because admittedly, it is far from obvious and can drive one crazy, as it keeps finding "0 posts" whatever criteria one enters.

There is a trick, that should make everybody's life easier, and this trick is called "asterisks" a.k.a "*".

How to use the asterisks in your searches?

In fact, the stupid search function on this forum needs to be told specifically where it may stumble accross deviations from the search term entered.

e.g.

If you enter the search term "Mordheim" you will most likely not get a single hit. Why? Because entering "Mordheim" tells the search engine to find all posts/topics called "Mordheim" and nothing else. So Posts called "My Mordheim" or "Mordheimer's thread" will not be detected.

You need to enter the following search term: *Mordheim*

* basically means "something" (nota bene: a space is also "something") for the search engine.

So now you will detect every post/thread that will have the word "Mordheim" in it, flanked by whatever variables. Posts like "My Mordheim" or "Mordheimer's thread" will now be detected, because the asterisks tell the search engine that it should allow for things to be written before/after the actual keyword "Mordheim".

Think of asterisks as meaning "blablabla".

You should always search for "blablablaYOUR KEYWORDblablabla".

Strange, when I type "Sartosa", for example, without apostrophes or asterisks or whatever, it finds my all the topics with "Sartosa" in it on it's own. Hm, perhaps it likes me

Interesting. Well, in any case, should the search function not work for an unknown reason, try the asterisks. It might help.

Thanks for the walkthrough, Tom. I've never had good dealings with forum search engines before.

You are welcome Eth. I just tried what Eliazar posted. I searched for "Sartosa" (no asterisks) and got results. Then I tried "Halfling". Also got results. Then "Mordheim"... I ALSO got results.

And then the icing on the cake: I searched "Tom".

No matches found.

(he found many hits with *Tom* though... weird)

[EDIT]: Possible explaination --> The word "Tom" never occurs alone, but always as "Tom's".
"Tom's" is not the same as "Tom".

So why don't I find anything when I enter "*BTB*"? Seems pretty unlikely.

cianty wrote:

So why don't I find anything when I enter "*BTB*"? Seems pretty unlikely.

It might be a Charles De Galle "Yellow Peril" glitch in the software.

True my LOW tech persona, I didn't know we had a Search Engine.

WE HAVE A SEARCH FUNCTION???!! why wasn't I informed of this?

I will submit it to a thourough test RIGHT NOW

What did you think the "Search" button at the top was for?

Though I should probably not make fun of you, it took quite some time to discover the General Mordheim Discussion part of this forum

hehe, nah, I always just use the right functions... last posts, my posts seems to get me everywhere I need...

Ezekiel wrote:

I will submit it to a thourough test RIGHT NOW

LOL! Ok Ez! Maybe you can solve the mystery of the unsearchable "BTB"

hehe, that's an easy one... it's called border town burning! so BTB doesn't hit anything...

seriously, I have no Idea whatsoever, I didn't get any hits either....

is BTB google protected copyrighted trademarked in any way?

The funny thing is that I have "manualy" found threads that have the word "BTB" in them...
Only the search function cannot detect them. Go figure....

I was just trying "FAQ" and it did not find anything, either. Perhaps there is a minimum of 4 or 5 letters the engine need to work?

OK, I just searched for "TBMF" and was instantly directed to this thread, so bets are up that my theory is correct

Eliazar wrote:

I was just trying "FAQ" and it did not find anything, either. Perhaps there is a minimum of 4 or 5 letters the engine need to work?

OK, I just searched for "TBMF" and was instantly directed to this thread, so bets are up that my theory is correct

Well, "*Mor*" does give a ton of results so why doesn't "*BTB*"?

in that case, I place 6 GC against Eliazar's theory!

Oh no! I withdraw!

After you send Matt to the pit, I won't bet against you anymore