searching on Pistonheads PLEASE
Discussion
I have been fruitlessly searching for a post by AutoAndy sometime after Jan 2013 in which he showed pics of his exhaust system cut open to reveal the baffles ( or lack of). Searching for TVR S3 Exhaust and AutoAndy in various combinations brings up 5 pages of mostly very old and mostly unrelated topics. I have spent about 45 minutes trying to refine or filter these results but it seems to have no effect whatsoever ( windows mobile phone ). If I click on " uncheck all" in the various sub sections, and select TVR S Series only, then "search", it immediately reverts to the original all-encompassing 'by relevance' results
- which are mostly irrelevant by the way!
It's very frustrating knowing that the post is out there somewhere but not being able to locate it.
I have given up now. Can anyone else try their luck?
- which are mostly irrelevant by the way!
It's very frustrating knowing that the post is out there somewhere but not being able to locate it.
I have given up now. Can anyone else try their luck?
glenrobbo said:
I have been fruitlessly searching for a post by AutoAndy sometime after Jan 2013 in which he showed pics of his exhaust system cut open to reveal the baffles ( or lack of). Searching for TVR S3 Exhaust and AutoAndy in various combinations brings up 5 pages of mostly very old and mostly unrelated topics. I have spent about 45 minutes trying to refine or filter these results but it seems to have no effect whatsoever ( windows mobile phone ). If I click on " uncheck all" in the various sub sections, and select TVR S Series only, then "search", it immediately reverts to the original all-encompassing 'by relevance' results
- which are mostly irrelevant by the way!
It's very frustrating knowing that the post is out there somewhere but not being able to locate it.
I have given up now. Can anyone else try their luck?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1436710- which are mostly irrelevant by the way!
It's very frustrating knowing that the post is out there somewhere but not being able to locate it.
I have given up now. Can anyone else try their luck?
Was it this one?
RacingPete said:
Hi Pete,I tried it, but this link is not active on my phone, i.e. It doesn't do anything when I click on it.
So using my new-found cutting and pasting skills, I inserted it into the search box, and it came up with one result: This very topic about using the search!
Edit: Strangely, the link works from my quote of your post, and YES Pete, that is the thread I was searching for.
Please can you tell me how you found it?Edited by glenrobbo on Saturday 18th July 01:25
Busy day, so just getting round to this...
I used the forum search to find this by putting in Baffles as the search term.
I then selected just the S Series forum
And then added AutoAndy into the forum member filter
This came back with a few results, but those that had 1/xxx in the number of posts I clicked on (there were 3 of them), and one of them look to have what you wanted.
Though with a title of New Owner, and it not really being about baffles, it is an interesting use case.
I used the forum search to find this by putting in Baffles as the search term.
I then selected just the S Series forum
And then added AutoAndy into the forum member filter
This came back with a few results, but those that had 1/xxx in the number of posts I clicked on (there were 3 of them), and one of them look to have what you wanted.
Though with a title of New Owner, and it not really being about baffles, it is an interesting use case.
RacingPete said:
Busy day, so just getting round to this...
I used the forum search to find this by putting in Baffles as the search term.
I then selected just the S Series forum
And then added AutoAndy into the forum member filter
This came back with a few results, but those that had 1/xxx in the number of posts I clicked on (there were 3 of them), and one of them look to have what you wanted.
Though with a title of New Owner, and it not really being about baffles, it is an interesting use case.
Hi Pete,I used the forum search to find this by putting in Baffles as the search term.
I then selected just the S Series forum
And then added AutoAndy into the forum member filter
This came back with a few results, but those that had 1/xxx in the number of posts I clicked on (there were 3 of them), and one of them look to have what you wanted.
Though with a title of New Owner, and it not really being about baffles, it is an interesting use case.
I tried to replicate this without any success whatsoever.
Entering baffles brings up 1763 results in General Gassing alone, clicking on TVR narrows it down to 777 results. I then tried unchecking all in the TVR category, which required a LOT of clicks on the box before it activated it. I then checked just the S Series box, and searched again. This just repeated the original result, and scrolling down revealed that all the TVR models had been reinstated, ie all boxes had ticked themselves again.
I tried entering AutoAndy* into the forum member box, but I was unable to do so, as this filter is inactive ( the key is just a sort of faint shadow if you know what I mean ) so I cannot type anything into the box.
So I cannot refine my search beyond the first stage of >20 pages of results ( I tried to see how many pages, but I can only advance slowly, one click at a time, there's no fast forward. )
I am using a Nokia Lumia 635 windows mobile phone which previously achieved good results using the old search engine.
However, I am impressed by the way you were able to find the post I was searching for on your device, given the topic heading of "New Owner".
Perhaps I should get a computer for myself?
Which one would be best suited to the new PH search engine?
- I know that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean!
Edited by glenrobbo on Thursday 23 July 09:00
Just to add another members experience
mikestvrs1 said:
Hi Guys,
.....
I am sure that this issue has been raised previously but I am not getting far with searching through the forums.
What has happened, the current PH search engine is a nightmare, I had trouble even finding any of my previous topics.
mikestvrs1 said:
Hi Guys,
.....
I am sure that this issue has been raised previously but I am not getting far with searching through the forums.
What has happened, the current PH search engine is a nightmare, I had trouble even finding any of my previous topics.
glenrobbo said:
Hi Pete,
I tried to replicate this without any success whatsoever.
Entering baffles brings up 1763 results in General Gassing alone, clicking on TVR narrows it down to 777 results. I then tried unchecking all in the TVR category, which required a LOT of clicks on the box before it activated it. I then checked just the S Series box, and searched again. This just repeated the original result, and scrolling down revealed that all the TVR models had been reinstated, ie all boxes had ticked themselves again.
I tried entering AutoAndy* into the forum member box, but I was unable to do so, as this filter is inactive ( the key is just a sort of faint shadow if you know what I mean ) so I cannot type anything into the box.
So I cannot refine my search beyond the first stage of >20 pages of results ( I tried to see how many pages, but I can only advance slowly, one click at a time, there's no fast forward. )
I am using a Nokia Lumia 635 windows mobile phone which previously achieved good results using the old search engine.
However, I am impressed by the way you were able to find the post I was searching for on your device, given the topic heading of "New Owner".
Perhaps I should get a computer for myself?
Which one would be best suited to the new PH search engine?
I admit I am sitting at a desk at work, so not using a mobile/tablet to do the searching - which helps massively with the selection/deselection of the forum categories.I tried to replicate this without any success whatsoever.
Entering baffles brings up 1763 results in General Gassing alone, clicking on TVR narrows it down to 777 results. I then tried unchecking all in the TVR category, which required a LOT of clicks on the box before it activated it. I then checked just the S Series box, and searched again. This just repeated the original result, and scrolling down revealed that all the TVR models had been reinstated, ie all boxes had ticked themselves again.
I tried entering AutoAndy* into the forum member box, but I was unable to do so, as this filter is inactive ( the key is just a sort of faint shadow if you know what I mean ) so I cannot type anything into the box.
So I cannot refine my search beyond the first stage of >20 pages of results ( I tried to see how many pages, but I can only advance slowly, one click at a time, there's no fast forward. )
I am using a Nokia Lumia 635 windows mobile phone which previously achieved good results using the old search engine.
However, I am impressed by the way you were able to find the post I was searching for on your device, given the topic heading of "New Owner".
Perhaps I should get a computer for myself?
Which one would be best suited to the new PH search engine?
- I know that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean!
Edited by glenrobbo on Thursday 23 July 09:00
So I have just tried on my phone (iPhone 6), and I can shorten the search to just adding "baffles" into the search, and then going to the bottom and putting in AutoAndy into the "Refine by poster" box. This then ends up with 16 results, of which 3 have a 1/x against them - and the New Owner ! post is in there.
I do not have a Nokia to test on, so will hunt one out, to see why the "Refine by poster" is not selectable.
Also of note, that once updating any of the search filters on the page (be it forum, or poster) then the search will automatically update the page and you do not need to click on search again (in fact doing so will restart the search across everything again as if it was a new search).
Ah, that explains why it reverted back to stage 1 of the search, because yes, I did click on search again after deselecting all and ticking S Series only.
I don't know if I should keep trying to enter AutoAndy in the forum member box, he may start to struggle
It does all seem a bit of a faff compared with the old search.
I do agree that the new search generates a lot more information, but I'd guess that less than 10% is relevant. How does it decide?
I don't know if I should keep trying to enter AutoAndy in the forum member box, he may start to struggle
It does all seem a bit of a faff compared with the old search.
I do agree that the new search generates a lot more information, but I'd guess that less than 10% is relevant. How does it decide?
I tend to use Google with 
istonheads: (or whatever the right thing is) included and see what comes up. There's normally more than one thread on the thing you're looking for.
On the flip side, I think if you have an issue, start a new thread. It's one thing saying "this has been discussed before, and doesn't need to be again" but on the other hand (aside from the fact you obviously don't have anything better to do if you're on the forum and not asking for help) asking again can be a good thing because the information in previous threads could well be outdated. Nobody goes back through old threads updating them when new info comes to light, do they? s
t, most people don't even go back and post when their issue is resolved, so the threads never reach a natural conclusion. The more something is discussed, the more the info will ingrain on people's minds. The only drawback? You have more threads in the forum to go through, which would be a nightmare if you were going through them page by page (or for members with OCD, which we appear to have a few on PH), hunting for info.
What you really need is a box, where you can type the words in relating to your problem, and it will scan all of those threads for you, highlighting the ones it thinks you'd like to see. It could be called a 'search', or something?
But whatever you do, don't ask for help on the FB page
istonheads: (or whatever the right thing is) included and see what comes up. There's normally more than one thread on the thing you're looking for.On the flip side, I think if you have an issue, start a new thread. It's one thing saying "this has been discussed before, and doesn't need to be again" but on the other hand (aside from the fact you obviously don't have anything better to do if you're on the forum and not asking for help) asking again can be a good thing because the information in previous threads could well be outdated. Nobody goes back through old threads updating them when new info comes to light, do they? s
t, most people don't even go back and post when their issue is resolved, so the threads never reach a natural conclusion. The more something is discussed, the more the info will ingrain on people's minds. The only drawback? You have more threads in the forum to go through, which would be a nightmare if you were going through them page by page (or for members with OCD, which we appear to have a few on PH), hunting for info. What you really need is a box, where you can type the words in relating to your problem, and it will scan all of those threads for you, highlighting the ones it thinks you'd like to see. It could be called a 'search', or something?
But whatever you do, don't ask for help on the FB page
OK RacingPete you wanted examples. A guy came on the TVR S group on Facebook asking for advice re seat belts. I wanted to post him to existing advice on PH. I Googled using TVR S seat belts, nothing else. The first search result is the PH D forum and gives 4 results, it is immediately clear that 2 are of low relevance (one is old and the other says seat belt 'pads'). I pick one, it is correct. I also notice of further checking that there are links between them. I copy that PH ref and give it to the guy, and he follows it up.
An important point to me is that it keeps the PH data as the prime data for TVR S owners, we are not duplicating or going off at tangents.
I then tried the same on the PH search using exactly the same search subject. I got 94 results! None of the first 25 (the displayed list) was the least bit relevant. I could find no good reason for some to have been selected as 'relevant' at all. The one I knew I wanted turned up at 47th on the list.
I decided to see what happened if I deselected options (quite why I have to deselect and work up the pyramid rather than select more and work down I do not know). The 'hover' didnt work, nothing happened. So I deselected 12 options (12 operations) and got down to 49 choices, the one I wanted was now 25th. But only 4 had both seat and belt in the title. I opened a couple and they had only the most marginal relevance, or non at all.
I unchecked TVR and rechecked S only. Mine is now 8th out of 12, only 2 have both seat and belt in the title. Quite what 'relevance' several had to my search subject defeats me. Remember I am being offered results by RELEVANCE, but some are clearly not of significant relevance.
A marginal reference to seatbelts in a post about a different make of car entirely (never mind a different model of the same make) is more 'relevant' that one that has all the elements of my search subject in it. That is a patent nonsense.
I change the option from Relevance to Last Update Time, but of course it then lists in the next column by Ascending rather than Descending date, so I change again to Descending order of time, and mine is now 4th. NONE of the first 3 have seats and belts in the title!
As Devils Advocate I would say, how can the 'ordinary' person see this as better than what we had, or of any use for 'ordinary' searches.
An important point to me is that it keeps the PH data as the prime data for TVR S owners, we are not duplicating or going off at tangents.
I then tried the same on the PH search using exactly the same search subject. I got 94 results! None of the first 25 (the displayed list) was the least bit relevant. I could find no good reason for some to have been selected as 'relevant' at all. The one I knew I wanted turned up at 47th on the list.
I decided to see what happened if I deselected options (quite why I have to deselect and work up the pyramid rather than select more and work down I do not know). The 'hover' didnt work, nothing happened. So I deselected 12 options (12 operations) and got down to 49 choices, the one I wanted was now 25th. But only 4 had both seat and belt in the title. I opened a couple and they had only the most marginal relevance, or non at all.
I unchecked TVR and rechecked S only. Mine is now 8th out of 12, only 2 have both seat and belt in the title. Quite what 'relevance' several had to my search subject defeats me. Remember I am being offered results by RELEVANCE, but some are clearly not of significant relevance.
A marginal reference to seatbelts in a post about a different make of car entirely (never mind a different model of the same make) is more 'relevant' that one that has all the elements of my search subject in it. That is a patent nonsense.
I change the option from Relevance to Last Update Time, but of course it then lists in the next column by Ascending rather than Descending date, so I change again to Descending order of time, and mine is now 4th. NONE of the first 3 have seats and belts in the title!
As Devils Advocate I would say, how can the 'ordinary' person see this as better than what we had, or of any use for 'ordinary' searches.
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