I searched but couldn't find anything

[wannabe sybil]

Thank you Penelope Penguin that is really REALLY helpful.

I have subscribed to the thread as a solid gold life line.

Thank you again.

[Penelope Penguin]

Originally Posted by wannabe sybil

Thank you Penelope Penguin that is really REALLY helpful.

All part of the service

I'll add this to the existing thread on searching, to assist others in future.

Penny. x

[stilernin]

Fantastic!

This just has to be a sticky.

[Penelope Penguin]

Originally Posted by stilernin

This just has to be a sticky.

It's in the Welcome to Old Style sticky

Penny. x

[zippychick]

Just thought I would bump this thread as it is so helpful . The first page and few screenshots really helped me understand searching (in fact it's how I learnt)

Thanks Squeaky!

[MrsE]

Originally Posted by zippychick

Just thought I would bump this thread as it is so helpful . The first page and few screenshots really helped me understand searching (in fact it's how I learnt)

Thanks Squeaky!

Brilliant thread

Can you help me?

If I search for a two word thing (like birthday cake) - it will pull up every thread with birthday & every thread with cake.

Is there anyway around this? Because sometimes you really need both words for it to be relevant.

[Pink.]

Originally Posted by MrsE

Brilliant thread

Can you help me?

If I search for a two word thing (like birthday cake) - it will pull up every thread with birthday & every thread with cake.

Is there anyway around this? Because sometimes you really need both words for it to be relevant.

To use the search facility it is best to click on ''search this forum'' (towards the top right of the main page of the board you are searching on) then click on ''advanced search'' and select ''titles only''. If you then type in the words birthday cake you only find threads containing both words in the title.

Pink

[MrsE]

Originally Posted by Pink-winged

To use the search facility it is best to click on ''search this forum'' (towards the top right of the main page of the board you are searching on) then click on ''advanced search'' and select ''titles only''. If you then type in the words birthday cake you only find threads containing both words in the title.

Pink

So if you search by title only you search for ALL words in one post, but if you search by post content it picks out posts with one or more words.

I'm guessing it works the same way with the search across the whole of MSE? But you can get more relevance using a forum only search?

So its limitations this way are only the titles people use?

Hence the post above which mentions titles.

[Pink.]

Originally Posted by MrsE

So if you search by title only you search for ALL words in one post, but if you search by post content it picks out posts with one or more words.

I'm guessing it works the same way with the search across the whole of MSE? But you can get more relevance using a forum only search?

So its limitations this way are only the titles people use?

Hence the post above which mentions titles.

If you search by titles only, it will select only threads with all your search words in the title.

However, if you search ''entire threads'' for birthday cake it will throw up literally hundreds of threads containing the words birthday and/or cake.

The search does work the same way across MSE. The point of using ''search this forum'' as opposed to ''forum search'' is that it only searches the forum you are reading and therefore narrows down the results you get, making it more easy to find the relevant thread. If you use ''forum search'' it will search the entire MSE forums so you will have many more threads to plough through to find the one you want.

Pink

[Turkishdreamer]

Not sure where to post this, as am new to the forum.

Is there a thread about books, reading, etc. I am a book fiend and it is nice to share books, reading ideas and ideas on obtaining books cheaply, etc.

[rosieben]

you'll find OS book recommendations etc here and I heartily recommend Martin Lewis' books and the Tightwad Gazette if you're looking for something on Frugal living

[Turkishdreamer]

Originally Posted by rosieben

you'll find OS book recommendations etc here and I heartily recommend Martin Lewis' books and the Tightwad Gazette if you're looking for something on Frugal living

Thanks for that, I look forward to a good trawl tomorrow night after work. Oh what a hectic social life I have!!!