We've updated the search function 10 August 2021 at 7:09PM edited 10 August 2021 at 7:10PM in Site feedback 22 replies 702 views

MSE_Laura_F

Hello folks. You might have noticed that we've made some changes to the search function. The new version should make it easier to find what you're after. Give it a go - you can try filtering by date, category, author and lots of other things to narrow down your results.

This is a brand new change and there are still several things that need ironing out. We've already seen some really helpful feedback from Forumites on this and other boards (thank you if that's you). If you spot any bugs or issues when using the search, please holler. We're making sure our tech team (angels and magicians, they are) know about them.

Thank you. 🙏

Q. How do I search the Forum?
A. There's a search box at the top left of most pages. Type a word or phrase in the box and press 'enter' on your keyboard or click the looking glass icon.

Umkomaas

The search function which is exclusive to the sub-forum threads in a particular category (in my case Private Parking) now just reverts to the MSE-wide search function and keywords produce posts from across any and every forum on MSE. Am I missing something, because it now becomes even more of a needle in a haystack task to find anything I want?

thingamaBob

Umkomaas said:

The search function which is exclusive to the sub-forum threads in a particular category (in my case Private Parking) now just reverts to the MSE-wide search function and keywords produce posts from across any and every forum on MSE. Am I missing something, because it now becomes even more of a needle in a haystack task to find anything I want?

It may help if you follow these steps:
1. Click "Search" icon, put search term in box & click "Search" (same as before)
2. Click on "Discussions" button
3. Click on "Sort By" and select "Newest"
4. Click on "Category" on the right hand side and select the Board you wish to search from the drop down box.
5. If you wish to include any sub-boards click to select "Search Subcategories"
6. Click to deselect "Polls" (Polls is automatically selected along with Discussions but rather than searching both, Polls currently seems to block discussions.)

Umkomaas

thingamaBob said:

Umkomaas said:

The search function which is exclusive to the sub-forum threads in a particular category (in my case Private Parking) now just reverts to the MSE-wide search function and keywords produce posts from across any and every forum on MSE. Am I missing something, because it now becomes even more of a needle in a haystack task to find anything I want?

It may help if you follow these steps:
1. Click "Search" icon, put search term in box & click "Search" (same as before)
2. Click on "Discussions" button
3. Click on "Sort By" and select "Newest"
4. Click on "Category" on the right hand side and select the Board you wish to search from the drop down box.
5. If you wish to include any sub-boards click to select "Search Subcategories"
6. Click to deselect "Polls" (Polls is automatically selected along with Discussions but rather than searching both, Polls currently seems to block discussions.)

Thank you for the above. 

I got so far with it, but when I arrived at #4, the drop down box alphabetical list of Boards ends at 'D', and stubbornly won't scroll down any further (I'd be looking for the Motoring forum to then access the Private Parking sub-forum).  So I'm afraid I'm not much further forward, but thanks very much for responding - appreciated. 

thingamaBob

Umkomaas said:

thingamaBob said:

Umkomaas said:

The search function which is exclusive to the sub-forum threads in a particular category (in my case Private Parking) now just reverts to the MSE-wide search function and keywords produce posts from across any and every forum on MSE. Am I missing something, because it now becomes even more of a needle in a haystack task to find anything I want?

It may help if you follow these steps:
1. Click "Search" icon, put search term in box & click "Search" (same as before)
2. Click on "Discussions" button
3. Click on "Sort By" and select "Newest"
4. Click on "Category" on the right hand side and select the Board you wish to search from the drop down box.
5. If you wish to include any sub-boards click to select "Search Subcategories"
6. Click to deselect "Polls" (Polls is automatically selected along with Discussions but rather than searching both, Polls currently seems to block discussions.)

Thank you for the above. 

I got so far with it, but when I arrived at #4, the drop down box alphabetical list of Boards ends at 'D', and stubbornly won't scroll down any further (I'd be looking for the Motoring forum to then access the Private Parking sub-forum).  So I'm afraid I'm not much further forward, but thanks very much for responding - appreciated. 

You're right. it's doing that for me now although it was OK earlier.  May be because they are still working on it.
Quite a few other problems as per a thread on Compers Chat Corner. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6289028/new-search/p1

thingamaBob

@Umkomaas If you start typing the sub board you want to get to, it will bring it up. So if you type 'park' in the box, it brings up Parking Tickets, Fines and Parking which you can then select. Don't forget to unclick Polls. Then click Filter.

J_B

Umkomaas said:

I got so far with it, but when I arrived at #4, the drop down box alphabetical list of Boards ends at 'D', and stubbornly won't scroll down any further

Same here

Loving the 'improvements' by the way!!! 🙄

Umkomaas

thingamaBob said:

@Umkomaas If you start typing the sub board you want to get to, it will bring it up. So if you type 'park' in the box, it brings up Parking Tickets, Fines and Parking which you can then select. Don't forget to unclick Polls. Then click Filter.

That's done the job, perfect. Typing in the 'from/to' dates really narrowed it down and found my test search post first time and at the top of the list. I'm sure the Private Parking forum will find this very useful, but I think I may need to link them to this thread to read your great advice to get them au fait with the new process. 

Once again, thank you very much @thingamaBob. 🙂

thingamaBob

Umkomaas said:

thingamaBob said:

@Umkomaas If you start typing the sub board you want to get to, it will bring it up. So if you type 'park' in the box, it brings up Parking Tickets, Fines and Parking which you can then select. Don't forget to unclick Polls. Then click Filter.

That's done the job, perfect. Typing in the 'from/to' dates really narrowed it down and found my test search post first time and at the top of the list. I'm sure the Private Parking forum will find this very useful, but I think I may need to link them to this thread to read your great advice to get them au fait with the new process. 

Once again, thank you very much @thingamaBob. 🙂

Glad to be of help @Umkomaas. The advice from you and Coupon-mad has saved me from a couple of Penalty charges in the past.

Umkomaas

thingamaBob said:

Umkomaas said:

thingamaBob said:

@Umkomaas If you start typing the sub board you want to get to, it will bring it up. So if you type 'park' in the box, it brings up Parking Tickets, Fines and Parking which you can then select. Don't forget to unclick Polls. Then click Filter.

That's done the job, perfect. Typing in the 'from/to' dates really narrowed it down and found my test search post first time and at the top of the list. I'm sure the Private Parking forum will find this very useful, but I think I may need to link them to this thread to read your great advice to get them au fait with the new process. 

Once again, thank you very much @thingamaBob. 🙂

Glad to be of help @Umkomaas. The advice from you and Coupon-mad has saved me from a couple of Penalty charges in the past.

Thought I half-recognised the name @thingamaBob - one good turn deserves another. 😉

heatherw_01

Search doesn't work at all now. Takes forever then gives this error

Search service: cURL error 28: Operation timed out after 25000 milliseconds with 0 bytes received (see https://curl.haxx.se/libcurl/c/libcurl-errors.html) for https://int-yul1-vanillasearch-prod1-elasticsearch.v-fabric.net/{{idx:category}},{{idx:discussion}},{{idx:comment}}/_search?ignore_unavailable=true