Problem with search function

[Leigh]

This is a vBulletin problem, not an LFPF problem.

The search algorithm rejects any short text, completely ignoring it.

That might make sense on a culinary forum, but on a photography forum where many products have short names,
like the Sinar F2 and other models, or Schneider XL lenses, this limitation makes no sense and causes greatly
inflated search results.

Is there a configuration option that would remove this limitation?

The only solution is to use Google site search, which does not reject short terms.

- Leigh

[Corran]

Just use quotation marks. "Sinar F2" will give you only results with that exact string.

[Leigh]

I know. But the words won't necessarily be in that specific arrangement.

- Leigh

[Ralph Barker]

"Is there a configuration option that would remove this limitation?"

Nothing I can find. Search functions tend to be the weak point in many software packages, and that has been historically true with vBulletin, it seems. Google seems to have gotten it "right", so using their site search may be the best option.

[Leigh]

Hi Ralph,

I was afraid that was the case. Thanks for checking.

- Leigh

[Brian Ellis]

I thought I remember reading of a simple way to confine Google to search only a particular forum. Unfortunately I don't remember what it was. Maybe someone else here knows or can correct me if my memory is wrong. But if that can be done wouldn't it solve your problem?

[Corran]

Yes you can (and I believe Leigh is already doing that). For future benefactors though, you simply type in google:

site:largeformatphotography.info search term