use the search, luke!

Andy · August 7, 2005

:wave hello folks, n00bs and veterans alike. i can't tell you how many pms and emails i get all the time, asking for stuff that's readily, easily, handily available right here on dgrin.

learn to use the search tool. it's your friend :deal practice with it, learn to search for specific things in specific forums, or in all forums if need be.

we've grown so much in the past couple years and have so many fine contributors, that chances are really good that your question has been discussed before and you can learn a lot from prior posts. sure - there's nothing wrong with asking a new or related question after searching - but please, use the search first, it'll pay dividends, i assure you.

if anyone has specific hints/tips about using the search tool, post 'em here.

Andy · August 7, 2005

andy wrote:

hello folks, n00bs and veterans alike. i can't tell you how many pms and emails i get all the time, asking for stuff that's readily, easily, handily available right here on dgrin.

learn to use the search tool. it's your friend practice with it, learn to search for specific things in specific forums, or in all forums if need be.

we've grown so much in the past couple years and have so many fine contributors, that chances are really good that your question has been discussed before and you can learn a lot from prior posts. sure - there's nothing wrong with asking a new or related question after searching - but please, use the search first, it'll pay dividends, i assure you.

if anyone has specific hints/tips about using the search tool, post 'em here.

bump

ginger_55 · August 8, 2005

I have a hint/tip, if we are going to use the search tool to its fullest: the subject line sometimes totally does not reflect the info.

I have looked up a subject, a long list of posts, nothing in the subj line refers to what I want, so I pick a post only to just see my quest mentioned, no real help. Yet there are posts with mega help, not labeled as such. To truly research, it can be a problem, IMO. I did it with the flash, the Sigma Super, so I do have experience in this line.

And the subj line is difficult, to impossible, to change. For me.

ginger

FM has a great review section, one thing I do use them for.

pathfinder · August 8, 2005

ginger_55 wrote:

I have a hint/tip, if we are going to use the search tool to its fullest: the subject line sometimes totally does not reflect the info.

I have looked up a subject, a long list of posts, nothing in the subj line refers to what I want, so I pick a post only to just see my quest mentioned, no real help. Yet there are posts with mega help, not labeled as such. To truly research, it can be a problem, IMO. I did it with the flash, the Sigma Super, so I do have experience in this line.

And the subj line is difficult, to impossible, to change. For me.

ginger

FM has a great review section, one thing I do use them for.

Ginger, I find that the search tool for dgrin is kind of limiting, as much as I hate to say it. Googling - using Google.com - can be more effective and productive at finding stuff here on dgrin for me, as Google allows longer and more sophisticated search fields.

azazel · November 17, 2005

you rock andy, i to find myself asking about stupid questions without searching first

DJ-S1 · November 17, 2005

pathfinder wrote:

Ginger, I find that the search tool for dgrin is kind of limiting, as much as I hate to say it. Googling - using Google.com - can be more effective and productive at finding stuff here on dgrin for me, as Google allows longer and more sophisticated search fields.

That reminds me of something I found by accident; maybe most folks know this but I didn't.

When you search with google, you can search a specific site if you want to. So you could type "stacking noise site:www.dgrin.com" into the search field, and the only results that would come up are from dgrin. Pretty handy and, as you say, more powerful than the native search tool here.

Andy · November 17, 2005

DJ-S1 wrote:

That reminds me of something I found by accident; maybe most folks know this but I didn't.

When you search with google, you can search a specific site if you want to. So you could type "stacking noise site:www.dgrin.com" into the search field, and the only results that would come up are from dgrin. Pretty handy and, as you say, more powerful than the native search tool here.

another good one:

site:www.smugmug.com/help nowtypeyoursearchquery

dragon300zx · November 17, 2005

Andy,

Thats why you guys should really make viewing this thread

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=14046

Part of the sign up process.

Nikolai · November 17, 2005

It would help alot
... if the search engine could actually produce some url/REST-like search string, not just the stupid searchid...

This way one could reuse the search strings without having to go through the UI of the advanced search...

BTW - is it possible to incorporate google's site search instead of (or in addition to) VB's one?

Thanks!

Andy · February 3, 2006

TIP #1

Use Advanced Search on Dgrin, and try on the lower left, "search by" and choose "posts" not threads

TIP #2

If you need to search for three-letter words or your search includes a three-letter work - like "raw converter" for example, try SITE SEARCH on Google. In the Google search box, put:

site:www.dgrin.com raw converter

It works a treat

hyachts · June 29, 2008

Andy wrote:
TIP #1

Use Advanced Search on Dgrin, and try on the lower left, "search by" and choose "posts" not threads

TIP #2

If you need to search for three-letter words or your search includes a three-letter work - like "raw converter" for example, try SITE SEARCH on Google. In the Google search box, put:
site:www.dgrin.com raw converter
It works a treat

I have to say, this is a royal pain when it comes to (for example) searching the flea market for a lens. "canon 85 1.2" is a pretty reasonable search string, but the results - based just on "canon" - not so much. The google version isn't much better. You'll get the relevant results, among dozens or hundreds that aren't so relevant.

Does anyone have any hints? Am I missing something obvious?

Andy · July 4, 2008

hyachts wrote:

I have to say, this is a royal pain when it comes to (for example) searching the flea market for a lens. "canon 85 1.2" is a pretty reasonable search string, but the results - based just on "canon" - not so much. The google version isn't much better. You'll get the relevant results, among dozens or hundreds that aren't so relevant.

Does anyone have any hints? Am I missing something obvious?

I put Canon 85 1.2 in the Dgrin/Google custom search box and came up with these results:

http://www.google.com/cse?q=canon+85+1.2&sa=Search&cx=015490029931808806336%3Awyeua6yybvs

is that bad?

hyachts · July 11, 2008

Andy wrote:

I put Canon 85 1.2 in the Dgrin/Google custom search box and came up with these results:

http://www.google.com/cse?q=canon+85+1.2&sa=Search&cx=015490029931808806336%3Awyeua6yybvs

is that bad?

Not *bad* per se, just... not good. It's not a huge deal, don't misunderstand me. Just a mild annoyance. About half of those results aren't relevant to the intent of my search (including a link back to this thread...

). I could employ a more precise search, ooooor the google search could be confined to the forum/thread as the other search can. I'm just sayin'... (don't you hate it when people say that?) Also, I don't know that the google search could in fact be modified to do that - my suggestion is purely theoretical.

use the search, luke!

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