The Search Function

I did a search on "Terra Papers" and received a hugh number of returns - pages and pages. I decided to plow through them, looking for the info I was seeking.

At the bottom of page 4 began entry after entry that looked like this:

Terra Papers - I was there, page 2825
Terra Papers - I was there, page 2825. Pages: > ATS Members have flagged this thread 76 times ...
www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread365695/pg2825

Now I KNOW the thread, "Terra Papers - I was there," was nowhere NEAR 2,825 posts, let alone PAGES. I was on that thread. (In fact, it's about 13 pages.) When you click on the link, you get a blank page - well, blank of posts, that is.

Curious, I started reviewing pages of returns. When I got to page 84, I began getting valid returns again. Eighty pages of invalid returns!?! Is there something wrong with the search function?

Also... I sure wish there was a way to order returns by date of last activity - or am I missing that option in a case of selective blindness?

Just caught a typo above. Someone mentioned 13 of something just as I was typing. The thread is about 33 pages long.

Doesn't surprise me.

The Search functions here don't work so well (I say functions, plural, because there appear to be two interfaces...the Search input box that shows up on some pages and the Search function accessible from the menu bar). There are always the kinds of anomalies you're describing. In the past, I have noticed issues with timestamps and issues with search arguments not being in the content in the returned result. In addition, it appears that it might be on some sort of delay, as many times the newer posts do not show up. If I cared more, I would keep some notes on how it's functioning (or not functioning) as the case may be.

The actual Search function with the two tabs has all sorts of issues under both tabs (Search ATS and Search Thread Titles). Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes you waste time typing in thear author, all your keywords, etc. and it jBLANKS everything out (annoying as hell) and just comes back with a vague error. Appears to be some sort of database issue to me, but not knowing how it's done, it's hard to analyze what's happening.

In addition, navigating off the results page is nothing sort of ridiculous. You have to either go allllll the way to the top and hit AboveTopSecret.com, which takes you back to a page hardly anyone ever wants to go to anyway, or use your browser back buttons, which don't even work on first or second click most of the time, so you then have to right-click and pick a page that you hopes get you out of the search code's realm.

Overall, it's a kludgy piece of code with a horrid user interface that probably needs some major revision if not outright replacement.

If you're looking for previously posted topics and content, existing thread to avoid duplicates, etc...

Use the Search thread titles feature/option.

It typically returns more accurate and chronological results.

reply to post by 12m8keall2c


Thank you for this information. I just think it's odd that ATS, a marvelous site in general, has such a poor search function. Being conspiracy-minded, I wonder if this isn't an attempt to ensure information is not easy to find... I'm sure ATS would never do something like that, but I am such a die-hard conspiricist, I just have to think of it.

reply to post by Amaterasu


The old search function ate up too much bandwidth. This search provides a solution to that problem.

Originally posted by baked
reply to post by Amaterasu

 

The old search function ate up too much bandwidth. This search provides a solution to that problem.

At a loss of functionality, it would seem... I have to wonder how Google does it.

Thanks for the info.

If I am searching for a thread on ATS...

I go to google, type in whatever topic/keyword etc.. then add abovetopsecret, and hit enter..

usually the first group is ATS related and click on:

More results from abovetopsecret.com »

and I can usually find what I am looking for..

just another option

Originally posted by JacKatMtn
If I am searching for a thread on ATS...

I go to google, type in whatever topic/keyword etc.. then add abovetopsecret, and hit enter..

usually the first group is ATS related and click on:

More results from abovetopsecret.com »

and I can usually find what I am looking for..

just another option

If I could give you a star, I would. Excellent plan of attack! LOL!

Thank you so much.