Cool Search Tip

Trailpixie · October 2017

The forum search is a little bit weak, so I thought I would give a search tip that helps me to find more information.

You can use google to limit your search to this forum. Enter the following into your google search field:

site:http://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com[place your search terms here]

so, if I wanted to search for information about tow vehicle tire pressure, I would enter the following

site:http://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com tow vehicle tire pressure

The forum search tool will not give you any results, but Google will give you relevant results. It's pretty cool

pthomas745 · October 2017

Can't resist

https://www.google.com/search?q=search+site:http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/&oq=search+site:http://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/&gs_l=psy-ab.3...2799.6689.0.7713.21.14.0.0.0.0.421.1745.3j3j0j2j1.9.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..14.0.0....0.ryFW8JucX6A

Donnab · October 2017

Thanks this is a big help!!

ChanW · October 2017

Google Search lets you use some logical operators too:

the word OR (OR must be in caps)
quotes around a specific phrase
Parenthesis, like in algebra
a minus sign in front of a word (w/ no space) to exclude any search results with that word

TerryV6 · October 2017

Very interesting. I noticed the difference in my search results by trial and error. I used to make macros, or quick keys, to do take away multiple keystrokes. Wish I could figure a way to do so to enter the first part of your search phrase before entering my desired search item on the iPad. Save it and copy and paste perhaps?

ChanW · October 2017

That's what I do. but it's still a bit of a multi-step process. I go to the address-bar of the current page, copy the address, open a new window, paste the address, edit out the extra stuff, and type the search terms. (it's only for serious seaches!)

TerryV6 said:

...... Wish I could figure a way to do so to enter the first part of your search phrase before entering my desired search item on the iPad. Save it and copy and paste perhaps?

Michigan_Mike · October 2017

Good stuff and thank you all! Ironically I am putting an email message together today to address the above issue as the forum search function obviously isn't getting the job done. This is something we've discussed in the past behind the scenes and as a moderating team we will do our best to enhance this and other forum functions/features.

Thanks again for posting this tip up because this is what makes this forum strong (it's members and their ability and desire to share knowledge with others) and why it has survived the test of time!

ChanW · October 2017

@Michigan_Mike, I'd think it'd be pretty hard to meet the high bar of Google's search engine.
But I have seen sites that use a Google search bar embedded in the pages, which specifically searches through that site's pages. The search results would include Google ads however, because, as we all know, that's what makes the world go 'round! And Google would also gain from it in knowing what we're searching for (somehow I can't imagine Google caring about what speed we tow our Tabs down the highway)...

pthomas745 · October 2017

I've done enough searches here with the "site" trick that when I type the word "site" in my "location bar" at the top of my Firefox window, the "search suggestions" open up and show me my previous searches. I hit the suggested link, edit the search term in the Google search window for the search term I want, and click away.

I get this in the Google window: led bulb sizes site:tab-rv.vanillaforums.com
And just edit out the words in front of "site". I don't have to do extra typing of the entire address this way.

I'm on other forums that have the Google search window, and this method still returns better results.

ChanW · October 2017

Ha! Great tip! Thanks.

I'd completely forgotten that google doesn't care what sequence the search terms are in.

I love learning new stuff.... Now if I could only remember it for next time I use 'site:'

pthomas745 said:

I've done enough searches here with the "site" trick that when I type the word "site" in my "location bar" at the top of my Firefox window, the "search suggestions" open up and show me my previous searches. I hit the suggested link, edit the search term in the Google search window for the search term I want, and click away.

I get this in the Google window: led bulb sizes site:tab-rv.vanillaforums.com
And just edit out the words in front of "site". I don't have to do extra typing of the entire address this way.

I'm on other forums that have the Google search window, and this method still returns better results.

Verna · October 2017

@ChanW,I moved this to the User Manuals/etc. category. I’ve been moving more and more help type threads there

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