Forum Search Function - A Question

[the_wine_snob]

I know that the Adobe Forum team has worked hard over the last year, to improve the forums' Search Function. The standardization across the various forums, the utility of Search, HAS been improved - thank you for that work.

However, once, after one ran a Search, and received a results page, it was possible to go thread-by-thread in those results, to pick the one, ones, that worked for an OP's situation, and by just using the browser's Back button, the searcher was taken back to the Search results page, for more research. Now, the Back button takes me (Chrome on Windows PC) to the general Discussions page, and not the Search results page. This means that the Search criteria have to be re-added. At first, it would seem that Copy/Paste for the Search criteria would be the best workflow, and just re-do that Search, over and over, reading one thread per Search. However, I use Search most often to help posters get answers, and I use the URL to the existing threads to do that. Here is an example of how I use Search, and how it works for me now - the current Search:

Poster has a question, and many other threads in a forum answer that/those question(s). I find six existing threads, that match my Search criteria. Good so far. I then need to read all six threads, to find the one(s), that are best for the new poster. When I find one, I Copy the URL of that thread, and add that to my Reply to that poster. I cannot Copy the Search criteria, to use in the Search query box, as I just Copied the URL to one thread in the list. I then have to go back to the main Discussions page, and re-initiate my Search, to read the second of the six threads - rather tedious, especially with more than one useful thread.

My workaround now, is to create a NotePad document with my Search criteria, and go back to it, Copying and Pasting those characters, after doing a Copy/Paste of a threads URL. Still tedious, but less typing.

Not sure if the old method, or using Back to get to the Search results page, could be re-implemented, leaving the rest of the Search functions untouched, or if someone knows a neat way to return to the Search results page, that I just am not aware of (do not mind admitting OE on my part, and am open to perhaps a better workflow, for how I normally use Search).

Hunt

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

Bill,

As far as I remember, it has been in as you describe for a long time, maybe (half) a year or so, or even more.

My way round it is to always click See More Results, unless I am completely certain that I have found the one and only thread/post I am looking for.

It is one step more, but you get back to it from the search results.

It would be nice to avoid that. Also, it would be nice to have the option to Select People (and (other forums)) in the first step.

[the_wine_snob]

Jacob,

The "old way," that I was talking about, was probably 1+ years ago.

Let me explore the See More Results, as that might be just what I am looking for. I do not mind one more step, if I can keep from having to re-run each Search.

Thank you,

Hunt

[the_wine_snob]

Jacob,

Thank you very much. That is EXACTLY what I wanted. Do not know why I never thought of that, but have shown me the error of my ways.

Appreciated,

Hunt

[Claudio_González1]

Bill, I don't think you are enterely to blame. Improvements are done here in rather subtle/misterious ways that are not always transparent -or useful- for participants without a special badge. And, judging by your question, sometimes not even for participants with special badges...

[Jacob Bugge]

Bill, I only learned it by trying and failing, and observing the effect of my  often looking for specific wordings by specific posters, leading to the need to see more results, which has given me the opportunity to notice the crucial difference.

Claudio, I believe you know my unabbreviation of MVP: most vehemently punished. That has taken on a double meaning, referring both to (the old joke of) the concept of being punished with points and to the occasional bashing of MVPs (luckily, I have never been a specific target) have by posters that are completely unaware of the fact that most MVPs, including myself, are just natives like anyone else, without any moderating or other powers.

[Claudio_González1]

Jacob, unfortunately and although true, that doesn't agree with the image "normal" users get, with those unnecessarily brightly colored badges, and even more unnecessary special backgrounds in their posts, no matter how trivial (and I am not in the least questioning their most legitimate right to post trivial messages)... Their word doesn't become the Bible by the mere fact of being punished with their MVP titles, as the highlighting of their posts seems to suggest.

And yes, I know that -at least- many of you haven't chosen to be nominated as MVPs but, what does the general public think? Most probably, that you all have full moderating powers, and some other powers as well. A sad, artificial, and most unneeded situation -most definitely not an improvement.

[Jacob Bugge]

I am aware of that, Claudio.

This old thread shows it clearly; it was started before the bundling of different groups into the MVP concept.

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1002437?start=0&tstart=0

[Guest]

In years past we had same problem with the threads when you went to page 2 and above.  The back arrow would take you back to page 1.

The workaround for this was to REMEMBER to right click and open in TAB.  Should work here also until they get it fixed.