SMF User Help: Searching

Introduction • Registering • Logging In • Profile • Posting • Personal Message • Searching

While SMF naturally incorporates a powerful search engine, knowing how to use it is not surprisingly the key to returning successful results!

Starting a Search

Assuming the forum is running the SMF default theme (or a derivative of it), there should be both a simple Search field (partnered by an Advanced search text link) in the collapsible top section and a Search option in the main menu. If not, the main menu Search option should still lead straight to the advanced search screen.

Syntax

While you can just type (and search for) any combination of characters, you should consider using quotes to make your search really work for you:

Quote Marks

To put this in a nutshell, searching for simple machines forum will return any or all of these three words, but enclosing the search string in double quote marks (ie "simple machines forum") will return only the entire phrase.

Simple or Advanced?

Simple Search

To use the simple search (if enabled), the basic syntax outlined above is all you really need to know. But you might also like to know that this tool searches the entire forum for any or all of what you specify that's been posted during the last 9999 days (which is more than 27 years)! So, to take more control of your search, you should use the advanced search feature.

Advanced Search

Although the advanced search screen might initially seem a little intimidating if a forum has many boards and child boards, it's surprisingly straightforward when reduced to its basic components:

Forum Name

Search

Set Search Parameters

Search for:		by user:


Options:		Message age:
Show results as messages Topic subjects only		Between and days.
Search order:

Choose a board to search in, or search all:

Category name	Another Board
Board Name

Check all

Some forums show the navigation tree at the top in a space-saving horizontal mode.
Despite initial appearances, there are really three options for how to search, with Match all words and Match any words being available from the drop-down, and "Match as phrase" still being available as described above.
The default * in the by user field is essentially a wildcard matching any poster. Please note that, while you can replace this with any single username for a more specific search, it's not currently possible to search for posts by multiple users except as that single wildcard.
Show results as messages returns the full message containing the search string (with a reply option) instead of the usual linked excerpt, but will naturally result in much larger results pages which might be significant if you are searching for a popular word or phrase.
Message age sets the minimum and maximum ages of posts to search.
Choose a board to search in provides you with another tool to narrow the scope of the search, with the default being 'all' (the whole forum or, more properly, all the boards to which you have read access).
The Search button not surprisingly sets the whole thing in motion, but hitting 'Enter' direct from any of the search fields is sometimes more convenient.

Introduction • Registering • Logging In • Profile • Posting • Personal Message • Searching

Today at 12:08:05 AM

Atrius: Thanks for letting me know, it should be fixed now.

Yesterday at 11:47:02 PM

Fox: Okay cool. Speaking about broken things = There was some error I've known about for awhile now: When you try to upload something to the Downloads section. The user may think the upload failed, but it actually succeeds. - I wonder if that was one of the few things? And whether that could be fixed if it hasn't yet.

Yesterday at 11:42:01 PM

Atrius: Oops, that wasn't even supposed to go up. So, our hosting company moved the site over to a different server, and I was just updating some settings to fix things that broke in the move.

Yesterday at 11:39:18 PM

Fox: @Atrius: Probably going to need to update the Maintenance Description... I was confused at first, but it says 20 Mar 2017.

Yesterday at 07:29:35 AM

dawnbomb: can someone link me the discord

Yesterday at 04:52:32 AM

Majora: That's hilarious, lmao. I thought it read like something you might have written, Fox, was almost unsure if it was a bot at first

September 18, 2017, 03:01:57 PM

Fox: Yeah, he copied this post: http://forum.goldensunhacking.net/index.php?topic=1425.0

September 18, 2017, 02:57:48 PM

Fox: (Although, not sure about the last part, it just feels strangely familiar for some reason.)

September 18, 2017, 02:56:43 PM

Fox: BOT ALERT! Kill it, kill it! I think it copied one of my posts? :P

September 17, 2017, 12:58:02 AM

Fox: Not saing we actually need those ofcourse (we don't?), but more saying that minorities could get too attached to them.

September 17, 2017, 12:54:47 AM

Fox: I think it's interesting how Facebook likes to start things, and then retire them. For example, Advanced Search, and E-mail. - They seemed like pretty fine features in my opinion, but retiring them because most people aren't using them at that time? I'm not sure if they know what they're doing, but it sound like they don't. :P

September 14, 2017, 12:59:16 PM

Fox: (At leat when I think about establishments...) ; Oops, pardon my rudeness... .I forgot to welcome you back.... Well... WElcome back! We are glad you've returned.

September 14, 2017, 12:52:57 PM

Fox: (Just want to clarify that "founded" may be an actual word, but sounds weird the way it was used.)

September 14, 2017, 12:47:42 PM

Fox: Cringy? Let me check... Hm... Low number of posts [check] (5 posts) ; misspellings/grammar [check] ("Toturial" (Torture-ial?) , ; founded, ehh.... double past-tense?) ; The best part is at least the posts have a positive attitude! (That may be the most important part?) :)

September 14, 2017, 05:59:01 AM

KeinoGSTLA: back then my posts were so cringy lmao

September 14, 2017, 05:58:39 AM

KeinoGSTLA: damn feels good to find this place again

September 10, 2017, 04:27:04 PM

Fox: I don't suppose there is anything else? ;; Hmmm... What if a Big Brother game was similar to ... er.... Exit/Corners .... which seems to have a Trust system.

September 06, 2017, 11:02:17 AM

Plexa: Honestly we haven't looked into that ... I completely forgot about it until now!

September 06, 2017, 05:44:33 AM

Fox: (Referring to the box/crate that would allow you to get stuck.)

September 06, 2017, 05:43:42 AM

Fox: Is SW Atteka Islet the only one that forgets to update the heightmap when save/resetting? ... The Move pillar seems to update it fine... Hm.

View All

Page created in 0.052 seconds with 9 queries.