SMF User Help: Searching

18, August, 2022, 07:55:33 AM

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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

Chatbox

01, June, 2022, 07:12:04 AM

Plexa: We're almost there Daddy Poi, ACE in TLA any day now :)

01, September, 2021, 02:55:35 PM

Daddy Poi's Oily Gorillas: At least for warps.

01, September, 2021, 02:55:01 PM

Daddy Poi's Oily Gorillas: To think that events are not done via a tilemap in GS3 is interesting, and they'd just be cubes in the size of a tile (I think)... with given coords.

29, May, 2021, 02:16:09 AM

Daddy Poi's Oily Gorillas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHpJRidNrJE&ab_channel=NBCNews = Coolio!

28, March, 2021, 06:10:33 PM

Salanewt: Tiny announcement down here that a new animation pack is now available for download! The Animation Overhaul is required; see the downloads page for more details.

03, March, 2021, 03:16:30 AM

Daddy Poi's Oily Gorillas: I'm happy ACE is possible and easy in GS1. :D Thank you Tret. Now if we can get GS2 Air's Rock to do ACE, wouldn't that be something.

18, February, 2021, 03:25:26 PM

Salanewt: The one here has everything: http://forum.goldensunhacking.net/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=132

18, February, 2021, 02:03:20 PM

VardenSalad: It looks like Atrius' editor download is broken again. The only thing in the .zip is the background image

13, February, 2021, 03:15:41 PM

MaxiPower: Welcom back Charon. been a long time.

11, February, 2021, 09:40:04 PM

Daddy Poi's Oily Gorillas: ~~So how long is this site going to be "This website is still under construction, please excuse the mess."~~ :D

04, February, 2021, 12:56:21 AM

charon the ferryman: LMAO i love 2010 tech

04, February, 2021, 12:56:07 AM

charon the ferryman: release me from my discord prison meme mortals

15, November, 2020, 03:45:26 PM

Salanewt: We're more alive than the board implies; most discussion takes place over on the Discord server.

15, November, 2020, 03:45:06 PM

Salanewt: Haha, heya!

15, November, 2020, 02:07:50 PM

Frog: Nice to see this place is still alive...ish anyway xD

30, October, 2020, 11:10:23 PM

Salanewt: ... Actually, it's almost time for me to post an update on the forum. It's been coming along really nicely overall, and it was only a couple months or so ago that I added some new status effects to the game.

30, October, 2020, 11:08:41 PM

Salanewt: I need to get it done to start making progress on the parts of the AI Overhaul I want to start working on.

30, October, 2020, 11:08:14 PM

Salanewt: It's going well! I wanted to get more of my djinn reform done this week but I've been busy with other things sadly.

30, October, 2020, 09:58:14 PM

KyleRunner: Hi guys! How are you doing?

13, October, 2020, 11:19:21 AM

MaxiPower: first chapter of my golden sun inspired webtoon is now live. be cool if yas could check it out. https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/legacy-of-the-lost-dragoon/the-northern-reaches/viewer?title_no=508487&episode_no=6

31, August, 2020, 08:40:32 AM

Daddy Poi's Oily Gorillas: Being able to convert IPS files to text files to also supporting commenting, and convert back to IPS after changes.... sounds like a fun strategy?

27, August, 2020, 10:37:30 PM

Salanewt: Hey, thanks!

25, August, 2020, 12:59:22 AM

Foreclosure: Yo! Looking forward for this AI OVerhaul patch when it's finished :) :)

19, August, 2020, 07:00:17 PM

Salanewt: That's awesome! I'm pretty good; been working on an AI Overhaul project and have made some nice progress in the past couple weeks; the goal for tonight is to add Deadbeard to GS2 and then I can move onto something new.

19, August, 2020, 01:14:56 PM

Awec: Ye not bad, just checked back in for updates on GS Reloaded really. Although now I'm looking back through some of my old forum posts, which is fun :D how are you?

19, August, 2020, 01:43:07 AM

Salanewt: It sure is! How have you been?

16, August, 2020, 09:40:57 AM

Awec: Yo nice to see this forum is still going

14, August, 2020, 09:06:44 PM

Salanewt: Hey! How goes it?

01, August, 2020, 01:31:53 PM

KyleRunner: Hello, people!

08, July, 2020, 08:57:11 PM

Salanewt: That awkward feeling when almost a quarter of a year goes by without anyone posting a message in this chatbox.

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