[Suggestion] Forum Search Results by Topic/Thread

[limotux]

If I do a search in the forum, I get the search results showing single posts containing the search term, so this is sort of redundancy, as well, it does not easily retrieve the topics/threads.

I wish to see that if I made a search for a specific expression I get only the first post or the most relevant post in a specific thread, then the next in another thread and so on.

This way, instead of seeing on the search results (say 20 posts, with 5 from a specific thread - so thread is repeated) I think it would be better to show only one post from a thread, then another post from another thread.

This way the user would be seeing more topics/threads containing the answer to his search.
For example compare this https://forum.endeavouros.com/search?q=file%20indexing to this search.php?keywords=file+indexing and both for the search expression "file indexing"

I am not interfering with the work you are doing guys, it is just a suggestion I think it can make search results better.
I do not know if it can be configured this way with the same forum software or it requires another software.

[sunrat]

I think our admins have looked into the search function and determined there are limitations of the phpBB software. EndeavourOS appears to be using Discourse.
Search can be improved by using a search engine with

<search-term> site:forums.debian.net

eg: https://www.startpage.com/do/dsearch?qu ... sion=1.3.0

[limotux]

I think our admins have looked into the search function and determined there are limitations of the phpBB software. EndeavourOS appears to be using Discourse.
Search can be improved by using a search engine with

<search-term> site:forums.debian.net

eg: https://www.startpage.com/do/dsearch?qu ... sion=1.3.0

Thank you @sunrat
I will try your suggestion.

[limotux]

UPDATE:
I tried several searches and it is amazing.
That's exactly what I am looking for.

I am no techie, but I know a little. I wonder can the search bar on the forum be done using StartPage the same way you @sunrat gave me the link? Better if the search open the results in a new tab.

[sunrat]

UPDATE:
I tried several searches and it is amazing.
That's exactly what I am looking for.

Great!

I am no techie, but I know a little. I wonder can the search bar on the forum be done using StartPage the same way you @sunrat gave me the link? Better if the search open the results in a new tab.

I just had another look at the forum search option settings. That's not possible in the forum software.

I use a Firefox extension called Context Search which allows searching of various websites by highlighting a search term and right-clicking to select the site to search. The search term is editable in Settings. Maybe you could create a custom search in that. For terms that don't appear on a page, you can enter them in the normal search text box, highlight and context search them from there.
Edit:- just tried it, couldn't work it out with a short test. Maybe Tampermonkey could help?

[limotux]

.......

I just had another look at the forum search option settings. That's not possible in the forum software.

Thanks @sunrat for feedback.
So, I would do the search using "site:" then.... though I wish to see our forum here as best as possible.
Thank you

[steve_v]

I think our admins have looked into the search function and determined there are limitations of the phpBB software. EndeavourOS appears to be using Discourse.

Please, never "upgrade" this board to discourse. Don't even contemplate it, it's horrific. I'll take phpBB search limitations over that JS infested garbage fire UX any day.

To address the OP, does not changing "Display results as" from "Posts" to "Topics" on the advanced search page already do pretty much this?

[sunrat]

I think our admins have looked into the search function and determined there are limitations of the phpBB software. EndeavourOS appears to be using Discourse.

Please, never "upgrade" this board to discourse. Don't even contemplate it, it's horrific. I'll take phpBB search limitations over that JS infested garbage fire UX any day.

I think you're pretty safe with that.

To address the OP, does not changing "Display results as" from "Posts" to "Topics" on the advanced search page already do pretty much this?

Aaah, forgot about that, the perfect solution. Thanks @steve_v !

[limotux]

To address the OP, does not changing "Display results as" from "Posts" to "Topics" on the advanced search page already do pretty much this?

Thank you @steve_v
I tried modifying the settings and it works as intended.
But settings are not saved so when I just search in the search box it searches with default.
Anyway perhaps to save the settings for me?

[steve_v]

Anyway perhaps to save the settings for me?

Not as far as I am aware. Then again it's just a variable in the search URI, so it should be fairly trivial to add as a custom search engine in your browser or something to that effect.
TBH I've never understood why phpBB hides that away in advanced search to begin with, but that's how it's always been. vOv

[limotux]

so it should be fairly trivial to add as a custom search engine

Thank you @steve_v
I will already have bokkmarked https://www.qwant.com/?l=en&q=site%3Afo ... xing&t=web