Searching the forum--latest activity - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 01:26:44 pm
content: How do you sort a search to get the latest replies? For example you might search for "motor" and find 683 postings about motors over the last 10 years.. Maybe a posting from 2 years ago (# 73 on the list) just had a new reply 5 hours ago. So, how do you get this one from 5 hours ago to show at the top of the search list? In other wordsshow postings that had the most recent activity, not when they were originally posted.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 01:34:40 pm
content: Show unread posts since last visit.Show new replies to your posts.

author: YurkshireLad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 01:49:36 pm
content: Go through this search page -https://www.eevblog.com/forum/search/?advancedand pick "Most recent topics first".

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 02:41:07 pm
content: Go through this search page -https://www.eevblog.com/forum/search/?advancedand pick "Most recent topics first".As clearly stated, I doNOTwant the most recent topics, if that means when a new thread was started. I want to see results with the most recent replies/posts.There may have been 20 posts about resistors in the past 6 months, and none during the last month. But two of those posts from 4 months ago were replied to this morning...how do you show those first?Show unread posts since last visit.Show new replies to your posts.Neither of these does much, since I am not looking for anything I posted. And it has nothing to do with my last visit, especially if it is something I just searched for the first time.This seems like a fairly straightforward question....how do you search for posts with the most recentactivity?

author: YurkshireLad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 08:37:12 pm
content: Isn't that what "Most recent topics" does? Sorts the topics according to the timestamp of the last reply?

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 09:12:04 pm
content: Isn't that what "Most recent topics" does? Sorts the topics according to the timestamp of the last reply?NO APPARENTLY NOT!!! I was looking at something I had searched about (found it in the list) & there were some replies yesterday. Then today I searched for it & nowhere to be seen...a bunch of other appeared, but not the one I wanted...so I was scratching my head since i had been reading it only hours before....then noticed it was down around item 75 ion the list!!!I just looked up a random old thread down in a search list that hadn't had a reply for quite some time...I just added a reply (with some useful info)....then I did a search on the topic (same search I had just used to find the item)) ....the item was NOT at the top of the list.also,Here is an example where you can see what I mean.

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 10:17:32 pm
content: In "Advanced search" it looks like you've selected "most relevant results first" and not "most recent topics first".

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 11:09:28 pm
content: In "Advanced search" it looks like you've selected "most relevant results first" and not "most recent topics first".THAT DOES NOT WORK..did you even try???..you can see an example search .....I just added a reply a while ago to some posting ....now when I search, the posting comes up as #11...how do you list itby most recent activity??" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2021, 11:28:45 pm
content: YurkshireLad has the link above. Underneath the search field you have the following, where you click on "Advanced search":e.g. Orwell "Animal Farm" -movieAdvanced searchEdit: Looks like you may have to delete "*" in the "by user" field.

author: YurkshireLad
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2021, 12:12:01 am
content: Quote from: tunk on March 15, 2021, 11:28:45 pmI assume the "*" means "include/search posts by all users". It's probably ok to leave it.

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2021, 01:28:06 am
content: The following reply is only a few hours old & the most recent regarding racal....however, if you search for racal you get many hits, as expected from way back when up to recently.What settings do you make so this, the very most recent reply comes up first in the search (since it is the one having the most recent messages)?Country: usView Profile Personal Message (Online)Re: Racal-Dana Series 9500 5 MHz OCXO, what to expect?« Reply #1 on: Yesterday at 10:59:22 pm »ReplyQuoteModifyRemoveThe racal high-stability time bases are extremely good, if you can find them...there are some postings on how to mod in one on your own as well.

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2021, 02:14:13 am
content: The forum search is of limited value for what you want. I don't know how (or if) it can be done. I tend to use Google advanced search when I want to drill down. Just click on "search tools" from a google search if "advanced tools" isn't visible.I suggest trying it, you can put site:eevblog.com/forum alongside the search terms and you can select one of a number of time periods such as within the last year month week day etc. It won't give you the list of results sorted from most recent first but it will eliminate the stuff which is too old and make finding the relevant results a bit easier.

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2021, 02:27:47 am
content: That seems extremely crummy that you can't search for the most recent comments on some subject (ex: Yagi antennas)Note that if you pick a formum category, the righ column show exectyl what is needed, except this column , for some reson seems to be missing when doing a search....is there some adjustment or checkbox to show it?" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2021, 02:43:54 am
content: SMF has been and remains poor in terms of Search functionality. The Advanced search is 'sort of ok' but it tends not to search ALL content very well. Modifying the CORE of SMF remains a very bad idea. BUT the little mod I suggested to Dave some time to allow for "Search this topic", "Search this Board" and best of all the Google Site search fixes some of this.If your example of looking for information on Yagi's try going to thehttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/rf-microwave/section then "Search this Board" I did something similar recently looking for specific information on Fluke Thermal Cameras the site search was failing at and Google was throwing in non Thermal results.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2021, 04:23:01 am
content: The SMF search is not very sophisticated at all - and I'm being kind.I find a Google search using thesite:parameter more helpful a lot of the time.

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2021, 02:06:26 pm
content: The strange thing, is the information IS available at some point....if you click on a particular forum, it will show each thread (discussion) & each on of those thousands of threads shows the date /time of the most recent post for that thread. You can click to sort increasing or decresing...so the info is available. However if you do any searchinging (to whittle down the thousands of threads), this info is not included in the search results--why?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 02:35:07 am
content: You want to get exactly what you want? Get access to the database (which is not at all likely) and write your own query.Simple ascending/descending sorts are just that - SORTS and they are on a clearly defined field. What you are asking for combines filtering with a sort and the sort criteria is not a set field, but one of your choosing ... or even more difficult - aseriesof fields of your choosing.Defining what you want is not at all difficult, but writing the code for use in a generalised setting is not a trivial exercise.Write a search and get people to tell you what is wrong with it. You'll soon understand.

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 07:25:26 am
content: What you are asking for combines filtering with a sort and the sort criteria is not a set field, but one of your choosingNo not at all...I am saying the field for sorting the results already exists, but fails to be displayed the the results are presentedhere's an example on stackexchange, where you can see the searched results shown by recent activiity (here searching forabsolute)....so systems can do it.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 07:33:51 am
content: That sort function works perfectly and as describedIt sorts the forum category showing either the topics with the newest or oldest last replies to that topic depending on the toggle. What were you expecting it to do?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 07:39:35 am
content: Quote from: eevcandies on March 17, 2021, 07:25:26 amYou don't do any serious (as in commercial level) programming, do you?

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 07:45:00 am
content: You don't do any serious (as in commercial level) programming, do you?You sound somewhat inexperienced , since many systems do exactly as mentioned, and is show belowWhat were you expecting it to do?You didn't you understand my request?? here is at least one example of what is commonly available:Here is another one I immediately found...you should be able to see & understand what is going on...now does this forum have some option to do so by enabling some setting?

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 07:50:23 am
content: You clearly don't know the question you are askingThe function you are pointing at works perfectly as described. What you want from it is NOT what it is intended to provideIf you want more functionality from SMF then a core rewrite or writing or incorporating a mod is needed. A core rewrite is a disaster in the making as it will cause a failure with the next upgrade of SMF arrives.'Search' mods for SMF for what it is worth. Needs to be compatible with at least 2.0 and generally compatible with the current versionhttps://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?action=search;basic_search=search

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 08:10:20 am
content: How do you sort a search to get the latest replies? For example you might search for "motor" and find 683 postings about motors over the last 10 years.. Maybe a posting from 2 years ago (# 73 on the list) just had a new reply 5 hours ago. So, how do you get this one from 5 hours ago to show at the top of the search list? In other words show postings that had the most recent activity, not when they were originally posted.Maybe its a language problem, I askedhow this can be accomplished. Is there a setting or option ,checkbox, etc? Did I say anywhere that the system is not working? I provided a very clear example, so to say you don't know how to program or understand such a concept, doesn't mean it's not already available through some setting. You can see that clicking on a forum group does somewhat give the capability to sort by most recent activity, or maybe you are having trouble seeing that.The function you are pointing at works perfectly as described. What you want from it is NOT what it is intended to provideI have already seen that & when did I say that something didn't work?...is there some option or setting in the menu somewhere to do something beyond this?

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 08:21:59 am
content: You provided NO clear or specific example and looked to an existing function to do a job other than programmed soLearn to use the advanced search it works 'ok' or use Google search and the time limits it allows. Advanced search allows you to drill into specific boards and specific users use only topic headers etc.And if you go back and add content of NON SMF search 'requirements/images' after I reply then I can't help you!

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 12:41:14 pm
content: @eevcandies, you've been around here for a few years now so you might believe me. We have a saying in Australia which is "pushing shit uphill with a sharp stick". Now that the thread has devolved (in the DEVO (band) sense) into a debate about how you asked the original question and tried to clarify what you were asking it will be unlikely to recover.If you persist you arepushing shit uphill. Time to walk away with your dignity intact. Anyway that's my advice, it's free and worth every cent.PS. I also think sorting results by age is completely reasonable. And I'm confident so does nearly everybody.

author: eevcandies
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2021, 01:34:41 pm
content: You provided NO clear or specific exampleI really shouldn't need to provide ANY example, my very first post thoroughly & clearly explained what I was asking how to do:So, how do you get this one from 5 hours ago to show at the top of the search list? In other words show postings that had the most recent activity, not when they were originally posted.The first few replies were 100% completely wrong, like they didn' t understand what was asked, or maybe were rushing to offer 'help'.Instead, I was told I didn't understand how software/database works, I was told doing this type of request is literally impossible, or that the function I was "trying to use" "is working the way it should". All of which are borderline foolish answers. When I give an actual example of systems thatdohave it, it is seen as time to offer up an excuse. If the present software has no method or option (hidden, supervisor, other menu, or otherwise) to do this, then I'll accept that.I agree with Wilfred, sometimes these things devolve & that was NOT my intention.Searching a long list of hundreds of previous threads, trying to find the ones that have recent updates/information added, is the reason for the question. If it is possible to do so , this would be a valuable feature, as used by many other query systems.