RMU Switching to Google Search

[Marked 197]

Hi guys,

 

Today I have removed the forum search system from the header and replaced it with a custom google search. Try it out.

 

This change is essential. The forums search did well to categorize results, sort them, etc. It's safe to say we're moving beyond a forum to unique website with unique systems. Using google search, our visitors should be able to find content across the entire the website.

 

You may have noticed a new slider on the homepage (btw the homepage is a big WIP)

 

That's already 118 scripts/tutorials that you cannot find via the old search. These should all now be found in the new search. If you look at the little counter top-right, you will see how many more pages we're going to move outside of the forums, and they tend to be pages people want to find.

 

This doesn't mean there will be other internal search systems. For example, in the scripts section, there will be a search form that will just search scripts and results will show up on the page, as well as for other sections.

 

So yeah, I hope that helps :thumbsup:

[Bigace360 38]

So do you get some type of commission from Google for using this as it does help in advertising? Besides that interesting for those who actually use the search. Doesn't seem to find members like it used to though, which kind of the only reason why I used it.

[Marked 197]

So do you get some type of commission from Google for using this as it does help in advertising?

It can get heavy on the ads. And nope, you may have noticed I hate obtrusive ads. That's the price for using the search. I can pay to get rid of the ads, but then I'd need ads to pay for the lack of ads...

 

Besides that interesting for those who actually use the search.

If you're making a game with RPG Maker it'd be silly not to :P  

 

Doesn't seem to find members like it used to though, which kind of the only reason why I used it.

Try adding "profile" to the end of your query.

[Polraudio 122]

:(. Never cared for google search on sites. Harder to find the exact content your looking for imo.

I loved using the forum search feature like by posts, topics, members who made a certain post somewhere. If there is a way to search for that chances are that 90% of the members who use search are not going to know how.

 

If there is a way could you make a searching tutorial or something so we know how to use it?(Im bad at google searching to begin with) Then i would be very happy :thumbsup: ,

 

Sorry if i sound rude. Im just saying how it is for someone who uses search quite a bit on the site.

[dolarmak 23]

I think it's fine, And Marked's reasoning is right. I've tried recently to find scripts via the old search and came up empty handed. I knew they were on the site cause i used them before, and after 20 minutes of searching i finally found them.

 

after trying again with the google search, it found them right away.

[Marked 197]

:(. Never cared for google search on sites. Harder to find the exact content your looking for imo.

I loved using the forum search feature like by posts, topics, members who made a certain post somewhere. If there is a way to search for that chances are that 90% of the members who use search are not going to know how.

 

If there is a way could you make a searching tutorial or something so we know how to use it?(Im bad at google searching to begin with) Then i would be very happy :thumbsup: ,

 

Sorry if i sound rude. Im just saying how it is for someone who uses search quite a bit on the site.

This is the reason I made it a topic, in case there were problems.

 

No tutorial is necessary for how to use search. You basically just search whatever you want to find. It's not really different from your usual search, it searches everything on the page so you can find those specific things. If you're looking for a members posts you could just include the username in the query or go to his profile. If you're looking for scripts then generally you include scripts in your query so there's no issue there.

 

There's no trick to it, its just a common sense string of key words for what you're looking for.

 

I can have the old search somewhere, but this search is going to be far superior for the majority.

 

Try it out and let me know if you have troubles finding what you're looking for.

[Polraudio 122]

How would i go about searching certain sections like Cafe,  Resource Showcase & Critique, and sort it by date, views, or replies?

I have no problem with general searching but when it comes to advanced stuff like sections and dates im clueless with google.

[Marked 197]

Yeah that's right, that sort of advanced search would be impossible with google because it relies on access to our database.

 

Ok Pol, this gives me an idea. I am thinking beside the google search (which we'll call "global site search") we have a drop down called "search by section", and you will be able to use more advanced search systems. But it will go directly to this page:

http://www.gdunlimited.net/forums/index.php?app=core&module=search&search_in=forums

 

And there will be others for when I write them up for the other sections.

 

I'll make this soon (ish).

[Polraudio 122]

That would be perfect. :)

[Marked 197]

Alright, how's that?

[Polraudio 122]

That works perfectly. Thank you :) .

[dolarmak 23]

thats a pretty nifty compromise there Marked, gets the best of both worlds :D

[isaacsol 10]

Looking nice and the use of Google Search over the default should also take a lot of strain off of the server as well, making it faster to use this site :D