a more efficient method of retaining forum searches

[Ken S]

I have often been frustrated with forum searches. While this may be partly my skill level with searching, I do need a better method. I have been trying a procedure which seems promising.

I find the handbook indispensible. I refer to my paper copies and the latest downloaded edition frequently. The handbook is our solid foundation. however, it is not always the last word. I find a combination of the handbook augmented with forum posts an ideal combination. My one criticism of the handbook is that it does not seem to include the subtle more recent developments in Tormek technique. Yes, it has the instruction sheet information for the newer jigs and accessories. I am looking for more than that.

I have started files on my computer by name and topic. This is still in its infancy, but seems promising. Inside of a "Tormek" folder I have files by name and topic. Stig's posts show both his personal ideas and more recent Tormek thinking. This is well illustrated by his recent posts on the blackstone, stone grader and leather honing wheel. I think some of these should be incorporated into the handbook. Until that happens, I will have them in my "handbook annex". I would copy paste them into the Stig file and the applicable topic file, such as stone grader of honing.

Steve has also posted many solid alternative Tormek techniques. My annex would not be complete w ithout them. The annex will also contain Dutchman's tables, the foundation of the kenjig as well as related developments by Jan, Wootz, et. al.The annex would not be complete without Jeff's solid, from the trenches posts.

My procedure is whenever I read an interesting post to copy paste it into a file by name and a second file by topic. All these files will be in the Tormek folder. This should streamline recovery and referal. When a forum topic is posted, these should be able to be added by just copy pasting.

Dutchman's tables are easy to locate by doing a member search under D. He has not posted much. Without a filing system, heaven help the poor soul looking for one of my posts. The last time I looked, there were fifty seven pages. The numbers begin with the most recent post, so with an active poster, the numbers are constantly changing. Making a note of the post date is a great help.

I welcome thoughts on this.

Ken

[Herman Trivilino]

What is really needed, Ken, is a more modern platform for this discussion board. Forum software has a come a long way in the last 10-15 years, but unfortunately it takes a computer savvy person to move a forum to a new platform. And it's a lot of work, too.

The search feature for this forum software is particularly obsolete.

[Ken S]

I will take your word for it, Herman, as you have more computer experience than I do. All I know is that I find it difficult to find things on the forum.

Ken

[yargnoj]

When performing searches, there are some embedded search techniques that you can use.

Quotes (""):
This activates the search for only what is within the quoted phrase. You can use this in conjunction with other words as well (e.g. "leather wheel" chisel will yield different results from leather wheel chisel and "leather wheel chisel").

The minus operator (-):
This removes items from the search (e.g. leather wheel -(chisel) returns all results with leather, wheel, and excludes chisel)

And the final tip would be to use unique words. So, say you used the above two methods but still cannot find the post, throw in some unique words (e.g. "leather wheel" -(chisel) veritas will yield two search results [now three with this post] as opposed to several pages)

Granted, all of this is useful if you know what you are looking for specifically. Sometimes we search for such generic items that they get lost in the noise, this is the benefit of unique keywords.

As to your filing method, you can export a shortcut of the web link to a word document or an "executable" of sorts. And keep those in logically named folders. I do this for work with references for nuclear plants, however I recently have been printing as much as possible to pdf (or .prn) for easy transferal between hard drives, backups, and coworkers. This can be done at the bottom of any page in a specific thread with the print icon. With this you can print to a printer or adobe pdf. The adobe prints out a .pdf document which can then be saved however you prefer, "dutchmans table design.pdf" for example. Hyperlinks do keep with this method as well.

[jeffs55]

Quotes (""):
This activates the search for only what is within the quoted phrase. You can use this in conjunction with other words as well (e.g. "leather wheel" chisel will yield different results from leather wheel chisel and "leather wheel chisel").

Well, I just tried to use your idea in a search for "kenjig" with the quotes as shown and got only one hit. That hit is the opening statement in this dialog, it is above. I know there  have been other times the term has been used. The search engine needs updating.

[yargnoj]

Quotes (""):
This activates the search for only what is within the quoted phrase. You can use this in conjunction with other words as well (e.g. "leather wheel" chisel will yield different results from leather wheel chisel and "leather wheel chisel").

Well, I just tried to use your idea in a search for "kenjig" with the quotes as shown and got only one hit. That hit is the opening statement in this dialog, it is above. I know there  have been other times the term has been used. The search engine needs updating.

I believe that is because you were still on this thread while doing the search. When you use the search tool at the top of the page, it will perform the search in the actual subfolder you are in, with regard to the website map. So you can search a 5 page thread for a name to narrow your search. This is similar to doing a search on your computers C drive vs doing a search in the My Documents folder or Desktop.

For example, on the forum home page, you can perform a search and get many more results than you would by clicking on "general tormek questions" first. So if you know the topic you are looking for is in the "knife sharpening" section, you can first click on that sub folder from the forum home and then do your search.

Just as a note: When you put quotes around a single word, it produces the same search results as if you had no quotes. The quotation is best if used with more than one word.

[jeffs55]

For example, on the forum home page, you can perform a search and get many more results than you would by clicking on "general tormek questions" first. So if you know the topic you are looking for is in the "knife sharpening" section, you can first click on that sub folder from the forum home and then do your search.

I tried your latest suggestion on the "Tormek Community" page: http://forum.tormek.com/index.php You are correct, I got what I wanted, thanx.