Trixology

General Category => Web-site/Forum news => Topic started by: elagache on April 11, 2016, 11:08:29 PM

Title: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.
Post by: elagache on April 11, 2016, 11:08:29 PM
Dear WeatherCat forum netizens,

Occasionally it is really important to find something on the forum, and sadly, the forum search tool isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.  I learned from large Buick forum a trick that is really handy if you need to search a website.  Google searches - everything - including the WeatherCat forum.  There is a way to ask Google to restrict the results it finds to only the WeatherCat forum.  In any Google search box use the following syntax:

<text to be searched for> site:athena.trixology.com

For example, I wanted to find references to Foscam cameras and used this text in a Google search box:

Foscam site:athena.trixology.com

The key is appending to the end of your search text the text site: and immediately afterward (no spaces) the name of the site to be searched (no http:// prefix.)  If it works on v8buick.com it obviously works on any website that allows Google to index.  The forum software developers are trying to improve their search engines. Until those improvements are available, using Google to search can make the difference between finding a reference  :) and not finding it!  :(

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]
Title: Re: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.
Post by: Blicj11 on April 11, 2016, 11:30:27 PM
Thanks for posting this very helpful tip. You are not only a Buick Restorer, but an internet scholar as well. 
Title: Re: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.
Post by: Felix on April 11, 2016, 11:32:11 PM
I keep the following JavaScript stored away in a Safari bookmark. It'll search from the webpage root of any open webpage. Note: Requires the Safari Developer Menu to be turned on.


javascript:Qr=prompt('Search%20Site%20for','');if(Qr)location.href='http://www.google.com/search?&q=site:'+encodeURIComponent(window.location.hostname)+'+'+escape(Qr)
Title: Re: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.
Post by: Bull Winkus on April 11, 2016, 11:56:30 PM
Thanks Edouard! What Blick says goes for me too!

Felix, how do you add the search term(s)?

 [cheers1]
Title: Re: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.
Post by: Blicj11 on April 11, 2016, 11:57:20 PM
I keep the following JavaScript stored away in a Safari bookmark. It'll search from the webpage root of any open webpage. Note: Requires the Safari Developer Menu to be turned on.

javascript:Qr=prompt('Search%20Site%20for','');if(Qr)location.href='http://www.google.com/search?&q=site:'+encodeURIComponent(window.location.hostname)+'+'+escape(Qr)

Awesome Felix. Just tried this and love it.
Title: Re: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.
Post by: Bull Winkus on April 12, 2016, 12:01:51 AM
Never mind, Felix. I found this in the listing returned from your bookmark.

http://www.itworld.com/article/2756332/networking-hardware/a-shortcut-for-site-specific-searching-in-google.html

Thanks!
 [cheers1]
Title: Re: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.
Post by: Felix on April 12, 2016, 10:55:54 AM
Herb, I think I picked that little JavaScript up from Ars Technica but thanks for finding a really detailed explanation of how it works. As you can see from the date, I've had it in my bookmark favorites for a long time.
Title: Super guys! (Re: Using Google to search the WeatherCat forum.)
Post by: elagache on April 12, 2016, 11:48:20 PM
Dear Blick, Felix, Herb, and WeatherCat Internet "searchers for the meaning . . . . "

Wow!  Neat stuff!!  [bounce]

I just gave myself that JavaScript tool and it will be ready to pounce on any forum that I need to look things up on from now on!

Thanks guys!  [tup]

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]