Minimum word length in searches

driller

El Presidente
Staff member
Many forums such as this one limit the search terms to a minimum word length. The default is 4 characters. While changing the minimum word length would seem to be the logical thing to do to, such a seemingly small change can drastically increase the search index size and presumably could place excess load on the server.

One thing I stumbled upon researching this topic is Vbulletin also allows "Words to be Included Despite Character Limit".

If there are special words that are important for your forum but are outside the word length limits you specified above, you may enter them here so that they will be included in the search index.

For example, a web-programming forum with a minimum word length of 4 characters might want to include 'PHP' in the search index, even though the word is only 3 characters long.

Separate each word with a space.

Most of us know many acronyms that would be beneficial in searches that are commonly 3 letters, such as MAF, ECT, etc...

I'm looking for suggestions to be added to the inclusion list to better serve user searches. Please post your wanted serach terms here to be included. :)

I'll start...

ACT
ECU
EEC
IAT
MAF
O2
PCM
TPS
WOT
 
my personal favs..

SCT
PRP


what about

ECT (engine coolant temp sensor)
CPS (crank position sensor)
IRS

and...maybe

MSD (for those misses sputtering and dieing threads)
 
CPS (crank position sensor)

Now it's going to start to get confusing...

I believe that is officially known as CKS - CranK Sensor?

CPS is usually 'misconstrued' as Cam Position Sensor while in reality it is CID - Cylinder IDentification sensor?

We can use any or all of the above in the inclusion list. ;)
 
ABS
Key
Tip (exhaust tip)
Lug
Air
Fog
Cap
Top
Low
Out
Pin
Wet
Dry
Nut

I'd be afraid what some of those searches may find. :p

Seriously, while you and I may know you're looking for AIR, as in air suspension, the search function will index all uses of the word AIR. Some more common words may be totally useless in a search.

It may take some experimentation to see what the likely results would be.
 
So....if I want to search for Air Suspension I can't....I have to use suspension and weed out all the other crap?
 
Please add "764" to the exclusions. I was trying to find the proper gap for them and had a hell of a time finding what I needed.
 
Yeah, I do have to say I've been stumped on a few searches I've tried. You don't realize how much you rely on 3 letters only until you need to search for them.
 
I can add 764 but I'm not convinced the list is working right.

I use the asterisk when I need to search for 2 or 3 letter words. It seem to work.

Such as

764*
 
I type in more than 20 character and I get "your search doesn't meet the minimum ..."
What is up with that? Using safari and OS10.5.4
 
I type in more than 20 character and I get "your search doesn't meet the minimum ..."
What is up with that? Using safari and OS10.5.4

A 20 character word? Or words that add up to 20 characters which may include words with less than 4 characters?
 
How do you search for a combination of words....such as air suspension? Air* suspension??? What about front brakes or coil springs? Everytime I've tried it, it only searches the first word.
 
I use the advanced search for multiple words. Use an asterisk for any 3 letter words in combination with others. You can also limit your search by forum as well.

Another tip - if you recall a post you made in a forum and are searching for it, sort the forum listing by author and then page through until you find your user name. Usually you can locate it faster than searching. Be sure to select the appropriate timeframe to display posts if you're looking in the past very far.
 
I usually try to use one word to search for posts/threads by "J" and it works well, but with my post count rising, I'm starting to find it difficult. I'll try doing the * thingy.
 
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