Another option for Forum search (B4X search)

hatzisn · Dec 3, 2021

Goodmorning everyone,

I struggled several times searching for some things in the b4x forum and indeed sometimes it is a royal size cross. I 've found a way that works and I am sharing it today:

Lets say we are searching for "B4RSerializator". All we have to do is go to Google and write: "site:b4x.com B4RSerializator". It will be in the first page responses definitely what you want.

Have a nice day everyone

Sandman · Dec 3, 2021

Did you perhaps pick an unfortunate example? Searching for B4RSerializator gives me the correct (as best as I can tell) post as the first result:

Search Results

www.b4x.com

That said, you are correct that using an external search engine is needed sometimes, such as when one wants to search (for instance) Chit Chat. That forum (and some others) aren't searchable using the internal search engine.

LucaMs · Dec 3, 2021

My Firefox (for some years now):

Sandman · Dec 3, 2021

LucaMs said:
My Firefox (for some years now):
View attachment 122619

View attachment 122620

And how does that work for you? Satisfied with the results?

LucaMs · Dec 3, 2021

Sandman said:
And how does that work for you? Satisfied with the results?

If not, I wouldn't have kept it for years

It also has the advantage of being able to exclude words/phrases from the search.

Another advantage is being able to choose a period between two dates.
And, as you wrote, also search in "Chit chat", for example.

Sandman · Dec 3, 2021

LucaMs said:
It also has the advantage of being able to exclude words/phrases from the search.

Yeah, I saw the minus sign and thought you perhaps wasn't so impressed by Google, considering you're always excluding what you're looking for. ?

LucaMs · Dec 3, 2021

Sandman said:
Yeah, I saw the minus sign and thought you perhaps wasn't so impressed by Google, considering you're always excluding what you're looking for. ?

Initially I exclude these "summary" pages, to find directly what I'm searching for.

Lariliss · Dec 3, 2021

1. B4x internal search gives advantage of finding relevant threads with ready to use answers and solutions sorted by date.
2. Google additional search might bring additional information, which is better to check internally again. And Google searches for your account with the whole history, so it may propose too many links.
In any case search is painstaking work.

Thank you for sharing the experience.

AnandGupta · Dec 3, 2021

hatzisn said:
All we have to do is go to Google and write: "site:b4x.com B4RSerializator".

Good that you found it.

It has been mentioned in the Forum by few members already, not to minimize your effort.
I too use it when the Forum search throws something which I am not looking for.

hatzisn · Dec 3, 2021

Sandman said:
Did you perhaps pick an unfortunate example? Searching for B4RSerializator gives me the correct (as best as I can tell) post as the first result:

Search Results

www.b4x.com

View attachment 122617

That said, you are correct that using an external search engine is needed sometimes, such as when one wants to search (for instance) Chit Chat. That forum (and some others) aren't searchable using the internal search engine.

It was just an example, maybe unfortunate because this term is very specific.

hatzisn · Dec 3, 2021

AnandGupta said:
Good that you found it.

It has been mentioned in the Forum by few members already, not to minimize your effort.
I too use it when the Forum search throws something which I am not looking for.

Ha ha ha. It seems I reinvented the wheel...

Erel · Dec 4, 2021

The title is misleading.
In most cases the B4X search engine provides better search results.

AnandGupta · Dec 4, 2021

@hatzisn please change title to 'Another option for Forum search'

Erel · Dec 5, 2021

Martin Larsen · Dec 27, 2021

hatzisn said:
Lets say we are searching for "B4RSerializator". All we have to do is go to Google and write: "site:b4x.com B4RSerializator". It will be in the first page responses definitely what you want.

This is my preferred way of searching almost anywhere. Not just here.

In fact, I have implemented a custom search engine for this exact purpose. I just enter gs <search term> in the omnibar, and Google will search for the given term on the current url. gs is for "Google Site Search".

Go to chrome://settings/searchEngines and click Add.

Now enter

Google Site Search (or whatever) for the name
gs for the keyword
javascript:location="https://www.google.com/search?&as_sitesearch=" + location.hostname + "&as_q=%s";void 0; for the url

From now on, wherever you are, just enter gs <term> to search for that term.

I have used it for years. And I have a bunch of similar search engines.

hatzisn · Dec 27, 2021

Martin Larsen said:
This is my preferred way of searching almost anywhere. Not just here.

In fact, I have implemented a custom search engine for this exact purpose. I just enter gs <search term> in the omnibar, and Google will search for the given term on the current url. gs is for "Google Site Search".

Go to chrome://settings/searchEngines and click Add.

Now enter

Google Site Search (or whatever) for the name

gs for the keyword

javascript:location="https://www.google.com/search?&as_sitesearch=" + location.hostname + "&as_q=%s";void 0; for the url

From now on, wherever you are, just enter gs <term> to seach for that term.

I have used it for years. And I have a bunch of similar search engines.

Wonderful!!!

PdeG · Dec 28, 2021

I often use https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/search/?type=post

AnandGupta · Dec 28, 2021

Martin Larsen said:
Go to chrome://settings/searchEngines and click Add.

Looks like this works only in chrome. I use FF and the option to add it is not available in settings.

Martin Larsen · Dec 28, 2021

As far as I remember it should work in FF as well but the naming may be different. I will try later and report back.

rabbitBUSH · Jan 5, 2022

Maybe you haven't found this - though I doubt it . . .

AnandGupta said:
Looks like this works only in chrome. I use FF

in the address bar type

aboutreferences#search

and look for Default Search Engine : i wondered if that link from #17 could be added to "add search bar in toolbar" ?

Another option for Forum search (B4X search)

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