Feedback Forum - Failure To Search Before Posting

Over the last 2 days I've cleaned up (translated: merged) almost a dozen various feedback threads in the Buyer & Seller Feedback Forum. These stray threads have been posted over the last 2 months which means that over the last 2 months several of you have been too lazy to perform a search in that forum for existing feedback threads. This creates extra work for the staff and leaves us less than happy about it.

So, before I start issuing site Infractions I'll offer a couple of search suggestions.

First: If the member you're leaving feedback for has been a member of the site for more than a year, there is a better-than-not chance that member has an existing feedback thread, look for it! The Search tool is finicky; some members with 4 characters or less in their username may not be found. See my third tip for a better alternative to the Search tool.

Second: KNOW how the member you're leaving feedback for spells his username. This includes capitalization as the search function gets picky and if you search for "mazin" versus "Mazin", it likely won't find his existing feedback thread (Note: I used Dave's name as an example only - his was not one of those with multiple threads).

Third: Click on "Title" in the black bar column header at the top of the feedback forum. This will display all of the threads in alphabetical order. From there you can just skip through the pages of threads until you get to where the members feedback thread should be if it already exists. Very easy to find this way versus using the Search tool. If you can't find a thread for a member this way then it really does not yet exist.

Bottom line here folks is that we're happy you all want to leave feedback for other members but the staff gets pissy when you don't do your due diligence and you create more (easily avoidable) work for us.

Probably a better idea would be to educate on how to use the search tool. I've been on web forums for years and didn't really know how to use the search tool properly, and probably still do not. A while ago, J gave a hint that has really helped my ability to use the function.
Go into Advanced Search, select "Search Single Content Type," and conduct your search from there. I don't know exactly what pushing that button does, but it certainly helps searches. From there, you narrow your search to make the results even more specific. Using the above example, you'd next want to select "Search Titles Only" in the Keyword(s) line, type their user name (spelled correctly, when you get close, it should guess for you), and finally, under the Additional Options section, you'd want to narrow down the forum search to the "Buyer and Seller Feedback Forum." This last step is helpful when searching for a member with a commonly used screen name (Bailey Guns) because it will filter out all other mentions of that member that are not within that particular forum.

Be even easier IF members linked their feed back in their signature. HINT..................

I meant to mention that as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo

Be even easier IF members linked their feed back in their signature. HINT..................

---

Ditto. But of course, first time seller isn't going to have any feedback thread. Be nice to just have the forum software manage it and just put it in the member info area.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo

Be even easier IF members linked their feed back in their signature. HINT..................

---

Yep. I've got mine there, even with so little feedback or need for it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by brutal

Ditto. But of course, first time seller isn't going to have any feedback thread. Be nice to just have the forum software manage it and just put it in the member info area.

---

Fairly familiar with the software but don't know how to do that. If someone gave me instructions for doing that & J &/or Foxtrot approved (Since they'd be the ones to have to fix anything I break), I'd give it a shot.

Done, feedback in sig, now if only I was computer savvy enough to change the URL to say "My feedback" or something special, instead of just being the URL lol.

[MOD: You mean like that?.......You're welcome]

I
I
I
V

Ginsue,
On your third option, I beg to differ. Within the last year, and within about a week of each other, I inadvertently started 2 duplicate threads for 2 different members.
In both instances, I searched via sorting by title, with no success. I was fairly sure I had previously left feedback for at least one of them, so I was perplexed..

Doesn't always work, and in fact, I have run into the same situation a couple times recently, and had to get creative to locate their threads.

Be aware: though I have mine linked in my sig line and advocate the practice, sig lines don't always show up in tapatalk.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hurley842002

Done, feedback in sig, now if only I was computer savvy enough to change the URL to say "My feedback" or something special, instead of just being the URL lol.

---

Check your inbox.

I fixed it for him.

I searched 'arz' three times before starting a thread to give him feedback. If search function continues to say 'nothing found', new threads will continue to be started :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hatidua

I searched 'arz' three times before starting a thread to give him feedback. If search function continues to say 'nothing found', new threads will continue to be started :)

---

I've had the same issue on occasion.

I think you can place an asterix onto the end of a short word as a place holder to get the search to work. The asterix tells the search to use any available character in place of the asterix to fill the spot.

Just tried that method to search for arz and it didn't work.

Ban all three character user names. Your fired.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HBARleatherneck

That is what I was talking about. We having quite a few members with 3 charachter names that cant be searched. Either change the search function to include 3 charachter searches or discontinue the use of 3 charachter screen names.

---

I've felt this pain, but thanks to theGinsue's efforts with a name change I'm a searchable member.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by crays

Ginsue,
On your third option, I beg to differ. Within the last year, and within about a week of each other, I inadvertently started 2 duplicate threads for 2 different members.
In both instances, I searched via sorting by title, with no success. I was fairly sure I had previously left feedback for at least one of them, so I was perplexed..

Doesn't always work, and in fact, I have run into the same situation a couple times recently, and had to get creative to locate their threads.

---

Don't sort alphabetically by title after using the search feature, just go to the Feedback forum and do it there. Then it will list every single thread in alphabetical order, so you cannot possibly miss it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hatidua

I searched 'arz' three times before starting a thread to give him feedback. If search function continues to say 'nothing found', new threads will continue to be started :)

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kidicarus13

I've had the same issue on occasion.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Irving

Just tried that method to search for arz and it didn't work.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HBARleatherneck

That is what I was talking about. We having quite a few members with 3 charachter names that cant be searched. Either change the search function to include 3 charachter searches or discontinue the use of 3 charachter screen names.

---

See above: Forget about the search function for feedback - just sort the whole forum by title.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HoneyBadger

Don't sort alphabetically by title after using the search feature, just go to the Feedback forum and do it there. Then it will list every single thread in alphabetical order, so you cannot possibly miss it.

See above: Forget about the search function for feedback - just sort the whole forum by title.

---

For the win!

Close the TP, problem solved........................... [panic]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Great-Kazoo

Close the TP, problem solved........................... [panic]

---

You have no idea how many times this almost came true.[beatdeadhorse][cigar]

What does "TP" mean? I tried to do an advanced search for it, but it's only two letters...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HBARleatherneck

That is what I was talking about. We having quite a few members with 3 charachter names that cant be searched. Either change the search function to include 3 charachter searches or discontinue the use of 3 charachter screen names.

---

Yeah.. Anyone remember that topless poet, JIM?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by theGinsue

I fixed it for him.

---

Thanks Ginsue!

Advice taken, now if The Ginsue could do for me as done for hurley, I would be thankful.

Ask & it shall be given.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by theGinsue

Ask & it shall be given.

---

He is the forum king, he can do anything......... [Flower]

Aw, I dunno about all that... Let's just say that I'm honored to be allowed to be a member of the "royal court".
[werdo]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by theGinsue

Aw, I dunno about all that... Let's just say that I'm honored to be allowed to be a member of the "royal court".
[werdo]

---

Don't you ever tell them that the others can do it too. [panic] Um I mean that we are just here for support so pay no mind to the colors it is just a personal thing that's it. [Beer] I have to say I have not been in a pissing match for awhile. He O-cat what ya doing on a sat night? Want to get plastered and have a post fight? [handbags] Just kidding. [Coffee]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jerrymrc

He is the forum king, he can do anything......... [Flower]

---

They always kill the king. The king maker on the other hand........

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HoneyBadger

Don't sort alphabetically by title after using the search feature, just go to the Feedback forum and do it there. Then it will list every single thread in alphabetical order, so you cannot possibly miss it.


See above: Forget about the search function for feedback - just sort the whole forum by title.

---

That's the way I did it.
Go to TP. Open FEEDBACK. Sort. By TITLE. No love.

I didn't search until after it didn't show by sorting.

Just sayin.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by crays

That's the way I did it.
Go to TP. Open FEEDBACK. Sort. By TITLE. No love.

I didn't search until after it didn't show by sorting.

Just sayin.

---

Who were you looking for that you couldn't find with this method? (If you remember) Just an idea: did you try going to the member list to confirm the spelling of their name?

Now I'm curious because if it really didn't work for you, there might be some database problems that need to be dealt with. I doubt it, but if we can replicate the results of your experience, then we can head toward locating the problem and fixing it. [Beer]

I referenced the PM's concerning the deal to make sure I had it right. Even u/l case. It was within a few months of the last data issue we had, but the "hidden" threads weren't missing later, so?
I'll try to look back through some posts & PM's to see if I can find them.

I added a link to mine, so it will be easier. It doesn't have any fancy cover words like Hurley and Sideshow Bob now have. It's just a naked-looking link.

If you have the time and inclination, Ginsue, would you please fix that? Thank you!