Search for article written by a specific user

[Smo]

Hello,

is it possible to search for all articles written by a specific user? If i supply only a username to the extendet search of smf, it always complains that i don't have supplied a search term. An asterisk does also not work.

Regards
Steve

[karlbenson]

All of a users posts, should be accessible via their Profile.

I believe the search won't allow a search without a search term.
(This is for performance reasons I expect).

[Smo]

Oh, i can't believe that. SMF is such a versatile forum software and this core functionality is missing. Is there a way to change this? Because we integratet smf in joomla (firebord stinks to heaven) the profiles are redirected to the community builder profiles.

With kind regards
Steve

[Smo]

No one with a suggestion?

Regards
Steve

[Rumbaar]

Well it is built into core functionality and is accessed via the forums profile system.  You'll need to check out joomlahacks for any tips on altering their integrated profile to access the link to display all a persons posts.

http://furum.url.com/index.php?action=profile;u=X;sa=showPosts

Where X equals the member ID of the target user.

[Matthew Schenker]

Good Morning,
I'd like to add my voice to this.  I have lots of members asking me why they can't do a search by username only.

Of course, people can find a member's posts this way:
Click on "Members" from the main menu > Click on "Search for Members" > Type in the name > Click [username] from the list of results > Click "Show Posts"

But it really would make more sense to be able to use the search feature for this!

Any ideas?

Matthew

[Rumbaar]

Well the nature of the search is that it's primary use is to find key search parameters, and then limit to a user.  Now to stop killing your db for small word searches it's design to only search for words a certain characters and up.

The feature is found on each persons profile, and it's not hard to get access to that area (as they know who they are looking for) so I doubt the common word search will be alter in a way to meet this need.

[Matthew Schenker]

Rumbaar,
A good search function is at the heart of any successful forrum.  Considering how people actually search for information in a forum, not allowing searches by username is a bad design decision.

Let's picture a typical search scenario...

A member wants to find information, so he goes to the "Search" function.  He can't quite find what he's looking for and wants to search by username.  But the search screen returns a cryptic error -- Did you forget to put something to search for?  What?  "I did put something to search for.  What's going on?" the person wonders.  "Why can't I search by userrname?"

Most members don't know that to search by username they must exit search and go to the "Members" screen.  I don't blame them.  It doesn't make sense.

Even if people know about the "Members" option, here's what they need to do:
1. Exit the Search screen
2. Click "Members" from the main menu
3. Click "Search for Members"
4. Type in the username
5. Click [username] from the list of results
6. Click "Show Posts"

For those of you who know SMF inside and out, using the "Members" screen might seem obvious, but I'm telling you for the vast majority of forum users, it just doesn't make sense.

Matt

[Rumbaar]

Well you can search by username using the search, but yes you have also know what you are looking for from that person.  The primary function of the search area is to search for posted content, not a person.  With it's function to find information.

Now if you know of a person you are interested in, why wouldn't your first 'port of call' be their profile.  Then straight away you'll be present with a lot more information than just posts.

You say it's the vast majority, now in my dealings with SMF (and I'm sure it's been like this early days) I've only see 3 people ever ask for this feature.  Now you can make a request for a feature change I'm sure.

[MrPhil]

So how about adding a line to the search function page:

"If you want to search for postings by user, go to Members > Search for Members > Show Posts."

It could be a single text string, displayed in the various search functions in Themes/default/Search.template.php and Themes/default/languages/Search.english.php. That would be easier than changing the code for the search function to add search-by-user. If that would do the trick, it should be part of base SMF.

[Matthew Schenker]

I'd be open to anything that improved the search function.  To me, a search function is so vital to a good forum.

Sometimes, the way people search for information is, they switch back and forth between including words and usernames, or both.  If every time they want to search just by username they have to exit the search screen and go to the "Members" area, then come back to the "Search" screen again when they want to find specific words...well, that's just not a good design.

Matt

[Rumbaar]

Well searching for content based on just a username will always be an ineffective method of search.  On a small board or low post count person yes, but say try to find anything I've written just by doing a username search.  It would not be a viable option to search through the last 7000+ posts and that's why searches are usually for content not people.  Which that content can be limited to specifics.

[Matthew Schenker]

Well searching for content based on just a username will always be an ineffective method of search.  On a small board or low post count person yes, but say try to find anything I've written just by doing a username search.  It would not be a viable option to search through the last 7000+ posts and that's why searches are usually for content not people.  Which that content can be limited to specifics.

It may be ineffective at times, but still, it's confusing to people when they must search for information in one place and username in another.  Most non-techies just think "search."  Also, vBulletin and PHPBB both allow search just by user name.  SMF is better than those other programs, right?
Matt

[Rumbaar]

Well it's always a good additional solution to the search function, that could be requested as a [Mod] or to the code base of SMF 2.*

[Matthew Schenker]

Well it's always a good additional solution to the search function, that could be requested as a [Mod] or to the code base of SMF 2.*

What are the chances of that happening?  If I knew more about modifications, I'd do it myself, because search is such a crucial element to all good forums, and I consider searching by members to be an essential function.  Not having it is one of the central weaknesses of SMF.  I'll say this as often as it takes, because I really like SMF and would like to see it no longer have this weakness!

I run a woodworking forum, and my members are not high-tech people.  I think it's important for SMF developers to realize that part of the success of their software is getting it to be used in lots of differents kinds of forums.
Matt

[Rumbaar]

What are the chances of it become a core functionality, I can't say I'm not a DEV.  But any good addition to the functionality of SMF for the greater good of the community is always seriously looked at I'm sure.

Now a mod that added the 'search for all posts by user' into the normal function area, in my mind, seems like a fairly easy one.  I'm sure it could just point to the existing functionality of the profile area when it's done to display the results.  But there might be permission issues in this regards, as I'm sure you can have permission to access the search function but not to access a persons profile.  So not sure how that will be addressed.

[Matthew Schenker]

...
Now a mod that added the 'search for all posts by user' into the normal function area, in my mind, seems like a fairly easy one.  I'm sure it could just point to the existing functionality of the profile area when it's done to display the results.  But there might be permission issues in this regards, as I'm sure you can have permission to access the search function but not to access a persons profile.  So not sure how that will be addressed.

I'd be happy to volunteer my time and effort to make this happen.  But I'm not a coder, so I don't know exactly where to start on this.

What permission issues could there be?  When people post to a forum, what they write is public, and so is their profile.  But the modification in question would not access profile information.  It would only get into the posts made by a particular member.

I'll keep pushing on this issue!

Matt

[Rumbaar]

The permission issues I refer too are:
- View profile summary and stats
- Search for posts and topics

Where as guest usually have the ability to search a forum, the View Profile area is usually restricted to limit farming etc.  The nature of the Search a users Posts is linked to the profile area of SMF this might be an area that will not be able to be circumvented by existing core coding.

I can see a simple check box in the search area just under the 'by user' area for username input.  Then with that checkbox checked when you select search it would ignore the rest of the settings and perform the 'simple' showpost URL string.

[Matthew Schenker]

Rumbaar,
Sorry, I misunderstood what you meant by "permissions."  I thought you meant members allowing others to see information that might be private!

OK, yes, the only thing I'd want to see in search is the ability to bring up members' posts.  I'm not talking about bringing up the complete profile information.

So you think it should not be too much of a problem to implement this?

Is anyone else following this discussion?

Matt

[Rumbaar]

Well the ability to see 'private' data contained in a profile is one of the by products of being able to see all the posts of a user via that link.  Now I'm not sure if a direct link to the appropriate URL even without a persons ability to view a profile (a requirement to access the link usually) which would now be in the Search area would be possible.

So you still might find people with access to search but not this addition function if they can't normally see profiles (usually Guest or restricted forums).

Now adding a checkbox would be an easy step, but I'm not sure of the underlying code changes to alter the linking 'search' URL behind the button when the checkbox is selected or not.  This could be done by some of the built in javascript or open a a new 'search user' button and gray out the other search button.