Introduction to Using Community Search

[mB_FrankEll]

How do I search for information?

To search the Community, enter your search in the search field and click Search. A page of search results is displayed. Browse the search results in the same manner you would a message board.

To perform a more in-depth search, click the Advanced link next to the Search button. Here, you can limit your query to a specific board, specific parts of the message (subject vs. body), and other advanced parameters.

How does auto-suggest work?

Auto-suggest accelerates your search by displaying results as you type search terms. When you see the post or user you're looking for, just click it.

To turn auto-suggest off, click Turn off suggestions in the auto-suggest list.

To turn auto-suggest on, click Turn on suggestions below the search entry area.

How do I filter search results?

You can refine your search using one or more filters (location, author, date, label).

Want to limit your search results to accepted solutions? Click the Solved check box under the Metadata filter. Want only the most recent results? Use one for the date filters to see results for a day or a week ago. You can also filter your results by individual authors or members who have the same rank.

Most search filters work together to narrow the possible results. For example, you can search for accepted solutions in the last month. However, the filters for the type of post work a little differently. If you choose Forums and Blogs, you see results from either forums or blogs (not results that are both forum and blog posts).

Active filters appear at the top of the results list. To turn off a filter, click the X to the right of the filter.

How can I customize search results?

You can customize your search results to make them more meaningful in several ways:

• Use the interactive filters on the left side of the page to refine the search results based on a variety of criteria: location, author, date, and others.
• See which filters are active at the top of the results list.
• Turn an active filter off by clicking the X button to the right of the filter.

How do I search for posts?

You can search for posts and knowledge base articles at any level of the community. When you type a search term, the system automatically searches at the current level. For example, if you're on the community front page, the system searches the entire community. If you're looking at a forum or blog page, the system searches that forum (and the associated knowledge base, if any) or blog.

Tip: Searches for posts always include relevant knowledge bases. However, you can also search just in knowledge bases.

To search for posts:

1. Choose the scope of the search in the drop-down list to the left of the Search button.
   You can search at the current level and above in the community.
2. Start typing the search term.
   Auto-suggest shows the topics that match the term you're typing.
   Tip: You can enter the full search term, or use an asterisk as a wildcard in your search.
3. If you don't see the term you're looking for in the auto-suggest list, click Search to see the full search results.

When you get your search results, use the filters on the left side of the page to refine your results.

How do I search for people?

You can search for community members by name or by rank. The name you search for must be at least three characters long.

To search for users:

1. Click Users in the drop-down list to the left of the Search button.
2. Start typing the name of an individual user or the name of a rank.
   Auto-suggest shows the names of users who match the name you're typing. When you enter a rank, auto-suggest lists all users who have that rank.
   Tip: You can enter the full user or rank name, or use an asterisk as a wildcard in your search.
3. If you don't see the user you're looking for in the auto-suggest list, click Search to see the full search results.

[mB_FrankEll]

How do I search for information?

To search the Community, enter your search in the search field and click Search. A page of search results is displayed. Browse the search results in the same manner you would a message board.

To perform a more in-depth search, click the Advanced link next to the Search button. Here, you can limit your query to a specific board, specific parts of the message (subject vs. body), and other advanced parameters.

How does auto-suggest work?

Auto-suggest accelerates your search by displaying results as you type search terms. When you see the post or user you're looking for, just click it.

To turn auto-suggest off, click Turn off suggestions in the auto-suggest list.

To turn auto-suggest on, click Turn on suggestions below the search entry area.

How do I filter search results?

You can refine your search using one or more filters (location, author, date, label).

Want to limit your search results to accepted solutions? Click the Solved check box under the Metadata filter. Want only the most recent results? Use one for the date filters to see results for a day or a week ago. You can also filter your results by individual authors or members who have the same rank.

Most search filters work together to narrow the possible results. For example, you can search for accepted solutions in the last month. However, the filters for the type of post work a little differently. If you choose Forums and Blogs, you see results from either forums or blogs (not results that are both forum and blog posts).

Active filters appear at the top of the results list. To turn off a filter, click the X to the right of the filter.

How can I customize search results?

You can customize your search results to make them more meaningful in several ways:

• Use the interactive filters on the left side of the page to refine the search results based on a variety of criteria: location, author, date, and others.
• See which filters are active at the top of the results list.
• Turn an active filter off by clicking the X button to the right of the filter.

How do I search for posts?

You can search for posts and knowledge base articles at any level of the community. When you type a search term, the system automatically searches at the current level. For example, if you're on the community front page, the system searches the entire community. If you're looking at a forum or blog page, the system searches that forum (and the associated knowledge base, if any) or blog.

Tip: Searches for posts always include relevant knowledge bases. However, you can also search just in knowledge bases.

To search for posts:

1. Choose the scope of the search in the drop-down list to the left of the Search button.
   You can search at the current level and above in the community.
2. Start typing the search term.
   Auto-suggest shows the topics that match the term you're typing.
   Tip: You can enter the full search term, or use an asterisk as a wildcard in your search.
3. If you don't see the term you're looking for in the auto-suggest list, click Search to see the full search results.

When you get your search results, use the filters on the left side of the page to refine your results.

How do I search for people?

You can search for community members by name or by rank. The name you search for must be at least three characters long.

To search for users:

1. Click Users in the drop-down list to the left of the Search button.
2. Start typing the name of an individual user or the name of a rank.
   Auto-suggest shows the names of users who match the name you're typing. When you enter a rank, auto-suggest lists all users who have that rank.
   Tip: You can enter the full user or rank name, or use an asterisk as a wildcard in your search.
3. If you don't see the user you're looking for in the auto-suggest list, click Search to see the full search results.