Thanks to Alex for taking the time to put this together.


SEARCH TIPS :wink:

board search link:
http://www.creditboards.com/phpBB2/search....2c9613671c7275e

The search capability that comes with the message board is basically a Boolean search but it is somewhat limited. I have found that changing the search options makes no difference so don't waist your time with them. The main strategy is to separate your search terms with parentheses and use the AND Boolean operator along with the NOT operator. Personally I have not found much use for the OR operator. The * is also useful.

The operators that work are: AND, OR, NOT, *

Don't put two words separates by a space inside parentheses. "re-insertion" is OK.
"re insertion" is not OK.

Below are some examples of searches:

IIB AND accounts--------------------= no

"IIB" AND "accounts"-----------------= yes

not mine letter-----------------------= no

"not" AND "mine"---------------------= yes

re-insertion letter--------------------= no

"re-insertion" AND "letter"-------------= yes
"re-insertion" AND "letter*"------------= yes

FICO score---------------------------= no

"FICO" AND "score"--------------------= yes

"search" AND "tips"--------------------= yes

"credit" AND "score" AND "inquiries"-----= yes

"house hold" AND "bank" AND "address"--= no

"household" AND "bank" AND "address"--= yes

"chase" AND "bank" AND "address"------= yes

"credit" AND "card*" AND "prime"-------= yes

"amex" AND "blue" AND "score"---------= yes

"credit" AND "score" AND "inquiries" AND "hard" NOT "auto" NOT "apartment" --- = yes

For tips on what us a Boolean search look here:

http://library.albany.edu/internet/boolean.html

http://www.adam.ac.uk/info/boolean.html#bool

http://www.lscc.cc.fl.us/library/guides/boolsea.htm

Also, -->HERE'S<-- a link to help you refine your searches as well. Details below.

is there a way I can bring up the topics I started? I looked and didn't find anything, may have just not found it though.
TIA>

Unfortunately you can't search on a board members name unless that name is contained in the body of one of the messages in the thread. Usually this only happens if someone quotes that members post in full and than replies to it.

The only sure way to find a members prior posts is to go to the members list here:
http://www.creditboards.com/phpBB2/memberlist.php and use the EDIT FIND feature that comes with Microsoft Explorer to locate the member. This feature is useful because with so many members you may have to search many pages in the member list. Then you can click on the members name and then click on "find all posts by members name" in the upper right. Then you can scroll down to the bottom and see all the pages of posts they have made sorted by date. From there you can go through all of them.

my question was finding MY topics (all of them) maybe it was misunderstood. I know what you're saying though. I later thought about that after posting that all I had to do was just do a search for my own USERNAME :idea: duh ! Oh well.

I understand what you're talking about. On all the other boards that I'm a member of, there's a "search by username" field if you're not looking for any particular word, but all posts by a particular user.

The more direct method: go to "creditboards Forum Index" and, in the upper right corner you should find a link that says "view my posts". It works for me.

I just enter my username in Search for Author: when using the search feature to find my own post. I then "click view my posts" to see all my post.

I usually click on the author name when they post a topic to see all post from that user.

How does one search exact phrase? Quotes don't seem to work.