Documentation Search Functionality

#1 Omni,

From the number of times you posted on the subject, it is obvious that you would enjoy some additional search functionality, in a number of areas. Let me just assure you that we're certainly aware of this desire. I would like to have that capability myself too.

So, you must realize that we've done an honest evaluation of the situation, and at the moment, implementing and supporting such functionality is lower on our priority list than other projects. I appreciate your feedback, but you should not expect full-text forum or documentation searches to go online in the immediate future. It takes a lot of work to get such things to run efficiently and effectively. We have a bunch of very high-priority projects that we're working on right now, including some involving making things easier to find on the site. But again, I would not expect such functionality immediately.

For now, use the tools available. Post on the forums if you have questions. If you have particular questions and you've used the available search and forum tools in an attempt to determine whether the question has been answered before, nobody will blame you for asking it.

Locally generating and searching the DOxygen documentation is also a good solution to a problem you were facing.

Given such viable solutions to search problems, I hope you can understand why devoting the rather large amounts of time it would take to implement efficient full-text searches of the docs and forums is not the highest item on our priority list at the moment (though it is not the lowest either).

In any case, I identify with your concerns, and I hope you know it's something we'll implement as soon as is feasible.

#2 Thanks for responding.
I understand your position. Yes, I agree development of the game engine and its tools are higher priorities than search engine functionality. It's just frustrating when you can't find an answer to something.

#3 I understand the frustration. :)

Like I say, if you've got a question and you've tried your best to find the answer on your own but still come up blank, ask away on the forums. As I'm sure you're becoming aware, the community rocks, and the staff tries to do our best to help too, of course.

#4 Hi,

Just throwing in my 2c I would also like to see this when the staff can get some time :)

The forum looks like a great resource - but it is very annoying trying to help yourself before asking the same old questions again - but being hit with a blank wall due to title only searching.

i.e. I was trying to figure out why I was getting a parse error on map2dif - search for map2dif parse error.. no matches.. search for map2dif. LOTS of matches. Found the solution by going backwards and forwards between the list, could have been done alot easier by enabling that 'body search' checkbox in advanced search options :)

#5 Yup. :)

When we have the server cycles, we'll turn it on.

#6 :( Finally find the advanced search pages and Body search is turned off.

Like he said, there must be a hundred 'map2dif error' titled messags to look through for map2dif problems and 90 of the time that information is going to be repated because its just easier to ask the question again. :(

#7 The search facility is usable, just takes a bit of work. People _can_ find information with it, trust me.

#8 ...

#9 Umm, ok, what work? :P Consider me an idiot. Where's the idiot's guide to GG search engine usage? :D

Its gotten to the point where someone in one of my threads complained I didnt do enough research. Id like to do the research but I have no clue if I am doing 'all that I can.'

#10 David,

Nothing magical, just typical searching stuff which I'm sure you don't actually need explained. But to humor the notion: think of a few ways to describe the information you are looking for and search for one of them. If you get too many results, make your search more specific. Too few, try something different or more general. If you are totally unsuccessful, try searching with different terms.

Obviously, since thread titles aren't always descriptive, this methodology will not be perfect. But you can also google garagegames for a full-text search of the public area forums. Intelligently combining these two techniques should yield a high degree of success, provided an answer actually exists to the question you are asking.

If you have a relevant question and have made a sincere effort to find information on it, but come up blank, ask away and pay no heed to people who pester you about it.

#11 Ok thanks. Been doing most of that, even google, but maybe not as expansive on the search terms as I could be.

I just worry, I have a little brain damage that sometimes gets in the way of meeting the social guidlines of the communities I participate in, yet I still do my best to respect them heavily.

Thanks.