[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by TundraSoul

Let's discuss the "Integration with the User Profile system" feature. This is item 5.8 in the new LDM manual. Let me begin by apologizing if I wasn't clear when I came up with this idea. I know you're trying to work this in, which I greatly appreciate, and I applaud you for the effort. Unfortunately, IMO it's not implemented correctly and here's why.

I had a very strong suspicion you would say this. I'm glad you've given a clear description.

Originally Posted by TundraSoul

There's no need to create additional profile fields to offer saved keyword searches. These fields will likely already exist as one of the existing vB profile fields, but if they don't, the admin can go make one in vB for use within LDM. This also keeps the members from having to fill new fields again.

I wondered about this - fortunately most of the coding is independent of whether its a new or existing profile field

Originally Posted by TundraSoul

Single-Line Text Box profile fields.
There should be a setup option in LDM to allow the admin to choose which profile field number LDM should use as a keyword search criteria. Let's say for instance I have the word "music" typed in my single-line text box profile field 15. I would then enter 15 as the LDM profile field choice for this saved search, and of course LDM would now know my saved search keyword is "music".

Trivial to implement

Originally Posted by TundraSoul

Multiple selection menu profile fields.
My personal favorite, because you could possibly search the other available keyword choices without changing your profile. Let's say I choose the vB profile field 16, which happens to be a multiple selection profile menu field. In LDM, the user could then select from any of the possible profile choices listed in the vB multiple selection menu profile field 16, and search based on those choices. Let's say those choices are types of music, like Rock, Country, Rap, and Classical. Even if the user has Country save as their saved keyword choice, they should still be allowed to search based on any of the other possible profile choices without changing their profile.

Also pretty trivial to implement

Originally Posted by TundraSoul

The search mechanism for this feature shouldn't be in the menu, IMO, it should be in the Advanced Search area of the LDM. If the admin is using a multiple selection profile field, you could display the profile saved keyword choices as a drop down box, similar to the category and forum jump choices.

My long term plan is to be able to establish multiple pre-cooked but tailored searches, which would be available to different users. I wondered about where these should be accessed. The problem with using Advanced Search is that that is another step away from the casual user, who wants things cheap, free and now.

Originally Posted by TundraSoul

Now for any of this to work correctly, we need the ability to associate the LDM links with the profile field choice we've setup from the users profile. If we don't do this, then all we're really doing now is saving the user from having to type in a keyword. Further, and more importantly, the search system still uses the same "Sql match" or "Sql like" system, which is often inaccurate. What I purpose is when you add or edit a link, you are offered the ability to associate the link with a already configured vB profile choice.

If I'm using field 15, the single-line text box field, I would type in music as the associated keyword for the link, assuming of course it's music. If I'm using field 16, the multiple selection menu profile, I could choose any or all of the profile choices available from profile field 16, which associates them with this link.

Yes indeed, we discussed this a few weeks back. What shall we do about entries that have not been keyworded? Are they invisible to the profile search or not?