Advanced Search Hacks

[johnstires]

Are hacks to the advanced search menu very difficult? I never see any on here that manipulate the advanced search screen.

Also, why is the advanced search and the member's search separate? Why can one add custom fields to the member's search but not the advanced search?

How come people don't add custom fields to boards and then allow them to be searched in that advanced search menu?

If anyone knows of any, I'd be interested to know.

There's alot of great functionality and add ons to vbulletin, but a consolidated, flexible search backbone would be anextremely valuable asset.

[amykhar]

I've been looking toward the same thing for a while now. I think a modular search that allows users to search all content that integrates with the forum is something vbulletin desperately needs.

Unfortunately, with the way search.php is written, I haven't found it that easy to hook in using plugins. The search tags functionality that I've used at my own forums was written as a code mod - and a pretty ugly one at that.

[johnstires]

So basically if I want a good vb search engine, I have to have to hire someone to get down and dirty with the code.

That's too bad. Right now the way I am setting up my site, everything is a scattered chain of hacks with seperate search locations.

I hope the vb team is considering a search revamp, it would make such a difference.

amykhar, which forum of yours has the search hacks? I'd be interested in seeing what you modified.

[amykhar]

No. I think that if you want a good vb search engine, you need to go to vbulletin.com and request one as a standard feature. This is something too important to be hacked. It needs to be there for vbulletin to stay competetive with emerging products.

I have a search 'tags' feature on http://www.eaforums.com/forums It allows users to tag threads and search for threads with the same tag.