Integration with vBulletin - Invalid (Too Short) Search Keyword Remover

Please remember to click Mark as Installed if you use this modification.

This product removes keywords that are too short and allows a forum search to continue with the remaining valid keywords.

Normally, if the user searches for a word or words that are shorter than the minimum word length, the search crashes and burns with a not-so-user-friendly warning that they need to enter longer keywords. How is the user supposed to know that instead of searching for "racetrack in phoenix" they must leave out the "in" for it to work? This mod allows the user to search for "racetrack in phoenix" and the word "in" is automatically removed and a note is displayed telling the user what was done.

Features

• Removes search terms (keywords) that are shorter than the value set in vB Options -> Message Searching Options -> Search Index Minimum Word Length
• Does not remove the "whitelisted" words that are shorter than the minimum length. The whitelist can be found at vB Options -> Message Searching Options (vB Internal Search) -> Words to be Included Despite Character Limit
• Respects the vB built-in search operators AND OR NOT -AND -OR -NOT (does not remove them)
• Displays a friendly note that the invalid (short) terms were removed from the search, and allows the search to go on.
• You may fully customize how the message is displayed in the templates
• This mod is fully phrased, so you can modify the wording of the message and/or translate them by searching in the phrases.
• No template modifications are necessary to install this.

Installation

1. Extract the XML file from the zip file and import it via ACP -> Manage Products -> Add/Import Product
2. Tell all your members to stop worrying about searching for words that are too short.

Upgrading

• Upgrading is simple. Simply download the new version and import the XML file overwriting the previous version.

Changes that it makes

• This mod adds a template (search_invalid_keywords) for displaying the message to users.
• Adds a couple of phrases
• Adds three plugins that do the work.

Modifying the message that is displayed

You can modify the message by changing the phrases (do a phrase search for the text of the messages) and by changing the template. The template to change is called search_invalid_keywords.

I hope you enjoy this mod. If you have any problems with it, or feature requests, just let me know.

Requirements

I tested this in the following configuration, but this should probably work with vB 3.6.x and up, and PHP 4.1.x and up.

• vB 3.6.8
• PHP 4.4.7
• Apache 1.3.37
• Linux

History

• v 1.0.1 Bug fix. (Sept. 7, 2007)
  • Code is now only executed if the user did a search by keyword. It's ignored if they only searched by username etc. (Thanks momo2)
• v 1.0.0 Initial Release (Sept. 5, 2007)

Similar Mods

Continue Search by Dismounted works pretty much the same as this mod. Maybe even better. Unfortunately, I found out about it after creating mine.

Screenshots

Screenshots are attached below. (1) The first one is an example of the regular vB error message when you search for words that are too short. (2) The second one is the result of searching for "crash in the burn". "in" and "the" are removed, and the search continues with "crash" and "burn". (3) The third screenshot is the message that's displayed when there are no results to the search. The search terms were "cash in the cow, man".

[Axel Foley]

I just uninstalled Dismounted's version...I like the fact that a message is given to the user.

It's working fine...good job...

[Brandon Sheley]

I almost forgot about this, just uploaded it and everything works great

Thanks

[pspmaster93]

NICE WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My members always said the search thing doesnt work and id always say it has to be 4 letters/... THAT SEARCH WORD LIMIT EVEN ANNOYED ME!
THIS SHOULD SERIOUSLY BE Mod Of The Month IT makes everything so much easier searching for!!!

[BadgerDog]

Installed.... :up:

Thanks ...

Very nice....

Now, if I could only figure out how to change the MySql setting to 3 after I change the AdminCP setting to 3 to match, I'd be all set. Even though I change the AdminCP search setting to 3, the system still keeps Full Search checking at 4 characters.

Regards,
Badger

[Analogpoint]

Originally Posted by BadgerDog

Installed.... :up:

Thanks ...

Very nice....

Now, if I could only figure out how to change the MySql setting to 3 after I change the AdminCP setting to 3 to match, I'd be all set. Even though I change the AdminCP search setting to 3, the system still keeps Full Search checking at 4 characters.

Regards,
Badger

Thanks Badger. The minimum word length in the ACP settings is for if you're using vB's build-in search engine. If you're using the MySQL fulltext search, then that setting doesn't apply. If you're running your own server, I believe you can re-compile MySQL with a lower limit for the Fulltext search. I can't remember if you have to recompile MySQL or if you can just change it in the config file.

And to all the rest of you who have installed this, thanks! Be sure to let me know if you see something that goes wrong or you think of some other feature that it should have.

Originally Posted by pspmaster93

THIS SHOULD SERIOUSLY BE Mod Of The Month IT makes everything so much easier searching for!!!

Feel free to nominate it if you want

[BadgerDog]

Originally Posted by Analogpoint

Thanks Badger. The minimum word length in the ACP settings is for if you're using vB's build-in search engine. If you're using the MySQL fulltext search, then that setting doesn't apply. If you're running your own server, I believe you can re-compile MySQL with a lower limit for the Fulltext search. I can't remember if you have to recompile MySQL or if you can just change it in the config file

Thanks..... that's what I thought... :up:

Regards,
Badger

[momo2]

Problem found.. When I press on member's threads it will take u to keyword short ... instead of taking u to all threads made by member...
Un installed .. fixed the problem, so, there is a bug... please check in to it..

[Analogpoint]

Originally Posted by momo2

Problem found.. When I press on member's threads it will take u to keyword short ... instead of taking u to all threads made by member...
Un installed .. fixed the problem, so, there is a bug... please check in to it..

Can you elaborate please? I'm not sure I understand you. On my forums, I just went to a member's profile page and clicked on "find all posts/threads started by this user" and it worked correctly. Please tell me exactly what problem you're having, and I'll fix it.

[momo2]

sure buddy, I'm using this https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=151844
so before i install urs, it worked fine and here is what i did...

$vbphrase[posts]: $post[posts]

--------------------------------------
REPLACE it with:
--------------------------------------

$vbphrase[posts]: <a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=finduser&amp;u=$post[userid]" rel="nofollow">$post[posts]</a> -- $vbphrase[threads]: <a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=process&amp;showposts=0&amp;starteronly=1&amp;e xactname=1&amp;searchuser=$post[username]" rel="nofollow">$post[threads]</a>

So ur mod and this will not work.. how ever i tried so many other way, but as soon i un install urs it worked fine..
let me know..

[Analogpoint]

Hi momo2, thanks for letting me know about this bug. I've fixed it and released version 1.0.1. Download it above and import the XML file, overwriting the previous version.