Problem with Search

[ddavis]

When I try to do a search, it's nearly impossible to do because additional letters pop up and don't let me type in the word I want. What's happening and how do I stop it?

[Jacquilynne]

Is it something related to the auto-complete function in the search? It tries to suggest things you might be searching for.

Otherwise, more details or a screenshot would help us to figure out what's up.

[rworange]

The auto-complete function is way too annoying. It is very sensitive.

Given that this particular site is slow for me .. and let me clarify it is one of the few sites I have problems with so it is not me, it's you ... when I go out of my way to enclose EXACTLY what I'm looking for in quotes and hit the go button, to have some other random item show up in the search function is an excercise in frustration.

I would hope the mentions of an improvement in April to the search function corrects a multitude of sins.

[goodhealthgourmet]

agreed, the auto-complete function is a serious nuisance...and i really don't think it's necessary for search functions. it's useful for Restaurant/Places links, but then again that feature has been on the fritz for quite some time now anyway.

[ddavis]

It must be the auto-complete function, but that function on most programs will allow you to type in what you want if you just keep typing. On this, it just fills in words and leaves them there. For instance, I just went to the Texas board and tried to type in Insignia. What I ended up with is Incangnia.

[Servorg]

I just tried Insignia on the Texas board and I got to Insig and up popped "Restaurant Insignia" with not even a bobble.

[sixelagogo]

had the same problem...tried to search for reviews in Montclair, NJ and search was totally hijacked by auto-fill....it's impossible to use

[sixelagogo]

i went back and it allowed me to override the auto-fill...dont' know what's up with the first time...

[JamieK]

I cannot tell you how much I hate the auto-complete function. Even when I quite clearly type in my search word and click "enter", somehow the suggestion gets searched and I have to start over. I hate it.

[goodhealthgourmet]

agreed, it's a serious pain in the ass.

some of the terms that come up are just ridiculous. i was trying to find an old Home Cooking thread the other day about the secret ingredients people use, and when i tried to type in "secret ingredient," the auto-complete took over and filled in "secret life of bees."

huh????

why on earth the database even contains the title of a book/movie in which the story isn't *remotely* related to food is beyond me.

[Servorg]

I just tried your example on Home Cooking using the search function. And, while it's true that as I typed in the word "secret" I got a separate box below the box I was typing in suggesting "secret life of bees" it didn't interfere or take over the big search box and, as I continued to type the word "ingredients" the suggestions went away and I was able to finish typing and then hit the "Search" button. Is that not what happens when you try this? I mean, what I experienced wasn't a "serious pain in the ass" or even a mild one.

[goodhealthgourmet]

interesting. makes me wonder if it depends on the browser and/or OS (i'm using Firefox on a Mac). the auto-complete suggestions won't go away on mine no matter what i do. every so often i somehow manage to get my own search terms in there without them taking over, but most of the time even when i manage to finish typing my search term, as soon as i hit return or click the search button the auto-complete overrides it, fills in the blank with whatever term was first on the list, and searches for that. the darn thing's possessed! it's much more sensitive in the general "Search this board" function. once i get to the advanced search i have a much easier time overriding it.

obviously in the grand scheme of things it isn't a huge deal. it's just a nuisance that creates extra work for me when i'm doing a search, and i'm not convinced there's much benefit to having the auto-complete suggestions there in the first place.

[Servorg]

I'm on the latest version of Firefox (3.6) and a PC running the home version of XP. So maybe that's the issue.

[goodhealthgourmet]

ok, so it's not the browser then...but maybe it's a Mac thing. thanks for the input!

[kpzoo]

Don't think it's a Mac thing. I'm on Mac FF 3.6 and have no problems overriding the search auto-suggestions... sorry!

[goodhealthgourmet]

kpzoo, thanks so much for chiming in - i was running FFX 3.5.8 so i just upgraded to 3.6 after seeing your reply, and it fixed the problem!!

[kpzoo]

Awesome! Who woulda thunk! Glad it's sorted.

[goodhealthgourmet]

Jamie, what browser & OS are you running? i'm trying to figure out why it's more sensitive for some of us.

[JamieK]

I'm running on Windows XP, with IE8 and a really old version of FFX, so I guess I should upgrade that.

While I was just re-testing now, I noticed in both browsers that you have to keep your cursor well away from that drop-down suggestion box and then it doesn't happen.... whatever you typed is searched.

But if you hover over or even close by the box, the auto-suggestion plugs into the search field pronto.

I just typed "steak" and then deliberately swept over the auto-suggestion box and got "steady stream" in the search field. But when I positioned my cursor well away, I got my steak results no problem. So, yes -- sensitive as someone mentioned above.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i was having problems even when the cursor wasn't right there, but as soon as i installed the latest FFX update it resolved the issue. definitely upgrade your browser.

[Servorg]

Not to mention FF is such a good browser and upgrading it is so quick and painless it just makes zero reason not to say yes when up pops a "Want to Upgrade to the Latest Version Now" message from Mozilla.