Sorry-no matches hang-up

[mwahl]

I like to train the users of my web site to use the search function as much as possible. Unfortunately, the vB search facility is not co-operating. It just lets them hang in mid air with this message

Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.

This situation is rather inconsistant with the otherwise smooth performance of vB and comes as somewhat of a surprise. Is there a way to add a "back" button, but preferably a new search box to this page, so the users aren't left hanging like that?

I know, there is a browser back button, but there also is a good reason to shy away from using it, because half the time I use it, I get that big white "page expired" message. I am further quite sure that you programmers know exactly when to expect that "page expired" message, but most users aren't programmers. We just get pissed every time it turns up.

[Steve Machol]

What are they searching for when this happens? Are you absolutely certain there should be matches?

[mwahl]

I don't think THAT makes a difference.

[Steve Machol]

Okay then. Just trying to help. If you don't want to provide the info then I'm not search what else to suggest.

[Freddie Bingham]

I understand what you are asking for but it would require modifying the code. Please post in the suggestions forum. Something like:

"When a search returns no results, redirect the user back to the search form with their search conditions filled back in, adding a notice at the top of the page that no results were found".

The same way the registration page redirects with an error list at the top of the page upon when a user enters invalid information at registration.

[Floris]

I like to train the users of my web site to use the search function as much as possible. Unfortunately, the vB search facility is not co-operating. It just lets them hang in mid air with this message This situation is rather inconsistant with the otherwise smooth performance of vB and comes as somewhat of a surprise. Is there a way to add a "back" button, but preferably a new search box to this page, so the users aren't left hanging like that?

I know, there is a browser back button, but there also is a good reason to shy away from using it, because half the time I use it, I get that big white "page expired" message. I am further quite sure that you programmers know exactly when to expect that "page expired" message, but most users aren't programmers. We just get pissed every time it turns up.

If you are certain that you have a post with the word (for example) vBulletin in it, and you have that forum setup to index new posts and the user has permission to use search. Then searching for it should return the thread/post with vBulletin in it, highlighted.

If this is not the case, you can clear your search index and rebuild it. See the manual of vBulletin on how to do this.

Additionally, if you have a search and the location bar gives (for example) http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/searc...searchid=23545 then you can use that for your reference, it will expire over time if I remember correctly. Other users who might follow the link will get the same results with the set preferences and filtered on their permissions. But if the link has expired, they will receive the error message. "Sorry, no matches - Please try some different terms".

This error message is a phrase, you can modify phrases through the phrase manager.
The phrase you need to modify is "searchnoresults". The default content of this phrase is:

Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms.
$displayCommon

Ofcourse, if a user searches for something, and there is no match it will also display that error message. Now if the user goes back, it will show the 'page expired' page. If you want to include a back link, you could add a link to the phrase, something like:

<div class="smallfont"><br /><a href="search.php">Go back to search</a></div>

If you want to include the values entered, it is indeed required to modify the source code, you can request this as a future feature in these forums (vb 3 feedback/suggestions) and/or ask on vbulletin.org if someone knows how to do this.