Simple and probably dumb question...

[DawgMan]

How do I search a Forum if I want only those threads with a specific phrase? Eg "Retirement Portfolio". I noticed if I enter a phrase in the Search box with or without " it still returns threads that may have th words individually and not necessarily ONLY the phrase. Pardon my ignorance...

[MichaelB]

Use the "google search" box at the top of the screen, select the "e-r org' option, and put the term in quotation marks. That should bring up only threads with the entire phrase.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB Use the "google search" box at the top of the screen, select the "e-r org' option, and put the term in quotation marks. That should bring up only threads with the entire phrase.

You need to be in the version with the green screen (V2.0). The blue screen version doesn't offer the Google option.

[Tadpole]

If you aren't in green mode and the post you want is not very, very recent, you can go to the google page and do the same search using the site: option. For example to search for "minimum distribution" you would use the search string:
site:http://www.early-retirement.org/forums "minimum distribution"

[RunningBum]

I tend to use the Advanced Search under the Search tab, which gives me a lot of options about searching titles only or entire posts, and returning results as threads or posts.


One problem comes with threads like this with meaningless titles. You can help the cause by giving your thread a title with your actual question, rather than just saying you have a question and it may be dumb. Please. That way searches work a lot better.

[DawgMan]

Thanks All... Google Search seems to work. My problem was in the Advanced Search which did not seem to pick up the string in quotes, but only as individual words.