# How to search for old threads?



## Claire (Nov 17, 2008)

Several times I've tried to look up a thread I remember seeing, or one I started myself and wanted to add to.  I find myself looking through pages and pages.  I know I'm a computer dummy, but is there a search I can do to find an entry I've seen before?


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## expatgirl (Nov 17, 2008)

yes, there is.........can't help you though............I'm a computer dummy right along with you.........don't worry the mods will help you.......they are wonderful here..............


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## attie (Nov 17, 2008)

Girls, if you go to your own profile you will find all the info you need,

Click on your "private messages" and then go look down the left hand column


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## Adillo303 (Nov 17, 2008)

The best way that I have found is to use google. I have the Google toolbar you can hust go to Google. Enter your search terms, such as chocolate chip cookies and then a space and put site:discusscooking.com. IE: "chocolate chip cookies site:discuss cooking.com" Don't put in the quotes. Google will serch only discuss cooking. works pretty well.


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## QSis (Nov 19, 2008)

Adillo is correct. Use the "advanced search" part of Google.

In the "exact phrase" box, type in things that are more than one word, like "chocolate chip cookies" (no quotes)

In the bottom most box where it asks for domain, type what Adillo said: www.discusscooking.com

And if you know anything else, like the poster's name, you can type that in the top-most box.

Click enter and your options are often narrowed down to the exact thread or even post.

Google is an amazing and wonderful thing! 

Lee


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## Alix (Nov 19, 2008)

Or you can use the Search function here on DC. After you hit the Search link go to advanced search. Specific title or post and it will search that way for you. If you are pretty sure of the title you can just type that in and you can choose the forum or subforum to look in. You can also enter the User name if you know it. Good luck!


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## Lefty7887 (Nov 20, 2008)

QSis said:


> Google is an amazing and wonderful thing!
> 
> Lee


 
Yes the advance search in Google has been a life saver at times.


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## Lefty7887 (Nov 20, 2008)

I just noticed DC has tags you can put on threads.  If a thread starter were to use this function it would also help in searches.  For instance if I were to post a recipe for say Chicken Soup I could use the tags recipe, Chicken, Soup... and anyone searching the tags could quickly narrow it down.  Lefty


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## CharlieD (Nov 20, 2008)

What are tags?

And Search here doesn't work too well. You search for one thing it brings hundreds answers, most of them wrong.


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## Lefty7887 (Nov 20, 2008)

CharlieD said:


> What are tags?
> 
> And Search here doesn't work too well. You search for one thing it brings hundreds answers, most of them wrong.


 
If you look after the last post on the bottom of the page you see the line that says Tags, on the right hand side there is an edit tag that is underlined.  If you click this it will pop up a box where you can enter two tags.  With help from another DC poster you can add enough tags to be relavent.  Maybe the administrators can bump the limit to 3 or 4.  I know this from being a moedator on another site.
Edit;  You can also put in up to 5 tags when creating a post in the box below your original post, before you make the post.


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## CharlieD (Nov 20, 2008)

Thanks.


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## Lefty7887 (Nov 20, 2008)

CharlieD said:


> Thanks.


 
NP, I think it will work if we all use them, it would definetly make advance searches easier.


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