Advanced Search Parameters

[erobz]

Any ideas how to search for threads that both I and another user have replied too? I remember "who, but I don't remember where, when" is the issue.

 

[berkeman]

How long ago?

 

[erobz]

How long ago?

Could have been year...maybe plural? I could have sworn I saw once in the "Find" menu "Find content by You and them" Was that a hallucination?

 

[Ibix]

Assuming it was a conversation between you and them and you quoted their posts, searching threads for their username posted by you (or vice versa) works pretty well.

 

[berkeman]

I could have sworn I saw once in the "Find" menu "Find content by You and them"

I do see that you can enter multiple usernames in the Advanced Search box:

 

[erobz]

I do see that you can enter multiple usernames in the Advanced Search box:

View attachment 357255

Yeah, that gives me threads that I've posted in and threads that they posted in. I was looking for the union of sets search! I could figure it out manually, but I was just imagining the difficulty if it were two prolific PF members.

 

[Borek]

You can also always try with google using site:physicsforums.com as a parameter.

 

[erobz]

You can also always try with google using site:physicsforums.com as a parameter.

I need a tutorial on google searching! So if it was between you and me. What would I type into the google search bar to let google know that I want to look for threads in PF that you and I have both replied in?

 

[fresh_42]

Any ideas how to search for threads that both I and another user have replied too? I remember "who, but I don't remember where, when" is the issue.

Idea? Yes.
Practicability? No.

You can search for all of someone's posts, download the results as HTML files, concatenate the various pages related to one user, extract the lines with date and thread title, reformat it into a csv format, and use Excel to determine the intersection of both users. The date, however, will be tricky, since the exact date is useless unless you work with intervals. The date per day may be sufficient, but only if the posts you are looking for where from the same day. Otherwise, intervals again.

 

[erobz]

Idea? Yes.
Practicability? No.

You can search for all of someone's posts, download the results as HTML files, concatenate the various pages related to one user, extract the lines with date and thread title, reformat it into a csv format, and use Excel to determine the intersection of both users. The date, however, will be tricky, since the exact date is useless unless you work with intervals. The date per day may be sufficient, but only if the posts you are looking for where from the same day. Otherwise, intervals again.

I was just inquiring if I was missing something obvious...like the ketchup in the refrigerator, I don't need it that bad! Thanks for the reply though.

 

[erobz]

I know I can get it by going back through my stuff alone in advanced search by date, show results as threads. I believe I'm understanding a shortcut to that procedure (where I know who I was replying to) is not in existence. Thanks Everyone.

 

[Nugatory]

I need a tutorial on google searching! So if it was between you and me. What would I type into the google search bar to let google know that I want to look for threads in PF that you and I have both replied in?

Try +foo +bar site:physicsforums.com to ask Google for everything at physicsforums.com that includes both "foo" and "bar"

 

[erobz]

"foo" and "bar"

I thought it would be "FU" + "BAR"

Is that a critique on this question (you don't have to answer that)?

 

[fresh_42]

I was just inquiring if I was missing something obvious...like the ketchup in the refrigerator, I don't need it that bad! Thanks for the reply though.

If you use both names and sort by date, e.g.

you will get a list of two users combined. That could help looking for the specific thread.

 

[erobz]

Try +foo +bar site:physicsforums.com to ask Google for everything at physicsforums.com that includes both "foo" and "bar"

Unfortunately, it didn't yield the intended content. Thanks though.

 

[fresh_42]

I was just inquiring if I was missing something obvious...like the ketchup in the refrigerator, I don't need it that bad! Thanks for the reply though.

Here is another trick. I searched for the keyword "@eborz" posted by fresh_42 sorted by date and received all posts in which I have quoted you, those in this thread actually. So if you have quoted the other member, then this is your search key.

 

[erobz]

That one is slick, and narrowed it down quite well. Thank You!