# Browser "find" function doesn't work for long threads? **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [August 2, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browser-find-function-doesnt-work-for-long-threads/917084 "2020-08-02T14:48:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browser-find-function-doesnt-work-for-long-threads/917084/1 "2020-08-02T14:48:43Z")
When trying to find an older post in a large thread, I’d sometimes just use the text find function in my browser (Firefox), vs. the board search (usually the former would turn out to be quicker, and also not risk a X second timeout before I can do another one). Well, just tried that in a thread that I know I had posted in 2 weeks ago, and it couldn’t find either the keyword (from my post) or my handle, until I scrolled back up manually using the slider thingy. I guess older posts are technically there in the thread, but aren’t loaded into memory by default. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browser-find-function-doesnt-work-for-long-threads/917084/2 "2020-08-02T14:53:09Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I guess older posts are technically there in the thread, but aren’t loaded into memory by default. Yup. It only loads a few posts at a time. You have to use the board search. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browser-find-function-doesnt-work-for-long-threads/917084/3 "2020-08-02T15:41:45Z")
Here’s the right/best way. At least on a PC; I don’t know about tablets & phones. Open the thread in question. Click the magnifying glass search icon at upper right to expand the search pop-out. Check the box that says “Search this topic”. Do that step first, _then_ enter your search term(s) and/or @somebody to search for posts made by the user somebody. Then _wait a few seconds_ without pressing [Enter]. All the relevant posts will appear in a popout that appears below the search input box. Then you can click any of those to scroll the current page / browser tab to that post. Or even use Ctrl-click to open the thread to that post in a new browser tab, or Shift-click to open the thread to that post in a new browser window. After you fill in your search terms, if you mistakenly hit [Enter], you’ll be taken to a search results page with the same results. But from there it’s harder to get back to the thread to refine your search. So I prefer to wait for the pop-out results. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browser-find-function-doesnt-work-for-long-threads/917084/4 "2020-08-02T15:54:25Z")
Awesome. I can now search for segments of strings, whereas before I don’t think it was possible — or at least it was not successful. E.g., search this thread for ‘lgu’, a segment in the string ‘LSLGuy’, and it finds it. Thanks @LSLGuy! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browser-find-function-doesnt-work-for-long-threads/917084/5 "2020-08-02T16:11:50Z")
Discourse is VASTLY superior to vBulletin in so many ways. But like all modern phone-style apps, it’s kinda inscrutable. Lots of things that don’t look like buttons are buttons and lotsa things have hovers that you won’t know exist until you happen to linger your mouse there and something pops up. The owner’s manual must be huge. If only it existed. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/browser-find-function-doesnt-work-for-long-threads/917084/6 "2020-08-02T16:21:28Z")
Good to know, and I’m finding that to be true. For instance I tested searching a string segment in a very long thread, and it found all instances! Or what I believe to be all of them, anyway. Earlier, I only tested this thread, which of course is very short.