# I can't search for my username... **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 8, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636 "2004-11-08T13:59:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636/1 "2004-11-08T13:59:15Z")
If I forget what threads I’ve posted to, or want to do a vanity search, I can’t search for " Lightnin’ "- that apostrophe invalidates the search. Way back when, with the old system, I could. If I search for “Lightnin” without the apostrophe, it screws up my noise to signal ratio- I get the word “Lightning”, I find **White Lightning** ’s posts, I get to read about Lightning Bugs… you get the idea. I also can’t add myself as a “buddy”, so THAT method’s out as well? Is there anything I can do, short of changing my username? I’d rather not have to do that- I’ve been using the same name for years now, and, like I said, when I first signed on, that apostrophe didn’t cause me any problems. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636/2 "2004-11-08T14:38:45Z")
If you search for the name **Lighnin** and uncheck the “Exact Name” box, then the system search includes five members; as of right now, only you and **White Lightning** appear to be active. And, in fact, it looks like **White Lightning** hasn’t posted much recently, so the S/N ratio over the last month or so is pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636/3 "2004-11-08T19:29:11Z")
Click on your username as it appears in this thread. Select “search user’s posts”. Done and done. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636/4 "2004-11-09T21:53:38Z")
I think **Lightnin’** wanted to figure out how to do _Vanity Searches_ - that is, find posts, not made by him, in which username appears. The above advice won’t help him there. I have the same problem - the search function seems to be unable to search for exact phrases (in “quotes”) anymore. It used to be possible. Now a search for my username warns me that the word _noone_ is not indexed, and returns every post in which the word _special_ appears. Even if I put quotes around the whole phrase. Thanks guys! :rolleyes: **Lightnin’** - I don’t know if this will work, but you **may** be able to search for “Lightnin& #39;” or “Lightnin& apos;” (without the space after the Ampersand; **with** the semi-colon!) - substituting one of the standard renditions of the Single Quote character for HTML. Or (less likely) “Lightnin% 27” (no space after the “%”), another way of encoding. No promises, but it may work! Dani ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636/5 "2004-11-14T13:00:59Z")
I have to leave the ’ out of my username when I search, or it won’t find me. I’d wager it’s the same for you. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636/6 "2004-11-14T13:02:30Z")
> [@TellMeI'mNotCrazy](#): > > I have to leave the ’ out of my username when I search, or it won’t find me. I’d wager it’s the same for you. Don’t mind me. I can read. I just can’t remember it beyond a millisecond, apparently. ::This is not the post you are looking for. Move along.:: (No coffee yet) ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-search-for-my-username/273636/7 "2004-11-19T23:20:04Z")
That reminds me… I used to be able to search for “flam\*” to find any posts where I might be mentioned by my username or variations thereof. Of course, I also got to read about flaming, flammable objects, etc. Boy, was I ever surprised when that didn’t work for me anymore. Oh well… searching by exact variant is probably best. Even though I’m sure nothing will come up, which is okay by me. Really. 😃