# In SEARCH Of...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of/244981>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 13, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of/244981 "2004-05-13T17:46:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of/244981/1 "2004-05-13T17:46:13Z")

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What is the point of the mini-search box that comes down when one clicks on “Search”? I mean, will it search ALL boards and ALL posts and ALL titles for ALL things ever posted since the Boards began? Or, is there a way to use this “search” tool to one’s advantage to avoid the “advanced search” option all the time? - Jinx

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**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of/244981/2 "2004-05-13T18:38:58Z")

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Yeah, there is. Just open up the forum you want to search in, and click “Search this forum”.

However if you want to stipulate how far back the search goes, "Advanced Search " is your friend.

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of/244981/3 "2004-05-14T00:26:24Z")

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> [@Ice Wolf](#):
>
> Yeah, there is. Just open up the forum you want to search in, and click “Search this forum”.
> 
> However if you want to stipulate how far back the search goes, "Advanced Search " is your friend.

Thanks for the info, but… My pull-down search window just says “Search Forums” and a “Go” box with “Advanced Search” below. The former seems too broad a search to be effective. - Jinx

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**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of/244981/4 "2004-05-14T08:24:25Z")

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So, it’s not that you want just specfic forums in your search, but you just want all the advanced choices available as you click “Search”?

We went through to another screen in the old days, **Jinx**. I don’t see what the difference is.

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-search-of/244981/5 "2004-05-14T10:10:10Z")

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**Jinx** , I just tried that search option and it seems to be searching all forums for that search term (possibly with a default of any date).

I never use it because it’s too inefficient. I always use the Advanced Search 'coz almost always I’m looking for something very specific within a specific time frame.