# vBulletin search question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-search-question/419635>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 18, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-search-question/419635 "2007-09-18T18:35:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![prettybird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@prettybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prettybird)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-search-question/419635/1 "2007-09-18T18:35:30Z")

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I participate in a vBulletin forum. The search function used to find results for acronyms, but now does not. For example, a search of TSP finds no results when there should be 100s of matches.

Also, the search function will not find phrases in quotes. The words in the quote are treated as having “or” between them. Is this the nature of the software or is something wrong that can be fixed?

thanks

martha

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-search-question/419635/2 "2007-09-18T18:55:07Z")

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It has never allowed searches for less than 4 letters so that is the reason for one of your problems. The OR behavior has also always been that way here as best I remember. I don’t know if an admin can change it but I doubt it.

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**Author:** ![MrFloppy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@MrFloppy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFloppy)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-search-question/419635/3 "2007-09-18T20:40:05Z")

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[QUOTE=Shagnasty]  
It has never allowed searches for less than 4 letters so that is the reason for one of your problems. The OR behavior has also always been that way here as best I remember. I don’t know if an admin can change it but I doubt it.  
[/QUOTE]

The admin can change the minimum character setting.

It is under AdminCP\>vBulletin Options\>Message Search Options\>Search Index Minimum Word Length.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-search-question/419635/4 "2007-09-18T20:43:04Z")

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[QUOTE=prettybird]  
I participate in a vBulletin forum.  
[/QUOTE]

You’re soaking in it now!

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**Author:** ![prettybird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@prettybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prettybird)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-search-question/419635/5 "2007-09-18T21:30:11Z")

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Yeah, I know!

Thanks for all the help.