I have posted two messages since 8/18 and have not been able to find them to check on responses. Even "exact phase" doesn't work. The 'travel talk FAQ "does not address this issue.Any suggestions? Of course I probably won't be able to find them....! thank you.

What did you say in your message?

Did you post them under a particular country. If so then use the country pulldown to reduce the number of posts to browse through. When you create a new message you can bookmark it to easily find it later. Remember that the text search does not look at the titles, only the text. <BR>Regards, <BR>Art <BR>

Pamela, <BR> <BR>I fear that your messages will never be found in a search. I've been unable to find at least 3 of mine using a variety of approaches. There's another thread on the forum saying that the messages aren't being properly indexed so that the search function will work. The only way I know to find a message is to go through hundreds looking for it -- and even that didn't work on one or two perhaps because I skimmed through too quickly.

As I mentioned on the "other thread" about "indexing the database", I am pretty sure that the search problem caused by that is now resolved (again - - for now). <BR> <BR>Do a VERY broad, non-specific search - - a word like "hotel" or "where" (or even "Rex"), and you will see that you get retrievals (sometimes false ones) from every single day back through all of August. <BR> <BR>Since jeannette addressed you by name, pamela, this thread too can be located by searching your name (it couldn't before she put your name in the body of a nessage). <BR> <BR>So the key to finding your old threads is, ideally, to use ONE word that you know to be present in your original post - - preferably a less common word - - not something like "Paris" or "train" etc. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Hello Pamela, <BR> <BR>The easiest way to find your message is ... to check for replies several times in the first 24 hours after posting. Most questions get answered within 24 hours ... and then sink fast. <BR> <BR>Steve

The easiest way to find a message again is the bookmark it. Right-click your mouse and voila! Be sure to change the name of the bookmark to something you will recognize. I have a whole folder of bookmarked posts.

Sally: Good idea. thanks. Can you find again or did you bookmark "100 best things to do in Paris" and the one about Italy? Both are some months old. <BR>Would be great not only for me, but also for the newbies here! Thanks a bunch! <BR> <BR>Have a great day.

Hi Ursula <BR>Unfortunately I didn't bookmark those - I started this technique more recently than those posts. But if I find them I'll let you know

Here you go: <BR> <BR>Bookmark away. <BR> <BR>100 best things to do in Paris <BR> <BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/crossro...messagesframe& <BR> <BR>100 best things to do in Italy <BR> <BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/crossro...messagesframe& <BR>

Rex: Thank you soo much! <BR> <BR>I am going to print those threads out right now. <BR>

You're welcome, Ursula. <BR> <BR>When (one of) the (several) new format(s) went live in June, I was able to grab the topic identifier of the previous 30,000 posts (about 15 months worth). <BR> <BR>So, I can usually find a thread pretty fast as long as you know, with reasonable accuracy, the correct name (header) of a thread (or can be a fragment) - - I was able to find these two in less than a minute just searching for "100". <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>