jan

I'm new here. And maybe just dumb, definitely ignorant to some extent as to the maneuverings of this forum, but I cannot figure out how to get to the messages and questions I've already posted. I want to see if I've gotten responses. I click the "check here" box so it will notify my email when I get a response, but that hasn't worked. I type in the wording I used in my message title, click "exact phrase" and usually come up with nothing. <BR><BR>Is it just me, or is it unreliable?<BR><BR>Help!!<BR>frustrated

Rex

It's embarrassing (to many of "us regulars") that the features of this forum work so poorly.<BR><BR>Suggest that you send exactly this message, as you have posted it here, to [email protected]<BR><BR>In the meantime, can you remember (as exactly as possible) what was the message header you used? and perhaps when you posted it? or saw it last?<BR><BR>There are a few tricks to locate items from the past 30 days a little faster.<BR><BR>Hope you don't give up on the forum. There's a wealth of information here, and a lot of friendly helpful people.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex Bickers<BR>Westerville, Ohio<BR><BR>

MaryC

Yes, jan, it's very unreliable. Apparently, Fodor's hasn't re-indexed the threads since Jan 9th. They have to re-index for the search function to work properly. So, you'll be able to search for threads that were started on or before that date but nothing since.<BR> <BR>I hadn't thought that it would affect the little "check here" box but I've noticed that I haven't gotten responses sent to me e-mail either.<BR><BR>There was another thread today that discussed this very same topic with Rex giving great advice on how to save your thread to your "Favorites". I'll see if I can't pull it up for you. : )

MaryC

Thanks Rex, apparently our messages "crossed". : )

Search Me

Apparently the postings are only indexed when there's a full moon or when it rains in LA, or at some other odd interval. Others have said that the last time they were indexed was in early January, meaning the search shouldn't return anything posted since then. But then I've found some that were started only a few days ago. Still can't find the ones I posted a week ago, though, so I'm not sure what's going on with it, really.<BR><BR>Don't know how much that helps, but at least you know it's not you. My suggestion would be to go to the subject area and then scroll through the messages on the left, looking for yours. Good luck!

MaryC

Well, I just e-mailed the editors;we'll see what happens and how quickly. Last time I e-mailed for over 2 weeks before any results.<BR><BR>: )

Art

Another way, is to insure that you choose a pull down country when you create your post, then use the pull down and select the country that you posted under to weed out many other messages.

Art

For example, I just pulled down Romania and my trip report(last posted on 22-dec-2001) was no 4 on the list. Then I select Poland from the pull down and it was no eight on the list. I always select the countrie(s) that I am visiting by clicking on the country and then holding the ctrl key down while clicking on additional countries.<BR>

jan

Okay, so I'll use my real email address here and if anyone has further info you can send it to me directly. Thank you so much for the quick response. At least I don't feel quite so stupid now knowing it's not just me having these problems!<BR><BR>This IS a great forum. I happened on it, really, accidentally. I decided to try the fodor site to find out admission prices for some of the sites we want to go to in Italy (upcoming trip), starting nosing around and found it. It's actually been pretty helpful, but also frustrating. I put a couple of questions out there, got responses, got a dialogue or two going, and now I can't find the threads. I put them in just as I posted them...nothing. Argh!<BR><BR>Any more suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Toni

Here is my trick. I just type in my e-mail address in the "text search" box and check the box "match exact phrase" and I've gotten all of the questions and messages I've previously posted. Try it.

jan

The gods must be against me. I tried the email address approach in the text box, no luck. but thanks for the idea, Toni. Maybe it'll work tomorrow. I'm hittin' the sheets!

Toni

Jan, try using your jan([email protected]). Did you ask a question once about the Effiel Tower? I checked my system using the e-mail you gave with the X's. A file came up.

Rex

&lt;&lt;I just type in my e-mail address in the "text search" box and check the box "match exact phrase" and I've gotten all of the questions and messages I've previously posted&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>This "trick" does not pull up THIS thread on which you just posted this nessage - - nor in fact, anything newer than May 2001. I don't know if you have posted between May 2001 and January 9,2002 - - the last time they indexed.<BR><BR>Like you said - - try it.<BR><BR>I am not trying to be adversarial here. I tried exactly what you said, hoping you were right.<BR><BR>but this does NOT overcome the problem of indexing which has not been updated.<BR>

jan

Rex, I took your advice and bookmarked it. That's how I got to it this morning. No, all my postings are just in the last couple of weeks, and all prior to this one have been with my true email address.<BR><BR>Till they get this glitch worked out and have things running smoothly again(?), I'll bookmark. Thanks so much for the suggestion. <BR><BR>And if you have any actual travel thoughts about my upcoming trip, here were my basic questions; ever been to the Lake Trasimeno and Hotel Cavalieri in particular? Also, a word on Hotel Moderno in Siena? And lastly, any probelms with international travel since 9/11, Gatwick, Fiumincino, and Galileo(Pisa)?<BR><BR>Thanks again!

Rex

Problem solved (reduced) again for now - - they have re-indexed sometime since yesterday.<BR><BR>I am always appreciative for this.<BR><BR>And I see this new little "change forum" box - - are there other new changes?<BR><BR>Any chance hot links are back?<BR><BR>Let's see: this is the URL for THIS thread - - http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=2&tid=1346419<BR>

Rex

Nope - - no hotlinks. But finding by e-mail address is new and improved (but maybe that has been implemented for a while, and I just didn't know it).<BR><BR>Easier than ever to find some people's "first posts".<BR>

wes fowler

Rex,<BR>Finding by Email address has been available since about the first of February. Doesn't work, of course, if posts haven't been indexed.

Rex

I see. Thanks, wes. How did you know this?<BR><BR>Maybe they have implemented some new auto-indexing method? We can always hope.<BR>

MaryC

I got a response today!! Here's a message I rcvd from Fodor's regarding the problem:<BR><BR>"Thank you for your e-mail. We did find an issue with unacceptable execution<BR>times for searches on one of the servers. That problem was resolved<BR>immediately. So if you experienced extremely slow search results or no<BR>results returned at all, these problems were related to the server<BR>issue.<BR><BR>In regard to the indexing of Forums, our log files indicate that it's<BR>working as expected but in testing we've come across both successful and<BR>poor search results. We've passed our findings onto the engineering<BR>staff, which is investigating the problem further.<BR><BR>In the meantime please try your search again. If it still fails, please<BR>send us an e-mail with the information outlined below so we can replicate the<BR>situation:<BR><BR>--exact search term<BR>--forum you were searching in<BR>--if any results were returned or if there was no response from the<BR>server<BR>--expected result or thread title<BR>--platform: PC or Mac<BR>--browser type and version<BR>--time of day<BR><BR>Again thanks for helping us keep informed.<BR><BR>Jinny Kwon<BR>Senior Producer, Fodors.com"

jan

Yeaaaah!! So, does this mean we can pull up our messages to check them for responses just by doing a search using our email address??