Valid question. I'm not seeing a problem. The search function is rather dynamic with many variables that can influence results.

For instance, when I click on your profile and click "see all posts by Lazierfan, it tells me there are over 700 pages. I can view the first page but when I click to the next one it tells me no posts exist.

This happens for my own as well.

Okay, let me try to answer this one.


I did click beachrobin's profile link. Then I clicked show all posts by beachrobin. A page comes up with a full page of posts, most recent on the top. At the bottom is a directory "Goto page 1, 2, 3 ... 690, 691, 692 Next"

Clicking each number from 1,2,3, and so on returns more posts.

NOW:

Clicking the last page in the list, in this case, 692, returns "No topics or posts met your search criteria"
This happened on my posts, too. I simply clicked previous a few times until my first post appeared in the search results. It is from 2004, when Pinecam DID have a big server event and items were lost. I can go back to 1994 when Wayne had his Mycelium site, I just can't search there because the search feature was not as robust.
There is a website called "Wayback machine" that can search text websites. Secure sites and database sites? Well, not so much. But it's fun to use waybackMachine. Here is the link:

http://archive.org/web/web.php


This, I know, has existed since very early in Pinecam's life. I know because I researched posts exhaustively for local history, etc. This is a weakness in PHPBB's version we are currently using. This is NOT a Pinecam unique problem. This is also NOT a function of cleaning up a database file to prepare for an upgrade.

Very good to know Laz! Thanks for the explanation It's also good to know that it's not a Pinecam unique problem but just another weakness in PHPBB's version and another very good reason for looking forward to new software!!! Thank you

Ok, I know we are way off topic... but everyone should follow Laz's link, it's so FUN to go there, pick a year and highlighted date to see Pinecam way back then!!!

Update on the trimming process and examples.

Most of the trimming has gone on in Classified Ads and deleting old classified ads. There is a hidden forum where old classified ads go when they are done, so there was no need to keep most of that. If you ever had a classified ad on Pinecam it was counted in your post count. If you notice a decrease it was probably due to this.

Living Room will most likely not be touched at all.

Pet Corner is only losing old posts about missing pets and back with owner pets, events that were over years ago such as spay clinics, and other old ads especially before a couple of years ago. This forum, as well as forums like the Hobby Room are being gone through post by post to make sure everything else stays.

Our Community Events will not be losing too much either, just outdated events and any outdated ads that are old.

We thought this update would help you all understand exactly what we are doing.

Any posts we find which was written by a dearly departed member will not be deleted. We know this is important to many members.

We have retained all the history and fun posts and threads throughout all the years when Pinecam was first started. We have retained all "support" type threads from a lost loved one to a lost beloved pet. And most of the stuff in between.

We hope this update helps everyone understand exactly where we are now.

Thank you!

I do not remember the # but I had a few thousand posts.
For me it is rather refreshing to start over.

regarding:
PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 11:56 pm
Update on the trimming process and examples.

Thank you for your update. I don't have many posts but I do search old posts for info (e.g. places to hike) rather than start a new topic.

Looks like you are putting in late hours.[/quote]

and to think you guys aren't getting paid for this - you are one dedicated team!
hats off to you!

And getting flak over it. I don't care if I lose posts if it makes pinecam better.

Trimming?

It's like a cyber Jenny Craig!


Getting rid of old classifieds & events that have long passed, (with no
replies) is a good thing.

I'm pretty sure that when Wayne & Kurt rebuilt the site in '03, they
probably didn't design it to last this many years and for the volume it's had.

823711 posts in 58839 topics and registered membership of 18134 is some pretty big stuff!
(Okay, we all know that doesn't mean all those members are active-
but they are registered.)

I am also bummed that we can't go past page one for the "See all posts by"
feature. (Some you can though, and I don't know why.)
This has been a glitch for a long time though.
(I'm hoping they will magically re-appear when the big move happens!)


There's some great stuff in these threads!
Pertinent information, kindnesses and some hysterical replies abound!

Many of us are very sentimental & dependent on Pinecam. Many of us have
have formed lasting friendships here.
(Ok- there have been a few cyber enemies made here too, but that's the chance you take when you're out on the net... and that's ok too!)

Let's keep our collective fingers crossed that it will all just make Pinecam better!

Update 8/7/12: We are almost finished! Most of you probably didn't even notice a difference or anything missing, unless you were looking for that old classified ad where someone was giving away a blue couch back in 2005. (Had to put a little humor in).

Please check back here for other updates as time goes on.