HTML link to BF Search???

Erin Burke

Erin Burke

KnifeMaker...ish
Joined
May 19, 2003
Messages
1,330
Hey guys... this may be a tricky question to answer, but...

... If you take a look at my signature, you'll see a line that reads "See my KNIVES FOR SALE in the KNIFEMAKER'S MARKET." What I tried to do was create an HTML link from the words "KNIFEMAKER'S MARKET" to the Bladeforums Advanced Search Results for:

User Name: Erin Burke - (Find Threads Started by User)
Search in Forum: KnifeMaker's Market: Knives & More for Sale - (Also search in child forums)

I think you can see what I'm trying to do ;)... I'd like to have a simple (tasteful) link in my signature to the search results showing all of the knives that I have posted in the KnifeMaker's Market area and associated subforums.

If I run the advanced search manually, I get a nice page of results... exactly what I want to see. If I copy the resulting HTML address for the search into my signature link (for example, today's search would be http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/search.php?searchid=2619972 ) this also works. The problem arises when I try to click the signature link after a day or so has passed. It appears that the search address expires and no longer works. You'll notice that the link in my current signature returns "Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms."

Is there another -- better -- way to link from my signature to a defined Bladeforums search?

Thanks in advance.
Erin Burke
 
I've attempted to bookmark search results on BF before, but have also noticed that BF apparently doesn't allow them to remain past a certain amount of time. I've even noticed it after leaving a BF page of search results open for a few hours or a day, and when attempting to 'refresh' the page in my browser, it'll tell me there are no results found. Have to go back to the search page and re-initiate the search from the beginning. Not sure if there's an easy way around that, if any at all. Would be interested to hear if there is a way, though.
 
Mike G said:
Spark will have to answer this one.

Stay tuned, and be patient.
Click to expand...

That's cool Mike. It's more of a luxury than an immediate necessity... I really appreciate you guys looking into it. :thumbup:
Erin
 
Practically speaking, search results are ephemeral. They are only good right then. I don't believe you can link to a specific range of results like "all my sales in this market".
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Practically speaking, search results are ephemeral. They are only good right then. I don't believe you can link to a specific range of results like "all my sales in this market".
Click to expand...

I can see how search results would be constantly changing, and why linking directly to an outdated list of results might not be useful. It would be nice, however, if there was a way to save an URL that contained the original search parameters, so the search would be automatically re-executed by clicking on the URL itself, as opposed to having to go back to the search page and re-enter the parameters of the search. There may be a way to do this, but it's beyond my understanding of the means to do it. Maybe a vBulletin issue, as opposed to something to fix on BF's side.
 
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Sure. Try this. Do a search. Go to the browser window and save that search URL as a bookmark.
I never tried this but maybe ...
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Sure. Try this. Do a search. Go to the browser window and save that search URL as a bookmark.
I never tried this but maybe ...
Click to expand...

This is actually what I'd tried before. I think part/all of the problem is, the URL created by the search is in the form of a 'search id', which I think substitutes a serial number id for the results of the search, in place of the full search string URL with all of the specific, executable search parameters included. So, when later clicking on the saved link, or refreshing it in the browser after some time, the 'search id' URL is no longer valid, because the previously generated results are expired.

I was looking at vBulletin's site a day or two ago, looking for clues as to how to get around this. I'd seen one thread there which appeared to describe (in very technical terms, most above my head) what I'm describing above. I'll see if I can dig that one up again, and link it here. Maybe one of you guys can make more sense of it, than I could. :)

Here's the one I looked at:
https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-310024.html
 
Last edited:
Think I might be onto something here. I came across another thread on vBulletin's own forum page, which made more sense (to me). It prompted me to try what's described below:

After running a search based on Erin's criteria in the OP, there's a not-so-obvious link on the results page. At the top of the results, on the left side of the page, if I hover the mouse cursor over the word 'Search:' (as indicated below), the full search string URL is displayed at the bottom of my browser window (I'm using Firefox on a Win7 system).

I right-clicked while hovering over the 'Search:' word, and selected 'Copy Link Location', then pasted that copied link into Notepad (my text editor). In it's full form, it looks like this:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/search.php?searchuser=Erin+Burke&titleonly=0&searchdate=0&beforeafter=after&contenttypeid=1&sortby=dateline&order=descending&sortorder=descending&saveprefs=1&searchfromtype=vBForum%3APost&showposts=0&starteronly=0&searchthreadid=0&forumchoice[]=767&prefixchoice[]=&prefixchoice[]=CRKT&prefixchoice[]=Bali&prefixchoice[]=Al_Mar&prefixchoice[]=Emerson&prefixchoice[]=SOG&prefixchoice[]=Benchmade&prefixchoice[]=Buck&prefixchoice[]=Spyderco&prefixchoice[]=Kershaw&prefixchoice[]=cold_steel&prefixchoice[]=Microtech&prefixchoice[]=Busse&prefixchoice[]=Boker&prefixchoice[]=photos&prefixchoice[]=how_to&prefixchoice[]=off_topic&prefixchoice[]=Contest&prefixchoice[]=review&prefixchoice[]=recommendation&prefixchoice[]=offensive&prefixchoice[]=whine&prefixchoice[]=booty&prefixchoice[]=phucktard&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_offtopic&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_available&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_pics&prefixchoice[]=Suggestion&prefixchoice[]=Name_Change&prefixchoice[]=Question&prefixchoice[]=Complaint&prefixchoice[]=nylon&prefixchoice[]=kydex&prefixchoice[]=leather&prefixchoice[]=Navigation&prefixchoice[]=food&prefixchoice[]=survival_kit&prefixchoice[]=skills&prefixchoice[]=Signal&prefixchoice[]=water&prefixchoice[]=Books&prefixchoice[]=shelter&prefixchoice[]=Videos&prefixchoice[]=fire_making&prefixchoice[]=good&prefixchoice[]=bad&childforums=1&replyless=0&replylimit=0&type[]=1
Click to expand...

I used the 'Link' dialog in the editor page to paste the link into this post. The 'Link' dialog adds a duplicate string to the end of the URL (seen in red below), which can be modified to a more 'reader friendly' format, such as 'See Erin Burke's Knives for Sale in the Knifemaker's Market' (modification seen in the last quoted window below).

( NOTE: At the very end of the raw URL as seen above, I added "&do=process" to the end of the string (seen added below), which makes the link execute the query automatically when clicked. Otherwise, the URL will take the user to the Advanced Search page, with the appropriate search criteria already filled in. The user would then need to hit the 'Search Now' button to execute the search. )

[URL="http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/search.php?searchuser=Erin+Burke&titleonly=0&searchdate=0&beforeafter=after&contenttypeid=1&sortby=dateline&order=descending&sortorder=descending&saveprefs=1&searchfromtype=vBForum%3APost&showposts=0&starteronly=0&searchthreadid=0&forumchoice[]=767&prefixchoice[]=&prefixchoice[]=CRKT&prefixchoice[]=Bali&prefixchoice[]=Al_Mar&prefixchoice[]=Emerson&prefixchoice[]=SOG&prefixchoice[]=Benchmade&prefixchoice[]=Buck&prefixchoice[]=Spyderco&prefixchoice[]=Kershaw&prefixchoice[]=cold_steel&prefixchoice[]=Microtech&prefixchoice[]=Busse&prefixchoice[]=Boker&prefixchoice[]=photos&prefixchoice[]=how_to&prefixchoice[]=off_topic&prefixchoice[]=Contest&prefixchoice[]=review&prefixchoice[]=recommendation&prefixchoice[]=offensive&prefixchoice[]=whine&prefixchoice[]=booty&prefixchoice[]=phucktard&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_offtopic&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_available&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_pics&prefixchoice[]=Suggestion&prefixchoice[]=Name_Change&prefixchoice[]=Question&prefixchoice[]=Complaint&prefixchoice[]=nylon&prefixchoice[]=kydex&prefixchoice[]=leather&prefixchoice[]=Navigation&prefixchoice[]=food&prefixchoice[]=survival_kit&prefixchoice[]=skills&prefixchoice[]=Signal&prefixchoice[]=water&prefixchoice[]=Books&prefixchoice[]=shelter&prefixchoice[]=Videos&prefixchoice[]=fire_making&prefixchoice[]=good&prefixchoice[]=bad&childforums=1&replyless=0&replylimit=0&type[]=1&do=process"]http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/search.php?searchuser=Erin+Burke&titleonly=0&searchdate=0&beforeafter=after&contenttypeid=1&sortby=dateline&order=descending&sortorder=descending&saveprefs=1&searchfromtype=vBForum%3APost&showposts=0&starteronly=0&searchthreadid=0&forumchoice[]=767&prefixchoice[]=&prefixchoice[]=CRKT&prefixchoice[]=Bali&prefixchoice[]=Al_Mar&prefixchoice[]=Emerson&prefixchoice[]=SOG&prefixchoice[]=Benchmade&prefixchoice[]=Buck&prefixchoice[]=Spyderco&prefixchoice[]=Kershaw&prefixchoice[]=cold_steel&prefixchoice[]=Microtech&prefixchoice[]=Busse&prefixchoice[]=Boker&prefixchoice[]=photos&prefixchoice[]=how_to&prefixchoice[]=off_topic&prefixchoice[]=Contest&prefixchoice[]=review&prefixchoice[]=recommendation&prefixchoice[]=offensive&prefixchoice[]=whine&prefixchoice[]=booty&prefixchoice[]=phucktard&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_offtopic&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_available&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_pics&prefixchoice[]=Suggestion&prefixchoice[]=Name_Change&prefixchoice[]=Question&prefixchoice[]=Complaint&prefixchoice[]=nylon&prefixchoice[]=kydex&prefixchoice[]=leather&prefixchoice[]=Navigation&prefixchoice[]=food&prefixchoice[]=survival_kit&prefixchoice[]=skills&prefixchoice[]=Signal&prefixchoice[]=water&prefixchoice[]=Books&prefixchoice[]=shelter&prefixchoice[]=Videos&prefixchoice[]=fire_making&prefixchoice[]=good&prefixchoice[]=bad&childforums=1&replyless=0&replylimit=0&type[]=1&do=process[/URL]
Click to expand...

(URL with modified title in red seen here):
[URL="http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/search.php?searchuser=Erin+Burke&titleonly=0&searchdate=0&beforeafter=after&contenttypeid=1&sortby=dateline&order=descending&sortorder=descending&saveprefs=1&searchfromtype=vBForum%3APost&showposts=0&starteronly=0&searchthreadid=0&forumchoice[]=767&prefixchoice[]=&prefixchoice[]=CRKT&prefixchoice[]=Bali&prefixchoice[]=Al_Mar&prefixchoice[]=Emerson&prefixchoice[]=SOG&prefixchoice[]=Benchmade&prefixchoice[]=Buck&prefixchoice[]=Spyderco&prefixchoice[]=Kershaw&prefixchoice[]=cold_steel&prefixchoice[]=Microtech&prefixchoice[]=Busse&prefixchoice[]=Boker&prefixchoice[]=photos&prefixchoice[]=how_to&prefixchoice[]=off_topic&prefixchoice[]=Contest&prefixchoice[]=review&prefixchoice[]=recommendation&prefixchoice[]=offensive&prefixchoice[]=whine&prefixchoice[]=booty&prefixchoice[]=phucktard&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_offtopic&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_available&prefixchoice[]=knifemakers_pics&prefixchoice[]=Suggestion&prefixchoice[]=Name_Change&prefixchoice[]=Question&prefixchoice[]=Complaint&prefixchoice[]=nylon&prefixchoice[]=kydex&prefixchoice[]=leather&prefixchoice[]=Navigation&prefixchoice[]=food&prefixchoice[]=survival_kit&prefixchoice[]=skills&prefixchoice[]=Signal&prefixchoice[]=water&prefixchoice[]=Books&prefixchoice[]=shelter&prefixchoice[]=Videos&prefixchoice[]=fire_making&prefixchoice[]=good&prefixchoice[]=bad&childforums=1&replyless=0&replylimit=0&type[]=1&do=process"]See Erin Burke's Knives for Sale in the Knifemaker's Market[/URL]
Click to expand...

Once modified as above, the end result looks like this (click the red link below to run the search):

See Erin Burke's Knives for Sale in the Knifemaker's Market

Clear as mud, right? I'll keep my fingers crossed that this actually works for others who try using it, and hopefully it won't expire. :)

Erin: I don't know if this will exceed your character limit for sig lines. That might be another obstacle; my sig line as a Platinum member is limited to 600 characters, and this example exceeds that (I tried, using the 'Preview Changes' option in my sig editor).
 
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David... very cool. You are a stud.
The only problem that I am running into now is the 600character limit in my signature (including html code). I'm trying to use a url shortener to make it work. This post will be the test.
Fingers crossed.
 
Genius.
It seems to work well. The link IS still restricted by the 10-second between searches... but that works for me.
Thanks for looking into this guys.
David... awesome work. :thumbup:
Erin
 
Erin Burke, here's what I got by clicking the link, 4 threads:

REPOST - Frame Handle Fighter w/ Sheath - Price Adjusted
Started by Erin Burke, 06-05-2012 10:02 AM
Replies: 11
Views: 586
Last Post: 06-07-2012 09:10 AM
by Erin Burke

Forum:
For Sale: Fixed Blades
REPOSTED ELSEWHERE - Frame Handle Fighter w/ Sheath
Started by Erin Burke, 05-15-2012 11:49 AM
Replies: 3
Views: 773
Last Post: 05-16-2012 10:03 AM
by ONeill

Forum:
For Sale: Fixed Blades
SOLD - Camphor Recurve Hunter w/ Sheath
Started by Erin Burke, 05-13-2012 08:41 PM
Replies: 5
Views: 770
Last Post: 05-14-2012 09:17 AM
by editedby

Forum:
For Sale: Fixed Blades
SOLD - Pay It Forward Build-Off Balisong - W2, Titanium & Desert Ironwood
Started by Erin Burke, 07-26-2011 11:39 AM
Replies: 11
Views: 1,349
Last Post: 07-28-2011 12:19 AM
by HangLoose
 
Erin Burke said:
Genius.
It seems to work well. The link IS still restricted by the 10-second between searches... but that works for me.
Thanks for looking into this guys.
David... awesome work. :thumbup:
Erin
Click to expand...

You're welcome Erin. I'm glad you asked the question, because it's something that had frustrated me in the past. I had contemplated asking here, if anybody else was bugged by it, but never pursued it ('til now). Sort of got (very) lucky in finding just enough hints over on vBulletin's site to get the ball rolling, because I had no clue what to try prior to that.
 
David, Tom Edison said genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. You guys are both geniuses, thanks for toughing it out. :)
 
Esav Benyamin said:
David, Tom Edison said genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. You guys are both geniuses, thanks for toughing it out. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Esav. :thumbup:

I'm still sort of shaking my head that I went that far with it last night. Getting the raw code & highlighted/bolded portions to display correctly in my post was starting to cross my eyes and fry my brain after a while. Skipped right through my dinner & everything, once it started rattling around in my head (I think I might be obsessive or something :D).
 
I can appreciate it. I was a budget coordinator for the New York Post Office. We were just getting into computers and I set up the spreadsheets and analysis for HQ and the delivery stations. I think I spent as much time at night as on the job. I bought my own first computer to do it (better than the computer on the job. :))

I would not have but I loved the job.
 
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