Basic question on search - how to search archives by author name?

[WritersBlock]

I am looking for one of my old posts, but it was not made within the last year, so I can't use the Simple Search option which lets you search by author.

Using the site-wide Google search just returns a completely blank screen with no results. (Could be my browser; I use OmniWeb.)

I've tried putting my username in both the author and keyword field in the advanced search, but I get no results. Can some kind soul help me out here, please? I am sure I'm doing something wrong. I have RTFM'd the help section, but can't see anything on how to search? Maybe I've missed out that part.

Oh yeah, and almost forgot - is there a way to search for posts made prior to 2005? If I try the overflow search that says "through 2005," it's only for GD, and the drop-down dates start with 2005; there's no option I can see for an earlier year. I can't see how to search other forums or prior to 2005 anywhere?

Thanks in advance for any help, and mods, please move this to a more appropriate forum is there is one. :)

[Kali]

1. forget the google search just use the old advanced search

click the link for it below the google box

edit to add because I didn't read you post very carefully - I get 698 items returned for you by entering your username in author only (leave key word blank) and using "big forums" option, and Jan 1 2005. I just double checked and after getting the first set of results it let me go back to 2002 and now shows 770 results.

[WritersBlock]

2. Hi, thanks for the response. I probably should have made my post more clear; I am trying the

normal DU advanced search, (or at least I think I am?) but not getting any results. As I said, I'm sure it's something I'm doing wrong :D

[Kali]

3. edited my reply go back and read again

sorry I didn't read your op clearly

[WritersBlock]

6. Bingo! Thank you!

I, um, er... wasn't making a selection of which forum to search.

I just left it at the default of "General Discussion through 2005." That returned no results. Using the "Big Forums" item in the dropdown returned results.

Actually, getting no results for GD through 2005 makes perfect sense if I stop and think about it, because in 2005 I don't think I'd become brave enough to venture into GD yet. :D


Thanks again!!

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Only put your username in the author field

the keyword field should contain one or more significant words that appeared in the title or body of the post.

No, 'advanced search' won't search back before 2005. If it's forums other that GD you want for 2005 or 2006, then just use the normal forum name for it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Oh- that's interesting about the date going back to 2002 after the 1st search

If those archives are still there, then I suspect that's not quite right that they don't show up as a choice at first - I may let elad know about that.

[WritersBlock]

7. It did the same for me, too, once I did the initial search.

I'm glad to hear I am not becoming completely daft :D

[wellstone dem]

8. I have the same problem,

I would like to find a post that I wrote right after Paul Wellstone died, but have not been able to locate it.