Can we make the search form, search more fields without separate inputs.

This field has been hidden so it is in the listings page but can’t be seen. I would like the standard keywords field in my search form to include this field as well as ad details and title, as i don’t want to have another field called keywords that people need to fill out to search. Is there any way of changing which fields the search form browses?

OK, just to make sure I understand that, your configuration is as follows:
– You have extra fields
– The keywords field is marked private
– But you want it visible on the search, just not on the Show Ad form

Right?

If that’s the case, it won’t work right now–private fields are automatically excluded from search because they’re intended NOT to be displayed, just collected. Examples of private fields that might be useful but not displayed: Alternate contact phone number, Preferred Payment method, Secondary email, etc. These are examples of how people have used it in the past.

If you want something on the search form, you need to make it public, and then adjust the display settings for the field in Extra Fields admin.

Sorry, I did a terrible job of explaining this, I have extra fields, My keywords field is marked as public but made invisible so it is on the listing, you just can’t see it, What I’m trying to change is the fields that the standard “search for ads containing this word or phrase” field will pick up so it will look at what’s in my extra field, as it currently only looks in ad details and ad title, I’m trying to avoid having an extra search box for keywords since it will look to a user as if they’re just searching the same things twice. Sorry for my awful explanation and thanks for your response.

That search field (looking in title/description) is hard-wired to do that right now. If someone wants to do a keyword search, they should do it on your keyword field. I believe that will yield the right behavior.

I understand it’d hardwired to do that, what I’m asking is if there is any way to adjust the code that will make it search all three fields, for people to use my keywords field they would have to search the same words in both fields for the search to check the entire listing for them which isn’t very practical or user friendly. If it’s easier Could I change the code on the extra field to search all three and remove the original search keywords option?

Any response on this? I understand it’s not just a basic solution but whatever the answer it would be great to hear something so I know where we’re at. Even if you could tell me where in the code this is handled so I have some idea of where to start? Thanks.

So you want the “Search ads for this word or phrase” to automatically include the extra fields in their search for a keyword then, correct?

Correct, that’s what i’m after, If they can search all the fields on the listing that would be great.

OK, it doesn’t currently do that now. We’re doing some search revamping to fix some other inconsistencies we’ve discovered in that screen, so I’ll see if we can get this in as well.

Fantastic, Is the search revamping going to be in the next release? I know it’s impossible to give an exact date but do you have a target time or anything?

Yes it will be in the next release, but I don’t have a firm timeframe to give at this time.

Hi There, just checking in as the new version is ready for release, has the search feature been updated?

We have done a number of search improvements in this release. We’ve made the screen more consistent and the behavior more intuitive. Try it out.