Does anyone else have trouble using the search option? I often try to do a search on a topic I know I have seen discussed on the forum, but then I can never find it when I put it in the search!!! Any hints????

Use the search tab on the top left under where it says Cake Decorating Forum, not the search box on the right.

I agree-I find the search abilities very frustrating. I think it is the biggest weakness of the site.

That's why I post a reply on a topic I like or might want to use in the future, so I can just look it up on "My forum posts" instead. Atleast I don't have to go through cc search and take hours finding it, if I do.

I've always had trouble with the search... but I have a little trick that helps me.

I google topics that I know have been discussed and finish the sentence with 'cakecentral' and usually the forum topic will come up in the google search

For example, if I wanted to find the gourmet flavors thread I would simply type:

gourmet flavors cakecentral

and it will come right up!

Hope that helps

i thought it was just me.. for a week+ now, more often than not i cannot get ANY results in the forums when i do a search. i mean, really, NO forum posts for the word "cake" or "black fondant" or "help"??

it is VERY frustrating and leaves no other choice but to start a new thread in hopes someone responds.. & sometimes things don't get answered b/c it's such a redundant question that has been posted a thousand times before!

Thanks everyone for the responses!

Beachcakes, I have never even noticed that search tab! I always try the big one at the top, and never even considered that there might be another one. I don't really understand why there are two ways to search one site, but I'll try it!

Panchanewjersy, that's a great idea too, and maybe I'd move up in the forum ranks!

Alexandrabill, also an idea I hadn't thought of! So glad I decided to post this, even if it was in frustration!!!!!

I gave up on trying to do a search through the site. However, if I want to search for a thread I know I've been on, its SO easy for me! I use Mozilla Firefox for my browser and if I start typing in the title of the thread it comes up. I find it much faster through my browser than I do through the site.

But hopefully CC will try to come up with a better search engine. I think the searches are way to general, they need to come up with a way to narrow it down,

I just tried the small 'search' link on the left-hand side of the page, and it brought up several topics that the big 'search' link at the top did not! I will start from there from now on! Then, I'll go to the search options outside CC. Thanks everyone!!!!!

Yes I have a terrible time with it too. It is really hard to find things. (using the small tab on the forums)