Jump to content
BPAL Madness!
ipb

search engine stuff

Recommended Posts

Stupid question: How do I get to this marvelous search engine? It sounds like the best thing ever, but I can't find it on the site.

After you follow Jarvenpa's instructions, bear in mind that the search engine will not function on words three letters or less. So, if you find something in a sales post like Urd from the Excolo category, it will not pull up when you plug it into the search engine :P

Share this post


Link to post

But if you want to find reviews for those short names, check out this list. The scent description will be in the first post of every page.

 

Also, I think the Lab site's search engine hasn't been updated in a while, so if you're looking for a recently released scent, it may not be there. But despite a few limitations, it's a very handy tool!

Share this post


Link to post

Thanks, jarvenpa (and others)! Just when you think you've looked at every one of those links... Off to find cardamom for me and vanilla for a friend!

Share this post


Link to post
Also, I think the Lab site's search engine hasn't been updated in a while, so if you're looking for a recently released scent, it may not be there. But despite a few limitations, it's a very handy tool!

It was recently updated :P

Share this post


Link to post

This may sound silly:

After SalonCon I become enamored of the scent "Follow Me Boy." I was told that I could purchase the scent on the BPAL website. However, when I searched for the scent I was not able to, I guess, get to it, so that I could purchase it. Am I doing something wrong? I'm new to BPAL, I've never done this before.

Share this post


Link to post

QueenAquaBubbles, you can get Follow Me Boy on this page of the Lab's website. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you'll find all the voodoo blends, including FMB!

Share this post


Link to post
This may sound silly:

After SalonCon I become enamored of the scent "Follow Me Boy." I was told that I could purchase the scent on the BPAL website. However, when I searched for the scent I was not able to, I guess, get to it, so that I could purchase it. Am I doing something wrong? I'm new to BPAL, I've never done this before.

 

It's a bit confusing right now. The search engine will show the category on the left "Voodoo Blends", but that category is under Bewitching Brews right now because Beth is coming out with a new General Category. Try near the bottom of this page:

http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/bb.html

 

Welcome to the addiction, uhh, forum!

 

Also, check out the Paypal vs CCnow thread for payment questions (mostly, do not choose Paypal through CCNow or it charges the Lab twice!).

Share this post


Link to post

Is there any ways the section AND the "title" of the area can be listed with the search engine results? Of maybe make the section a link? I just searched all over the site for sheol, because I couldn't find funeral oils, and the links only take you to the forum review site, not the page the oils are on.

Share this post


Link to post
Is there any ways the section AND the "title" of the area can be listed with the search engine results? Of maybe make the section a link? I just searched all over the site for sheol, because I couldn't find funeral oils, and the links only take you to the forum review site, not the page the oils are on.

 

Funeral Oils are listed under Ars Moriendi. Just scroll down and you'll find Sheol.

Share this post


Link to post
Is there any ways the section AND the "title" of the area can be listed with the search engine results? Of maybe make the section a link? I just searched all over the site for sheol, because I couldn't find funeral oils, and the links only take you to the forum review site, not the page the oils are on.

 

Funeral Oils are listed under Ars Moriendi. Just scroll down and you'll find Sheol.

 

 

Well, I found it in the end, but for people who are new (like me) it's pretty hard to navigate the site when you don't know some of the pages names have changed, there are sections IN the sections, etc. Clicking on the link does no good for finding and/or adding the oil to your cart. (which I only use for paypal anyways, but it's easier to use to keep prices and such straight) Maybe This could go under suggestions for the site?

Share this post


Link to post
Elizabeth, the bit about the BPAL search engine is something that needs to be brought up to the Lab, not to us. We are independently owned and operated.

 

You should email the lab customer service about changes to the search engine on the site.

Share this post


Link to post
Is there any ways the section AND the "title" of the area can be listed with the search engine results? Of maybe make the section a link? I just searched all over the site for sheol, because I couldn't find funeral oils, and the links only take you to the forum review site, not the page the oils are on.

 

Funeral Oils are listed under Ars Moriendi. Just scroll down and you'll find Sheol.

 

 

Well, I found it in the end, but for people who are new (like me) it's pretty hard to navigate the site when you don't know some of the pages names have changed, there are sections IN the sections, etc. Clicking on the link does no good for finding and/or adding the oil to your cart. (which I only use for paypal anyways, but it's easier to use to keep prices and such straight) Maybe This could go under suggestions for the site?

 

That's where I'd put it. It's a good suggestion. I know that I've often wished there were both a forum link and a site link so I could choose which I wanted to view.

Share this post


Link to post

It looks like the Stardust scents (and possibly some other categories that aren't listed as selectable in the advanced view of the main site's search engine) aren't included for searching.

 

When I go to the search page at:

http://vanilla.spicybrains.org/index.php

 

and then enter "fairy" in either the basic or the advanced view, neither of the Stardust-line "fairy ____" items show up in the search results.

 

I've found places to report bugs for this forum, but not for the lab itself -- where should I send this info?

Share this post


Link to post

That search engine is very outdated. We are aware of that. I'm in the process of work on a huge backend update to the search engine and moving the search here to bpal.org. Even though it's not identical to the one that's currently in use, I'm setting up a redirection this weekend as I'm leaving my old host (site5) for inadequate technical support and utter failure to fix a major problem (my inability to FTP from home).

Share this post


Link to post

You probably already know this, but I thought I'd mention it, in case.

While the currently in-use search engine says that it will default to searching multiple words in the database as AND ("vanilla brains" returns any record that has both "vanilla" AND "brains"), a search I did yesterday (the 25th) showed that the results still come up as OR ("dragon amber" returns any record that has either "dragon" OR "amber" (or "ambergris") in the name OR description).

 

Thanks for leaving it capable of searching all scents, not just the available ones, by the way!

 

Also, I am really looking forward to being able to specify whether I want to search AND or OR (and possibly NOT). I recall you mentioned it, and I just want to say "yes, please, thankyou!" Is there a way for us to communicate that desire with the search engine now, or is it in development?

 

PS - I realize you're doing this part time, so I'm not trying to be pushy, just put my say out there for when you get a chance to get to it.

 

Thanks for all the work you do!

Share this post


Link to post

Um is this just me? Because BPALs main website search engine is not giving me AND results. If I put in two notes I want in one scent like rose lily, I get every sent with either rose OR lily which is frustrating to me because there are a lot of lily scents which do not contain rose and its time consuming to wade through over 100 results. I'm using a mac if that makes a difference although it shouldn't. Or am I just misunderstanding how the search engine works? I thought it was an AND result, not an AND\OR result.

 

I didn't want to post about this but after 6 weeks I thought maybe I should.

 

For example I have just done a search for....."rose lily bergamot" which should narrow down the search a lot but I get 154 matches and strangely the very first match has only "bergamot" in either the scent or note description. It gives me Eros. I searched in the prose for the words rose and lily and it doesn't appear there either.

 

Strong as death, and cruel as the grave,

Clothed with cloud and tempest's blackening breath,

Known of death's dread self, whom none outbrave,

Strong as death,

 

Love, brow-bound with anguish for a wreath,

Fierce with pain, a tyrant-hearted slave,

Burns above a world that groans beneath.

 

Hath not pity power on thee to save,

Love? hath power no pity? Nought he saith,

Answering: blind he walks as wind or wave,

Strong as death.

 

Unloving love: benzoin, Indian musk, massoia bark, myrrh, ambrette seed, galbanum, bergamot, and fir.

 

Confused so if anyone can help me out that would be great.

Edited by HamletsKeeper

Share this post


Link to post

Yep, the engine only gives me OR results (although it says it's giving me AND).

 

If I search for Queen Mab I get 31 results, everything that has Queen OR Mab in it. The heading says "You searched for: Queen AND Mab".

 

If I search for Queen AND Mab I get 31 results, everything that has Queen OR Mab in it. The heading says "You searched for: Queen AND AND AND Mab".

 

Poor confused search engine ;) BTW, do you think it maybe needs a name?

Edited by odalisque

Share this post


Link to post

I've been told that there would be a "notefinder" on this site wich i can use to help search for the right bpal oils

 

WHERE can i find it? i tried the search option but nothing came out of that <_<

Edited by lucifera

Share this post


Link to post

I've been told that there would be a "notefinder" on this site wich i can use to help search for the right bpal oils

 

WHERE can i find it? i tried the search option but nothing came out of that <_<

The search engine for the notes is actually on the lab site here. I think that is what you were asking for, right. You can either put the notes that you want in there or the name of the oil that you are looking for and it will search for you. Then, you can click on on the links to the oil and it will take you back here to the forum site and you can read the reviews. I hope that I didn't confuse you further. :)

Share this post


Link to post

You can use the search engine linked at the Lab, though it only has currently purchasable scents available.

 

You can browse the price cap database, but it's not really ready for that sort of use yet (you need to know the category).

 

You can use the search function on the forum and limit it to the reviews forums, but you will get a fair number of false positives.

 

 

--------

 

 

I actually came here to say that the Lab's search engine has switched over to a new database and now features purchase links and prices for all active perfumes, and a description mismatch with multiple words was fixed :D It also will have any active limited editions in there, for the time being.

Share this post


Link to post
×