SBA website search functionality?

[Poly Hive]

A search for "Apiarian" brought up the RHS 2017??????????? Or after several tries I take it that means no results. So if someone was interested in looking at the requirements they may very well rapidly lose interest.

Sorry to say this is not the only non search result I have encountered so might someone have a look at fine tuning the search please?

PH

[Mellifera Crofter]

I don't think the in-site search facility works very well. You may have to be more specific than just 'apiarian' - but when I put it in the search box, I got links to various SBA exams (some out of date). For a lot of sites it's sometimes easier to do a Google search rather than using their own search button - for example, in Google, type 'SBA apiarian'.
Kitta

[Poly Hive]

Yes.... but if someone is on the SBA site and like me sees the search function it is reasonable to expect a search for an SBA item to come up?

PH

[fatshark]

Advanced search ... keyword ... turned up two threads. This one and the Advanced Beemaster in which it gets several hits.

2872

I suspect the IT budget doesn't stretch to re-coding the search facility in vBulletin which is what we're reliant on. Fortunately, we all have great memories ...

[gavin]

Yes.... but if someone is on the SBA site and like me sees the search function it is reasonable to expect a search for an SBA item to come up?

PH

I don't see the problem, Pete. The search box on the SBA site for 'apiarian' gives six hits that give you all you want on the Apiarian and nothing on RHS 2017. Did you type Apiarian correctly? Like Kitta I sometimes step back to Google and if you add either SBA or Scottish Beekeepers you get a similar result.

The search facility for SBAi is - as fatshark implies - not as good (and isn't easy to improve) so I often just go to Google and add 'SBAi'.

[Poly Hive]

Well Gavin I just tried it again so maybe I need a reboot but with a cap or low case I get nothing for apiarian. Over to you.

PH

[Mellifera Crofter]

I don't understand, PH. Like Gavin, the site's own search facility gives six results no matter which page I start the search on, or whether I use capitals or lower case letters. Below is a screenshot of half of the page up to number 2.
Kitta
2873

[Poly Hive]

I can only tell you what I am seeing myself and that is 0. If three of us are getting different results with two succeeding and one failing that is still a 33% fail rate. I will do a reboot later and try again in case it is a cookie issue.


PH

[madasafish]

I only get two results..
Search:
Keyword(s): Apiarian
Search: Search took 0.19 seconds.
SBA website search functionality?
Started by Poly Hive, Yesterday 03:23 PM
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Everything and anything
Expert Beemaster
Started by Mellifera Crofter, 16-11-2013 05:31 PM
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Beekeeper education
Results 1 to 2 of 2

[Poly Hive]

After a reboot the result is precisely the same. 0.

PH

[Adam]

FWIW, .... I get the same results as Fatshark. I am sure that it's not worth the effort or cost in changing anything. A couple of hours of an IT guy could be better spent: DNA analysis of some near-native bees; loads of fondant to overwinter colonies on; a couple of hives; a stun ray-gun.

[Mellifera Crofter]

Madasafish and Adam, you've both searched the forum (as did Fatshark), not the SBA website which is what PH enquired about.
Kitta

[Poly Hive]

I would have thought that the IT guy would be spending his time very wisely getting the site to function as nothing puts people of more than stuff that is broken. I pay mine for that very reason.

PH

[fatshark]

Wait ... what? There's an SBA website?

D'oh!

"My bad" as a well-educated but irritatingly illiterate kid might say.

PS Googling Apiarian and scottishbeekeepers.org.uk returns 188 hits.

[Poly Hive]

Hmm it may well do but that is not my point. A visitor will expect as I do that on the site the search works. And frankly it don't.

I got 191 but the vast majority are nothing to do with "Apiarian" which was my original query as I had never heard of it so..........I will suggest to Jackie that she gets some poor soul to do an article on the exam structure.

PH

[gavin]

Hmm it may well do but that is not my point. A visitor will expect as I do that on the site the search works. And frankly it don't.

I got 191 but the vast majority are nothing to do with "Apiarian" which was my original query as I had never heard of it so..........I will suggest to Jackie that she gets some poor soul to do an article on the exam structure.

PH

If Kevin doesn't comment on here himself I'll let you know the outcome. In the meantime here are the search results me and Kitta see when we use the search facility. 'Frankly it don't' seems a bit strong unless it is true that your problems reflect a widespread problem.

1. SBA Exams - Application Deadline (31 January 2017) (https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/events/56-sba-exams-application-deadline)
(Events / Exams) ... the practical examinations. Practical Examinations: Basic Beemaster, Junior Beekeeper, Intermediate Practical, The Apiarian – Apply by 10th April Module examinations: March diet – Apply by 31st January ...
Created on 13 November 2016
2. Advanced Practical Application (https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/shop/product/advanced-practical-the-apiarian) (Product) Click to check the exam application deadline has not passed The Advanced Practical Examination - The Apiarian, is designed to give knowledgable beekeepers the confidence to mentor new and less experienced ... Created on 07 December 2016
3. Microscopy Exam Application - 2018 (https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/shop/product/microscopy-exam-application) (Product) ... the Scottish Apiarian Examination. The requirements to sit the microscopy examination is that the candidate must be a member of the SBA and hold either a Basic Beemaster/Beekeeping Certificate or Junior ... Created on 07 December 2016
4. Microscopy (https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/learn/exams-dates-fees/microscopy) (Education) ... the Scottish Apiarian Examination. The requirements to sit the microscopy examination is that the candidate must be a member of the SBA and hold either a Basic Beemaster/Beekeeping Certificate or Junior ... Created on 04 January 2016
5. Advanced Practical - Apiarian (https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/learn/exams-dates-fees/exam-syllabus-advanced) (Education) Advanced Practical - The Apiarian Certificate The Advanced Practical Examination is designed to give knowledgable beekeepers the confidence to mentor new and less experienced beekeepers ... Created on 04 January 2016
6. Exams and Fees (https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/learn/exams-dates-fees) (Education) ... £30 - Apiarian Practical £15 - SBA Beekeeping Trainer Certificate ...

Number 5 and the links when you get there are probably what you are looking for.

The 'Learn' drop-down menu on this excellent web site (put together by our superb and entirely unpaid web master) gives you easy direct access to these files too.

The article on the exam structure is already written. Learn > The SBA Examination System

https://www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk/images/education/exams/The%20SBA%20Education%20System.pdf

[Mellifera Crofter]

PS Googling Apiarian and scottishbeekeepers.org.uk returns 188 hits.

Can you publish a screen grab of your result, Fatshark? Also PH - can't you do that as well?
Kitta

[gavin]

I don't think that Google's ability to pull out hits is the issue, but a screenshot of PH's attempt on the SBA's main website might be helpful.

For what its worth, I've tried inserting 'Apiarian' (case immaterial) in the search box here: 'www.scottishbeekeepers.org.uk' and done so in devices with three different operating systems:

- Linux (Mint)
- Android
- Windows 10

... and in every case I get 6 hits, the ones pasted above. The only way I get no hits is to (deliberately) misspell Apiarian.

So here's a question: can anyone replicate PH's zero hits when doing the search described above?

[Mellifera Crofter]

I don't think that Google's ability to pull out hits is the issue, but a screenshot of PH's attempt on the SBA's main website might be helpful. ...

"Wait ... What? ..."

Now my turn for a 'my bad'. Of course, Fatshark's 188 result was a Google search result - now a website result.

[fatshark]

On a Mac I also get 6 hits ... but, being a Mac, they're cooler and hipper hits ;)

2874

[Adam]

Right then. If I do it properly - thanks Kitta - I get 6 results.

[gavin]

Mac: cool and hip for a guy now thoroughly solvent.
Linux/Mint: cool and hip for the cash-strapped? :p

So .... the search facility appears to be working for everyone but Pete. Five folk anyway including the webmaster. Thanks folks. If anyone else *does* get zero hits do let us know.

I thought that RHS 2017 comment was a clue (with or without that long line of questionmarks). So I thought I might try every possible misspelling of Apiarian to see if I can find one that returns an RHS 2017 hit. The result was the same every time - no hits (clearly the website is well spelt .. or is it spelled?). However .... it then occurred to me that there are pictures of the RHS (2017) popping up regularly at the top of the page (and the RHS 2017 tag appears) thanks to the site's picture scrolling widget that makes every visit different and interesting (I still see some of my own pictures there .... ). Which begs the question (ducking in case I get this wrong) .....

Pete, did you scroll down a bit when you did the search??

[Poly Hive]

Yes and there was nothing there.

After yet another reboot I am now getting the 6 results. One seems to be relevant.

PH