# Total posts, total threads, total threads started



## SPQR

Hello all,

I need some help understanding the "post/thread" count, and I'll give a specific example:

1. Click on a forero's name
2. Look in the upper right hand corner and you will see "Total posts x,yza"
___This would be the total number of times the person has asked or answered a question.
___This is not the total number of threads that they were involved in - total threads should always be less, unless the forero only makes one post per thread.
3. Click on statistics
4. Click on "Find all threads started by X"
___upper right hand corner "Showing results 1 to Y of Z"
___"Z" = total number of threads started for that forero
5. Click "back" to forero's page
6. Click on statistics
7. Click on "Find all posts by X"
8. Look in the upper right hand corner and you will see "Showing results 1 to Y of Q".
__The "Q" seems to be the total number of threads that the forero was involved in, as opposed to total number of posts.
__ But if you look at the highest posters, you'll see that that number doesn't seem to exceed 500 - which can't be right.

Am I misinterpreting this?
Is there a way to count "total posts" vs "total threads"?
Thanks for any explanation.


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## swift

Hello SPQR,

I'm afraid 500 is the maximum number of search results you can get. You can always use the advanced search form, as suggested by jann here:



jann said:


> The maximum number of search results that can be  displayed is 500.  Since you have posted 770 times, this means that  "find all posts by mymy" will omit the first 220 messages you submitted  here.  Presumably the thread from July 2009 is one of the first 220.
> 
> Instead of using "find all posts by mymy," try using "Find all threads started by mymy."   The number of threads you have created will be smaller than the number  of times you have posted (unless you never post except to ask a  question), so this means that the 500 results will stretch farther back  in time.
> 
> One more method: use the the advanced search form.   Add any search terms you like, or leave the "keyword" field blank.   Restrict results to posts by mymy (or threads started by mymy).  You can  also restrict results to a particular forum (or group of forums), if  you remember where you posted this thread.  Then in the Search Options  area, set the search to "find all posts from [choose a date in the  list]" + "and older" (instead of the default value, which is "and  newer").


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## SPQR

Ok, there's our answer - 500 max.
I'll play around a bit and see if I can find a different way of doing it.
Thanks very much!


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## swift

You're welcome.


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## jann

SPQR said:


> I'll play around a bit and see if I can find a different way of doing it.


What's your goal?  

If you want to know how many times a person has posted, the postcount displayed in the upper right corner of each of their posts is the number you want.  It's not perfect, because some posts (e.g., deleted ones) aren't counted, and some of the posts that are counted are only visible to moderators.  Those caveats apply to all statistics here.

If you want to know how many threads a person has _created_, or if you want to know how many threads a person has _participated in_, those are distinct queries, and you will have to use the search feature. Because of the 500 hit limit, if the member in question is quite active, you will need need to combine a custom search date with a little old fashioned paper & pencil addition, working backwards in time to tally each sequential set of 500 hits until you get to the end.  The more active the member, the more time-consuming it will be.  If you're technically inclined, the tips I provided here about clickable/custom search links will point you in the right direction.

May I ask what your purpose is in attempting to assemble these statistics?  Of course it could be perfectly innocent, but I have to say that it sounds a bit like trying to find out as much as possible about a certain member's participation, and that's a bit creepy.


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## SPQR

jann said:


> What's your goal?
> You shall see.
> 
> If you want to know how many times a person has posted, the postcount displayed in the upper right corner of each of their posts is the number you want. It's not perfect, because some posts (e.g., deleted ones) aren't counted, and some of the posts that are counted are only visible to moderators. Those caveats apply to all statistics here.
> Yes, figured that.
> 
> If you want to know how many threads a person has _created_, or if you want to know how many threads a person has _participated in_, those are distinct queries, and you will have to use the search feature. Because of the 500 hit limit, if the member in question is quite active, you will need need to combine a custom search date with a little old fashioned paper & pencil addition, working backwards in time to tally each sequential set of 500 hits until you get to the end. The more active the member, the more time-consuming it will be. If you're technically inclined, the tips I provided here about clickable/custom search links will point you in the right direction.
> Yes, paper is sometimes helpful, even in the computer age.
> 
> May I ask what your purpose is in attempting to assemble these statistics?
> Yes, you may ask, and you shall soon see.
> 
> Of course it could be perfectly innocent, but I have to say that it sounds a bit like trying to find out as much as possible about a certain member's participation, and that's a bit creepy.
> You make huge assumptions, that to me are very creepy (your word, not mine).
> I care not about individuals, I care about statistical inference.


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## jann

> May I ask what your purpose is in attempting to assemble these statistics?
> Yes, you may ask, and you shall soon see.


I look forward to it. 


> Of course it could be perfectly innocent, but I have to say that it  sounds a bit like trying to find out as much as possible about a certain  member's participation, and that's a bit creepy.
> You make huge assumptions, that to me are very creepy (your word, not mine).
> I care not about individuals, I care about statistical inference.


I make no assumptions.  Like you, I think about general usage patterns... but you must forgive me if, as a moderator on this site, I also think about the collective (as distinct from personal) best interests of the individual members who participate here.   Please do not take it personally.

As you can probably tell from the quotes and links in the posts above, I'm happy to help people with technical questions that pertain to our forums.  If you need more information about constructing the appropriate set of custom search date ranges, feel free to send me a PM.

Alternately, if you think the nature of your statistical inference project would be of interest to our site administrator Mike Kellogg, you may get in touch with him directly via the "contact us" link at the bottom of this page.  He can query the database differently, and I make no promises, but he may be (??) easily able to provide you with the data you wish to generate.  

Jann


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## jann

I've thought of one more thing.  I doubt it will help you, but for the sake of completeness...

If you are interested in statistics about _your own_ usage, it is easy to find out how many threads you have participated in.  Simply visit your personal subscriptions page.  The number of threads is listed in two places near the top.  It is accurate provided that you meet three conditions: 


 you have your subscription mode (in edit options) set to "subscribe" automatically to a thread when you participate in it (this is the default setting; the type of email notification does not matter)
 you don't make a habit of manually unsubscribing yourself from threads where you have participated
 you don't make a habit of manually subscribing yourself to threads in which you haven't participated
Needless to say, you can't check someone else's usage this way.  And of course you'll still have to do a custom search to count all the threads you've started if it's in excess of 500.


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