Ovi's search-function broken

We´ve released 6 apps to date for various devices, supporting most languages, and distributed globally.

However, there is no way to search for them. Sometimes the search-mechanism works on some selected phonemodels on on or two of our apps, but most often they do not.

Not even searching the full application-name works fully.

And this is not only a problem with our apps. Ive tried searching several of the apps appearing on ovi, and about half of them were searchable (using their full title).

Ive contacted ovi about this and the reply was that they are experiencing problems with their seach-mechanism and are working on it. This was about two-three weeks ago and it just keeps getting worse. Amazing!

Has nobody else noticed this? Any news about how their work is comming along?

I'm seeing similar behavior with our app: Wyrmgard RPG. I've tried adding keywords to the meta data, but this hasn't improved things .. at least not yet.

Btw. does anyone know if keywords are supposed to be comma or space delimited, the regex just says [\w]*

[QUOTE=pjohnsen;635254]I'm seeing similar behavior with our app: Wyrmgard RPG. I've tried adding keywords to the meta data, but this hasn't improved things .. at least not yet.

Btw. does anyone know if keywords are supposed to be comma or space delimited, the regex just says [\w]*[/QUOTE]

Hi well at least you got the search pattern right on this on because Google finds this

Google search "+Ovi Wyrmgard RPG"
finds
first entry as

[url]http://store.ovi.com/content/6E2151F64365B6FDE040050A85326EB9?clickSource=related%2Bcontent[/url]

IMHO finding this using Google and I can find this in the Store Web page

and I did NOT need to log in!!

OH UK English Any phone was selected


Thanks,
Jim

hmmm .. how did you get it to select 'any phone' by default?

Whenever I go to store.ovi.com (not logged in) it always defaults to N97, 5800 or E71 (which are all unsupported for our app.)

If I then select e.g. 5700 (which is one of the 65 supported devices) and try to search on the site for 'rpg', 'wyrmgard' or 'wyrmgard rpg' nothing shows up. If I manually go to the games/adventure category the app is listed.

If I select N95 8Gb, the app. used to show up in a search for 'rpg', but that doesn't look to be working anymore :(

So as far as I can see, search on the Ovi site is currently broken. Maybe google sometimes gets lucky though :)

Hi,

The search function is being improved so it is affecting the current capabilities.

Thank you.

WebStore (any Language): If the N97 is selected use the buttons below the image of the phone and select the previous device. A Nokia device is shown but "Any phone" is selected.

If i use google with the term -> Wyrm site:store.ovi.com <- i find nothing. If i use -> rpg site:store.ovi.com <- instead i find your app. If i use -> Wyrmgard site:store.ovi.com <- i also find your app. This means: Google / Ovi does not support wildcard searches (or meta keywords).

If i use Ovi Search with the term -> Wyrm <- i find nothing. If i use -> rpg <- instead i find only "m:Mafia". If i use Wyrmgard i find nothing. This means: Ovi Search is completely useless. Get the webmaster to replace the current search with google.

If i search with my old N73 ([url]http://www.forum.nokia.com/devices/N73[/url]) i don't find your app at all, neither by searching or browsing the category "games > adventures"

Thanks. N73 support hasn't yet been published because of the yet unsupported devices (6760, 6790) holding it up ... I have disabled those again from the distribution, so hopefully N73 support will come in next publishing round.

Ovi search is still broken.

Is there any estimate on when a fix is expected?
It is quite amazing that Ovi runs with a broken search function for such a long time.

I find it difficult to my own published app, so how can other people find it? :(

Ori

Yes, pretty freaking amazing! I suggest you all individually send Nokia an e-mail stating your impatience with the problem, because a scenario where Nokia cant employ competent enough people to solve a simple search-function for a browser in 2 months is hardly credible, hence it must have to do with pure negligence.

[QUOTE=Danneman;639840]Yes, pretty freaking amazing! I suggest you all individually send Nokia an e-mail stating your impatience with the problem, because a scenario where Nokia cant employ competent enough people to solve a simple search-function for a browser in 2 months is hardly credible, hence it must have to do with pure negligence.[/QUOTE]

Ovi Store is aware of this and it is being fixed. Generally these are not released piecemeal but as part of an overall fix (so they can be tested as a unit) I don't have any date when I get one you'll know. I suspect you all will tell me first then someone from Nokia will tell me it is fixed. :)

Ron

Hi Ron,

I saw this thread after I asked about this issue, so just ignore my last post in the other thread :)

However, I really hope that Nokia will fix the search-engine very soon, it has been too long already.

/Henrik Weide, Progressive Media.

[QUOTE=Nokia Ron;641087]Ovi Store is aware of this and it is being fixed. Generally these are not released piecemeal but as part of an overall fix (so they can be tested as a unit) I don't have any date when I get one you'll know. I suspect you all will tell me first then someone from Nokia will tell me it is fixed. :)

Ron[/QUOTE]

This is pretty amazing. The search feature should be disabled completely until it is fixed. It does more harm than good. How difficult it can be to do a sql query to a database? Ovi Store should just provide all items in a single html page and let browsers search do the job until the thing is fixed. There aren't that many items yet.

For me it looks like the the Store is tried to make look pretty completely ignoring the functionality. Is people at Nokia management aware of the sad state of the Store? Who is responsible of this? I wouldn't sleep my nights if it was me. If I was responsible of this I would either shut down the whole store or at least the search functionality.

How can developers be even sure that all the sales is reported if trivial things like search is not working?

This is not the way to catch up Apple, PPPPPUUUUUUUUUUH.

I keep getting emails from customers looking for full versions of our applications because that they can't find. This is OK because I can email them back and tell them how to find the full versions.

However, customers also post comments asking how to get the full version. When I write back, via the Ovi website, telling them how to find the full version, Object@ovi come along and remove my post, then email me telling me "We are informing you that we have removed the comment... since it appears to violate the Ovi Store content guidelines." Why?

I've tried to email Object but all the emails bounce.

The search is broken, customers are frustrated (this morning two have posted that they are giving up looking for the full version). But I'm not allowed to support them. I'm not allowed to answer their questions.
What should I do?
This is extremely frustrating.

I've given up on Ovi Store search via ovi store. I just use google.
[B]
BTW. Is Ovi Store (via device client) working at all?
[/B]
I can't load Ovi Store, nor can I download the ovi store app for my N97.
Since my N97 loves crashing, requiring hard reset, I have no way to re-download purchased apps unless I purchase them again via browser version of Ovi Store.

Also, via browser -
"install ovi store on your mobile" = "ITEM unavailable - sorry this item is no longer available"

If this is a maintenance issue, there should be a warning message to indicate the case. I hope that's what's happening and not just fault to add to the list of Ovi Failures.

[QUOTE=henrikweide;645996]Hi Ron,

I saw this thread after I asked about this issue, so just ignore my last post in the other thread :)

However, I really hope that Nokia will fix the search-engine very soon, it has been too long already.

/Henrik Weide, Progressive Media.[/QUOTE]

>>fix the search-engine
The search issues are being adressed. Will have another update on this in next few days. - Eric