It's true that MediaWiki supports search based solely on the ?search query parameter. Regardless of whether title=Special:Search is specified.

This is mostly for legacy reasons as search predates the concept of special pages.

However, would it make sense to instead count these as page views for 'Special:Search'?

-- Timo
 

On Wed, Dec 2, 2015 at 5:52 PM, Oliver Keyes <okeyes@wikimedia.org> wrote:
Via Brian Davis we find out the responsible patch is
https://github.com/wikimedia/analytics-refinery-source/commit/05e5da92553dbd3e691eb45d40e559895337935f

(I agree wholeheartedly with previous Oliver's assertion that
MediaWiki is trying to kill me)

I'll leave it up to y'all whether you remove it or not.

On 2 December 2015 at 12:40, Oliver Keyes <okeyes@wikimedia.org> wrote:
> Why the heck is search in
> https://github.com/wikimedia/analytics-refinery-source/blob/master/refinery-core/src/main/java/org/wikimedia/analytics/refinery/core/PageviewDefinition.java#L74
> ? (I say that knowing it is probably my fault)
>
> On 2 December 2015 at 12:38, Joseph Allemandou
> <jallemandou@wikimedia.org> wrote:
>> Food for thoughts:
>>
>>
>> SELECT
>>   uri_host, uri_path, uri_query, COUNT(1) as c
>> FROM wmf.webrequest
>> WHERE webrequest_source IN ('text', 'mobile') AND <YEAR/MONTH/DAY/HOUR
>> restricted>
>> AND is_pageview AND pageview_info['page_title'] = '-'
>> GROUP BY uri_host, uri_path, uri_query
>> ORDER BY c DESC LIMIT 100;
>>
>>
>>
>> en.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Search 1986
>> fr.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Rechercher 476
>> ar.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB
>> 461
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Calvary%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Brendan%20Gleeson%20%2B%202014&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 356
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=The%20Woman%20in%20Black%202%3A%20Angel%20of%20Death%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Jeremy%20Irvine%20%2B%202014&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 317
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ??? 307
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ???? 258
>> pt.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Pesquisar 253
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=We%20Are%20the%20Best%21%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Vanja%20Engstr%C3%B6m%20%2B%202013&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 207
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Manhattan%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20John%20Benjamin%20Hickey%20%2B%202015&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 200
>> es.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Buscar 162
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Angus,%20Thongs%20and%20Perfect%20Snogging%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Aaron%20Taylor-Johnson%20%2B%202008&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 145
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php 140
>> de.m.wikipedia.org /wiki ?search=Mordkommission%20BERLIN%201 139
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ????? 134
>> en.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search= 120
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?? 117
>> ru.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?search=&fulltext=%D0%9D%D0%B0%D0%B9%D1%82%D0%B8 112
>> de.wikipedia.org /w/index.php 100
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ??????? 93
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ???? 93
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ???????? 83
>> m.wikimediafoundation.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Search 82
>> fa.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?search=&fulltext=%D8%AC%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%AC%D9%88 82
>> zh.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ??? 80
>> ar.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search&fulltext=%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB 77
>> zh.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ???? 76
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?????? 76
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ????? 72
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?????_?????? 69
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Once%20Upon%20a%20Time%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Ginnifer%20Goodwin%20%2B%202015&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 69
>> commons.m.wikimedia.org /wiki/ ?uselang=it 69
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=The%20Birdcage%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Robin%20Williams%20%2B%201996&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 68
>> commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/ ?uselang=it 66
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ????_????? 63
>> de.m.wikipedia.org /wiki ?search=Helmar%20B%C3%BCchel 58
>> en.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search&fulltext=Search 56
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ????_??????? 54
>> en.m.wikipedia.org /wiki ?search=%3Cnomatch%2F%3E 53
>> en.wikipedia.org / ?search=+ 53
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=We%20Are%20What%20We%20Are%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Vonia%20Arslanian%20%2B%202013&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 51
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?diff=693310399&oldid=662731788 50
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=We're%20the%20Millers%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Jason%20Sudeikis%20%2B%202013&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 48
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?????_???? 48
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?diff=693310404&oldid=693207084 47
>> commons.m.wikimedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Search 44
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ????_?????? 44
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?????_??????? 43
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?do=/user/login/ 43
>> zh.wikipedia.org /zh-tw/ 43
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?????_????? 42
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?diff=693313743&oldid=693310399 42
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?????? 41
>> en.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=Mukamwezi.Com&fulltext=Search 41
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Marina%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Matteo%20Simoni%20%2B%202013&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 41
>> de.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Volltext 40
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ????_???? 40
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?do=/blog/ 37
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ????????? 37
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Zurich%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Wende%20Snijders%20%2B%202015&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 37
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ??????? 36
>> ar.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?search=%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B3&fulltext=%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB 35
>> tr.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Ara 35
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Extraterrestre%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Juli%C3%A1n%20Villagr%C3%A1n%20%2B%202011&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 34
>> uk.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?curid=2070033 33
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ???_????? 33
>> es.wikipedia.org /w/index.php 33
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ???_???? 32
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=The%20Book%20Thief%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Sophie%20N%C3%A9lisse%20%2B%202013&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 32
>> en.wikipedia.org / ?search=Fn,..;;;: 31
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?do=/user/profile/ 31
>> de.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=Rtl+Deutschland 31
>> id.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Cari 30
>> de.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=Mordkommission+Berlin+1 30
>> de.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search= 30
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?do=/user/privacy/ 30
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Exodus%3A%20Gods%20and%20Kings%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Christian%20Bale%20%2B%202014&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 29
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ??_?????? 28
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ??? 28
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?????_???????? 27
>> en.wikipedia.org / ?curid=3392129 26
>> es.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search= 26
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Event%20Horizon%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Laurence%20Fishburne%20%2B%201997&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 26
>> en.m.wiktionary.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Search 25
>> meta.m.wikimedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Search 25
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ??????_???????? 24
>> ar.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ???????? 24
>> zh.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?%E6%9C%88? 24
>> sw.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Tafuta 24
>> de.m.wikipedia.org /wiki ?search=Mordkommission%20Berlin%201 24
>> en.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=xnxx+xnxx+xnxx 24
>> zh.wikipedia.org /wiki/ ?? 24
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Hart's%20War%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Bruce%20Willis%20%2B%202002&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 24
>> m.mediawiki.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Search 23
>> ja.wikipedia.org /wiki/ 23
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Selma%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20David%20Oyelowo%20%2B%202014&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 23
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=The%20Bridge%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Sofia%20Helin%20%2B%202011&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 23
>> en.wikipedia.org /w/index.php
>> ?redirs=0&search=Rob%20the%20Mob%20%2B%20Film%20%2B%20Michael%20Pitt%20%2B%202014&fulltext=Search&ns0=1
>> 23
>> fr.wikipedia.org / ?search=+ 23
>> it.m.wikipedia.org /w/index.php ?search=&fulltext=Ricerca 22
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Dec 2, 2015 at 6:16 PM, Oliver Keyes <okeyes@wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> I mean, now I want to know how we can have a condition where there's
>>> no page title but it registers as a pageview.
>>>
>>> On 2 December 2015 at 12:14, Joseph Allemandou
>>> <jallemandou@wikimedia.org> wrote:
>>> > Double checked:
>>> >
>>> > https://github.com/wikimedia/analytics-refinery-source/blob/master/refinery-core/src/main/java/org/wikimedia/analytics/refinery/core/PageviewDefinition.java#L117
>>> >
>>> > This value is the default when no page title is found.
>>> > I agree it's not very explicit.
>>> > Any suggestion on changing it, or should we just make sure it is
>>> > documented
>>> > ?
>>> >
>>> > On Wed, Dec 2, 2015 at 6:10 PM, Oliver Keyes <okeyes@wikimedia.org>
>>> > wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >> Can someone dig into it? We should really be excluding that (unless it
>>> >> is the page on the dash ;p)
>>> >>
>>> >> On 2 December 2015 at 12:00, Dan Andreescu <dandreescu@wikimedia.org>
>>> >> wrote:
>>> >> > I always wonder about that.  There's also an actual page that could
>>> >> > theoretically be hit:
>>> >> > https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=-&redirect=no
>>> >> >
>>> >> > On Wed, Dec 2, 2015 at 11:58 AM, Gabriel Wicke <gwicke@wikimedia.org>
>>> >> > wrote:
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Historically, I vaguely remember that we have used that title for
>>> >> >> user
>>> >> >> script / style loading with action=raw. I think that's gone from the
>>> >> >> skin code, but it's possible that user scripts still reference this
>>> >> >> title.
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> Gabriel
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> On Wed, Dec 2, 2015 at 8:41 AM, Oliver Keyes <okeyes@wikimedia.org>
>>> >> >> wrote:
>>> >> >> > One of the most prominent top articles has no page; it's "-". What
>>> >> >> > is
>>> >> >> > this?
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > --
>>> >> >> > Oliver Keyes
>>> >> >> > Count Logula
>>> >> >> > Wikimedia Foundation
>>> >> >> >
>>> >> >> > _______________________________________________
>>> >> >> > Analytics mailing list
>>> >> >> > Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> >> >> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> --
>>> >> >> Gabriel Wicke
>>> >> >> Principal Engineer, Wikimedia Foundation
>>> >> >>
>>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> >> Analytics mailing list
>>> >> >> Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> >> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> >
>>> >> > _______________________________________________
>>> >> > Analytics mailing list
>>> >> > Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> >> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics
>>> >> >
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> --
>>> >> Oliver Keyes
>>> >> Count Logula
>>> >> Wikimedia Foundation
>>> >>
>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> Analytics mailing list
>>> >> Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Joseph Allemandou
>>> > Data Engineer @ Wikimedia Foundation
>>> > IRC: joal
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > Analytics mailing list
>>> > Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Oliver Keyes
>>> Count Logula
>>> Wikimedia Foundation
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Analytics mailing list
>>> Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Joseph Allemandou
>> Data Engineer @ Wikimedia Foundation
>> IRC: joal
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Analytics mailing list
>> Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Oliver Keyes
> Count Logula
> Wikimedia Foundation



--
Oliver Keyes
Count Logula
Wikimedia Foundation

_______________________________________________
Analytics mailing list
Analytics@lists.wikimedia.org
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/analytics