I agree this is an issue. I tend to believe this was a reasonable choice back then, but with hundred thousand users, ten thousand flavors and couple of hundred brands, it became a mess in that department (still not a big deal, because after couple of uses, one will know exactly how to find anything, but i agree it could be confusing for new users).
There are dozens of sites with good calculators (personally i don’t use ELR calc); Wayne even made a comparison a while ago here.
Well I get it and it’s not confusing per se. But until now I had no idea it was an issue. And for me I didn’t realize the differences in the different names populating during search so I was just picking something close as I thought it was just for my own personal notes. Didn’t realize I was affectingthe datebase by favoring one spelling over the other.
That’s correct.
ANYTHING that you enter into your “private” recipe (on the flavor line), goes into the database.
EVERYTHING that’s in the database, gets offered as an “option to select from” in the drop down menu, when it comes time (for you, or anyone else) to select the flavor to add to your recipe, as well as when you’re wanting to add a flavor to your stash.
So, in short, all the “trash” that gets added in a private recipe (speaking only about flavor names here) becomes another flavor option for other users to select from.
Great tip!
I would add to that, that you can also break things down to individual letter combinations, etc.
Examples:
Bak Tou LB - would return results looking for any results with those letters side by side, as well as, with the included capitalization.
bak to ch (lb - would return results for all letters which are side by side, without regard to capitalization [you would get both lower and uppercase entries in results], and would automatically omit any entries which do not include the use of the ‘open parenthesis’ bar.
By jove she’s got it! 
After 3-4 years of trying to get this in order (and tens of thousands of entries fixed), the situation persists, because of one simple thing: users are allowed to enter their own custom flavor names.
Now, with that said, the more accurate statement would be that, the problem persists because there should have been two SEPARATE databases created (back in 2015): one for custom (user created) flavor names, and another database for mod-only-approved additions.
Then, the drop down menus (for adding to the stash/recipe sections) would only allow a user to select the correct flavors.
Anything manually typed into one of the flavor lines during recipe creation, would be added to the ‘custom entry’ database.
This would maintain the user’s ability to “create their own custom flavor” entries, without the side effect of polluting the drop down menu.
But until the system is refined (changed), it is what it is.
It does, but it doesn’t. 
Bear in mind that ELR was pretty much the first MASSIVE undertaking of its kind.
One of the goals was obviously to allow the user to have maximum flexibility to create a recipe. This includes making your own flavors (either by mixing combinations of existing flavors, OR by creating a flavor from scratch).
Now, if you think about NET users, and even larger scale operations (places that start off as bedroom projects, turn into a mom and pop level business, etc) the original format (as designed) offers functionality that other calcs didn’t have.
By the same token, it also created the side effect of what we ALL have to deal with now.
So, while additional refinement would not be out of line, when you get to having to deal with a foundational aspect of how the site was designed, you can then hopefully understand that it’s a HUGE undertaking to have to try and address (on the backend).
Only one person gets paid by any of this: Lars
The rest of us are community volunteers who’s time and efforts are donated to the community as a whole.
Oh yeah I understand fully that it’s very easy to say “have the database do this” compared to the actual work involved in having it do “this”.
I guess right now I wonder if it would be easier to disable the drop downs? Other than ease of search for reviews/percentages/recipes for a flavor what is the real purpose of linking them in the recipes?
Not being rude lol just I really don’t have a problem searching the flavor outside of the calculator. I guess I wonder why link them to their names at all? Is it just so there is a standard amoung shared recipes?
Pretty sure the majority of us have made the same mistakes. I guess that may be why some new users feel they’re being ganged up on when it comes to the database. I don’t think anyone is trying to talk down to anyone and make them feel less than. We’re all just trying to nip it in the bud before it becomes a larger issue (because in the past, it has been a huge issue), not because anyone is thought of being “too stupid”. I know that there is a huge amount of support for all users here and if it comes off like there isn’t, believe me it isn’t intentional. Stick around, you’ll get the hang of it. We just have to work with what we’ve got until something better pops up.
Again, it goes back to one of the goals of the site’s creation.
If everyone puts notes in on their flavor, then everyone only has to click on the (one, common, correct) flavor name to get:
Previously (before 2015), you had to wade through various sources (like Reddit, VU, ECF, etc) to find reviews, try and find percentages, opinions about off notes, etc etc.
There weren’t all the phone apps, places like All the Flavors, VC’s Calc (which is largely based on the foundation laid by Lars) etc.
While Grubby and crew have spent a lot of time and effort to bring refinement to some of the pitfalls learned/experienced with the calculator here (because ALL of the original users that helped ‘found’ VC, were ELR members), Grubby had the insight to create a separate database for custom entries.
But many of these newer sites and apps wouldn’t be what they are (to largely varying degrees), had Lars not laid the foundation for things IMO.
YES, things are in need of an update.
But what we have, is what we have to work with in the meantime.
I guess I worded it totally wrong re reading it lol and thought it out in my head wrong.
More trying to ask if currently we could disable the creating of new database entries. Then it could narrow down what is actually being entered for a little while to help clean up the current flavors. It would still link to current flavors but maybe store any new off ones as Null or something?
Sorry I just see the problem and my over analytical brain wants to solve it lol.
@VapeGnarly333 sadly yes. Once you input, and save a recipe with incorrect flavors, they ARE saved to the database. Private hides the recipe, but the flavors still get injected in.
I have absolutely made them.
Yeah that is unfortunate. I don’t think I have personally added anything as there has always been a close name. But it is good to know that I have been doing it a little wrong just picking something close in name. Really just altering the stats and promoting the incorrect labels. But still I see the issue. I will just have to do one flavor at a time and make a stash on here so it’s easier and more universal for everyone.
@VapeGnarly333 don’t worry about it, as I didn’t know either when I started, and I think a LOT of people here don’t know either.
Good to know. Totally want to be here and contribute where I can. But sometimes it’s like right before work I throw mix together and just pick the flavors quick. I’d rather come here later and do it right and have my ghetto short hand on a non ELR Calc initially in those cases if I am hurting the cause.
I think many people here (maybe not the ones who read this thread), didn’t/don’t realize that like mentioned above, everyone volunteers, with the exception of Lars. I’ve looked at some newer recipes posted, by very new users, and I see helpful comments posted advising of incorrect flavor choices. Some people don’t even respond, or fix them, some others even get offended, and snipe back, and that’s a shame. A real shame.
You have (as mentioned above) THE original Ejuice Calculator, and it’s FREE to use. Supported by many of us, and people who volunteer for free, and offer to help out and clean things up, fix, advise, etc.
Can seem thankless some of the time.
BUT, here’s the GREAT THING. It doesn’t have to just be @Sprkslfly, or @TorturedZen, as many of us can ALSO see incorrectly entered flavors as well. Now, I hesitated to mention that at first, as we CLEARLY didn’t want any database vigalantes attacking (LOL) wrong flavor namers with, “Hey dumb dumb, stop blowing up the database” comments on recipes, hehe.
If you present it in a friendly manner, offering to help other people out, who may NOT realize their impact on the database, shouldn’t be a bad thing. I can’t speak for Rob or TZ, but you could even PM them a recipe link if you spot something off.
Free and Open, is, well, FREE and OPEN, for better or worse.
I salute the ongoing, and never ending efforts by our database warriors.
As an example (not flavor shaming), you don’t have to look very far at all for numerous errors.
Now, it looks like a newer mixer, and they may not even KNOW OF or even use these forums, and could be oblivious to the flavor entry challenges here.
3 errors right of the bat on a random recipe recently posted.
Now again, the flavors were “close”, but not right. And this was just a RANDOM quick pick I did, of a recent recipe, IMAGINE how much bigger the problem is, if you really started LOOKING, and/or trying to fix, and/or nicely advise people on the error, etc.
PLEASE NOTE, as above, people may just have NO clue that bad entries can and will flood the database.
You can see this user is newer, and doesn’t really use the forums.
But there inlies the problem. You pointed out a new mixer. How are they supposed to know? Adding new flavors should be disabled temporarily unless it’s through a mod or something.
As you said maybe they just post recipes and have no idea they did anything wrong. You can’t possibly think we can nip it in the bud if every new user can keep contributing to the problem. It will be never ending. And to keep blaming us is ridiculous.
If there is a blank space that accepts ANY input at all you can bet a new user will input ANYTHING they want. Only allow flavors to be picked from the current database until it is ironed out. You all keep saying its about creation but for the most part all the flavors are in there already. If not let’s make a new flavor thread for mods to add to the database from.
Another problem is when the “Correct” listing in the database is the “incorrect” name for the flavor…
ie: Sponge Cake (Chemnovatic)
Sponge Cake (SC) (Real Flavors)
There’s the catch.
No one is blaming you (or any other user that genuinely does not know).
All we are trying to do is “educate”, to try and minimize the impact.
Only one person has the ability to implement any kind of permanent solution.
You continue to preach to the choir bud.
We are already acutely aware. Trust me. lol
And not to put too fine a point on it, these suggestions (and others) have been offered up many times over the last 3 years alone.
Again, the best thing we can say is “we have what we have” until it changes at some point.
