So I have both the field enabled for search and I checked the database and indeed there are images with the owner set to "paul", yet the search URL above does not yield any hits. Results are returned when using the Search field. Although I have other owners, "mike" for example that the Search field does not find any results for, even though it should. Could this be a problem with the theme? I noticed that when I use the Search field to search for owner=paul, I get a result set, but when I click on a result, I get the dreaded "Fatal error: Cannot access protected property SearchEngine::$dynalbumname ...".

Just to be sure: You don't use "owner=paul" in the search field at all. Just "paul". The search engine will in any case search for it in any fields that are enabled for searching.

Please post the full error message incl. line numbers etc.

Your error is definately a theme issue. That property is private to the search engine class. Prior to the requirement to use PHP 5 there was no way to enforce this restriction, so themes may have used the property even though they should not have.

I did a little testing. Seems that the link needs to have a page # included to work properly, so try:

http://skishots.calgaryalpine.com/page/search/paul/1?searchfields=owner

Not sure why that is the case, maybe a problem with rewrite rules.

Ok, got it. Either:

http://skishots.calgaryalpine.com/page/search/paul/1?searchfields=owner

or

http://skishots.calgaryalpine.com/page/search/paul?searchfields=owner

Will work. but

http://skishots.calgaryalpine.com/page/search/paul/?searchfields=owner

results in the target for "owner" being "paul/". It is a rewrite issue, but I think there is nothing that can be done for it.