FormattedSearch < TWiki

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---# TWiki Formatted Search Results

_Inline search feature allows flexible formatting of search result_

The =%<nop>SEARCH{...}%= variable documented in TWikiVariables has a fixed format for the search result, that is, a table consisting of topic names and topic summaries. Use the =format="..."= parameter to specify a customized format of the search result. The string of the format parameter is typically a bullet list or table row containing variables (such as =%<nop>SEARCH{ "food" format="| $topic | $summary |" }%=).

---++ Syntax

Two parameters can be used to specify a customized search result:

1. =header="..."= parameter

Use the header paramter to specify the header of a search result. It should correspond to the format of the format parameter. This parameter is optional. <br /> Example: =header="| <nop>*Topic:*<nop> | <nop>*Summary:*<nop> |"=

2. =format="..."= parameter

Use the format parameter to specify the format of one search hit.
<br /> Example: =format="| $topic | $summary |"=

Variables that can be used in the format string:

| *Name:* | *Expands To:* |
| =$web= | Name of the web |
| =$topic= | Topic name |
| =$topic(20)= | Topic name, "<tt>- </tt>" hyphenated each 20 characters |
| =$topic(30, -&lt;br /&gt;)= | Topic name, hyphenated each 30 characters with separator "<tt>-&lt;br /&gt;</tt>" |
| =$topic(40, ...)= | Topic name, shortended to 40 characters with "<tt>...</tt>" indication |
| =$text= | Formatted topic text |
| =$locked= | LOCKED flag (if any) |
| =$date= | Time stamp of last topic update, like =%GMTIME{"$day $mon $year - $hour:$min"}%= |
| =$isodate= | Time stamp of last topic update, like =%GMTIME{"$year-$mo-$dayT$hour:$minZ"}%= |
| =$rev= | Number of last topic revision, like =1.4= |
| =$wikiusername= | Wiki user name of last topic update, like =%MAINWEB%.<nop>JohnSmith= |
| =$username= | User name of last topic update, like =<nop>JohnSmith= |
| =$summary= | Topic summary |
| =$formfield(name)= | The field value of a form field; for example, =$formfield(<nop>TopicClassification)= would get expanded to =PublicFAQ=. This applies only to topics that have a [[TWikiForms][TWikiForm]] |
| =$formfield(name, 10)= | Form field value, "<tt>- </tt>" hyphenated each 10 characters |
| =$formfield(name, 20, -&lt;br /&gt;)= | Form field value, hyphenated each 20 characters with separator "<tt>-&lt;br /&gt;</tt>" |
| =$formfield(name, 30, ...)= | Form field value, shortended to 30 characters with "<tt>...</tt>" indication |
| =$pattern(reg-exp)= | A regular expression pattern to extract some text from a topic. For example, =$pattern(.*?\*.*?Email\:\s*([^\n\r]+).*)= extracts the email address from a bullet of format =* Email: ...=. |
| =$n= or =$n()= | New line |
| =$nop= or =$nop()= | Is a "no operation". This variable gets removed; useful for nested search |
| =$quot= | Double quote (="=). Alternatively write =\"= to escape it |
| =$percnt= | Percent sign (=%=) |
| =$dollar= | Dollar sign (=$=) |

__Note:__ For =$pattern(reg-exp)=, specify a RegularExpression that scans from start to end and contains the text you want to keep in parenthesis, like =$pattern(.*?(from here.*?to here).*)=. You need to make sure that the integrity of a web page is not compromised; for example, if you include a table make sure to include everything including the table end tag.

---++ Nested Search

Search can be nested. For example, search for some topics, then form a new search for each topic found in the first search. The idea is to build the nested search string using a formatted search in the first search.

Here is an example. We want to search for topics, do a nested search with each hit, and show the result as nested bullets. Parameters like =scope="text" regex="on" nosearch="on" nototal="on"= are omitted for simplicity.

   * First search:
      * =%<nop>SEARCH{ "freedom" format="   * $topic" }%=
   * Second search. For each hit we want this search:
      * =%<nop>SEARCH{ "(topic of first search)" format="      * $topic" }%=
   * Now we nest the searches. We need to escape the second search, e.g. the first search will build a valid second search string:
      * =%<nop>SEARCH{ "freedom" format="   * $topic: $n$percntSEARCH{ \"$topic\" format=\"      * $dollartopic" }$nop%\" }%=

Note that we escape the second search so that it does not get evaluated by the first search:

   * =$percnt= to escape the leading percent of the second search
   * =\"= to escape the qouble quotes
   * =$dollar= to escape the =$= of =$topic=
   * =$nop= to escape the =}%= sequence


---++ Examples

#SearchBulletList
---+++ Bullet list showing topic name and summary

Write this:

=%<nop>SEARCH{ "FAQ" scope="topic" nosearch="on" nototal="on" header="   * <nop>*Topic: Summary:*" format="   * [<nop>[$topic]]: $summary" }%=

To get this:

%SEARCH{ "FAQ" scope="topic" nosearch="on" nototal="on" header="   * *Topic: Summary:*" format="   * [[$topic]]: $summary" }%

---+++ Table showing form field values of topics with a form

Write this in the Know web:

=| <nop>*Topic:*<nop> | <nop>*<nop>OperatingSystem:*<nop> | <nop>*<nop>OsVersion:*<nop> |= <br />
=%<nop>SEARCH{ "[T]opicClassification.*?value=\"[P]ublicFAQ\"" scope="text" regex="on" nosearch="on" nototal="on" format="| [<nop>[$topic]] | $formfield(<nop>OperatingSystem) | $formfield(<nop>OsVersion) |" }%=

To get this:

<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1">
<tr>
 <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"> <strong>Topic:</strong> </th>
 <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"> <strong>OperatingSystem:</strong> </th>
 <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"> <strong>OsVersion:</strong> </th></tr>
<tr>
 <td>  <a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/IncorrectDllVersionW32PTH10DLL">IncorrectDllVersionW32PTH10DLL</a>  </td><td>  <a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/OsWin">OsWin</a>  </td><td>  95/98  </td></tr>
<tr>
 <td>  <a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/WinDoze95Crash">WinDoze95Crash</a>  </td>
 <td>  <a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/OsWin">OsWin</a>  </td>
 <td>  95  </td></tr>
</table>

---+++ Extract some text from a topic using regular expression

Write this:

=%<nop>SEARCH{ "__Back to\:__ <nop>TWikiFAQ" scope="text" regex="on" nosearch="on" nototal="on" header="TWiki FAQs:" format="   * $pattern(.*?FAQ\:[\n\r]*([^\n\r]+).*) [<nop>[$topic][Answer...]]" }%=

To get this:

%SEARCH{ "__Back to\:__ TWikiFAQ" scope="text" regex="on" nosearch="on" nototal="on" header="TWiki FAQs:" format="   * $pattern(.*?FAQ\:[\n\r]*([^\n\r]+).*) [[$topic][Answer...]]" }%

-- Main.PeterThoeny - 16 May 2002
This topic: TWiki > WebHome > TWikiVariables > FormattedSearch
Topic revision: r7 - 2002-04-20 - PeterThoeny
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