Can the Search function do this?

Hi Jason,

By the time all of this is said and done I should have a pretty good handle on the DataAssist Search.

If you take a look at this site:
s_10153_12605_Appliances_Refrigerators_French+Door+Refrigerators?filter=Appliance+Brand%7cKenmore&storeId=10153&sName=French+Door+Refrigerators&vName=Appliances&cName=Refrigerators&viewItems=25&catalogId=12605&keywordSearch=false&i_cntr=1334033858679

I would like to setup something similar and even have the ability to remove filters that have been applied to the search so the user can narrow down or increase the search range.

Can DataAssist do something like this?

thx
Eric

yes, you can do something similar in data assist search, but it will require hand coding, a good knowledge of querystring variables and how to manipulate links.

the key is to make sure that the search is configured to use the GET method instead of the POST method.


using the GET Method, the search parameters are passed using querystring variables


you can create links that clear a querysting variable, but retain the rest. the exact code to do this will depend on how your search is configured, and the querystring variables that it produces

Thanks Jason!

I am going to start with a test setup. I should setup the initial search links in a form, but I can set the submit function to be the text. So I will have mutiple forms on the main search page. Or does every link need to be a form including the links that will appear on the results page?

This is NOT my test page, but it is what I currently have and I want to make this more robust.
0linksearch.php

So after clicking on the search page links, you are taken to the results page. From those results let's say I just want to see Aparments available in France, so I click Apartments and now the results show just apartments in France. Now I want to narrow that down to just aparments in Paris. Does that make sense?

thx
Eric

yes, you will need to set the initial search up to have filter those criteria, then set the links to pass the necessary query string variables to trigger the filtering.

thanks!

I have setup a test now. I made the first form and ran the search wizard, but it added a form button to the search form:

<form id="form1" name="form1" method="get" action="00-results.php">
<input name="Country" type="hidden" id="Country" value="France" />
<input name="SearchType" type="hidden" id="SearchType" value="Sale" />
<a href="javascript:document.form1.submit();">Sale Properties in France</a>
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td align="center"><input type="submit" name="WADbSearch1" value="Submit" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>

I need to keep the WADbSearch1 name to trigger the search function, correct? So how to I keep that without having the submit button?

thx
Eric

by adding it as a querystring variable:

00-results.php?Country=France&WADbSearch1=Submit


this is why you use the GET method for the search form

the GET method passes the form elements as querystring variables.

thanks Jason!

I am going to post issues as I run into them, if that is okay.

On my results page I have my recordset defined and I have 1 WHERE clause set (DisplayOnSite = '1').

Can I add another WHERE clause directly in the recordset and not affect the search behavior? I ask because I have a field named Country in the Properties table and in the Area table there is also a Country field which is giving me the response:

Column 'Country' in where clause is ambiguous

How should I define which table column, in the Search Behavior Where clause or in the recordset?

thx
Eric

this happens when your recordset is using a join query and you have the same column name in both tables, to fix this error, you will need to edit the DataAssist Search code to add the table name, send a copy of the page an I can tell you what will need changing.

Here you go Jason.

Thx
Eric

change this line:

$WADbSearch1->addComparison("Country","".((isset($_GET["Country"]))?$_GET["Country"]:"")  ."","AND","=",0);

to include the table name:

$WADbSearch1->addComparison("tblName.Country","".((isset($_GET["Country"]))?$_GET["Country"]:"")  ."","AND","=",0);