Integrating an app into the site-wide search

[chuckf]

This is a request for you to make site-wide search and advanced search more generic.

I'm writting an app for IPB that can only be used by subscribers.

I've read the article and implemented searchPlugin and searchDisplay and they are working however the integration capabilities could use more support.

1) My app disables searching app specific data for non-subscribers resulting in a "No results found for..." message. I'd like the ability to change this message to something like "Only subscribers can search the <app-name> database".

2) The advanced search form is currently geared toward searching forums and uses forum specific lables like author, forum, post, etc. I think these terms should be more generic, e.g. change "Find in forum:" to "Find in:".

3) My app lets subscribers maintain various lists akin to forums and topics. I'd like the ability to add these lists to the "Find in forum:" list box in the advanced search form.

I know what I'm asking for is not trivial but it would provide a truely integrated site-wide search capability.

[Michael]

1. You could probably use the formatContent function to check permissions and give an error message there.
2. You should only use the "Find in forum:" list if you're going to be looking in forums, see #3 below.
3. You need to add a new section to the advanced search page using the getFilterHTML function, like what IP.Downloads does to show the categories on that page.