Solutions : Site Search : Item Search

Item Search
Installation and Usage

FILENAME: is.html

PURPOSE:

Describes the installation and use of Item Search.

DEPENDENCIES:

se.pl - Search configuration and common logic modules (see: se.html)
jhzcs.pl - JHZ-CS configuration and common logic modules (see: jhzcs.html)
IID (Item Information Dataset)

REQUIREMENTS:

is.cgi (web interface component)
is.htm (template)

OPTIONAL:

Support for Item Compare and Banner Rotator System requires those components to be installed and configured according to their specifications. Inclusion of Special Template markup supporting those components must also be included within the template supported by this product. See sample template provided with this product.

PACKING (PARTS) LIST

INSTALLATION:

TEMPLATES:

Customize template for content and appearance as desired:

is.htm

The following Special mark-up within the Item Search template indicates the start and end of the repeating entries for the items matching the search criteria:

 
	<!-- Entry Start -->
	<!-- Entry End -->
	

Any variable contained in the IID may be referenced using the variables (column header name) wrapped in less than greater than pairs. The variable name cannot contain spaces.

Two special keywords are available for use when using a variable reference within web page anchor names, anchor references and CGI URL parameters. This allows use of referenced variables that equate to an item values containing spaces. The use of these special keywords causes spaces to be translated or escaped using the required character sequences.

The special keywords are:

 
ANCHOR

PARAM
	

EXAMPLES:

 
c.cgi?c=<<category PARAM>>
	

 
<a href="#<<category ANCHOR>>"> (link to subsequent name anchor)
<a name="<<category ANCHOR>>">
	

TEST:

Test installation and configuration by invoking is.cgi from a web browser using a test page containing Item Search Controls.

1. Test passing a valid search criteria

2. Test passing an invalid search criteria

3. Test all JHZ-CS page generators for correct replacement of Item Search parameters; "cat", "subcat" and "manufacture".

Add Item Search Controls to static pages and dynamic page templates as desired including the appropriate parameters and values to yield the desired results; e.g., category, subcategory, manufacture and search_all.

USAGE:

Insert Item Search Controls with markup in static pages and templates.

The JHZ-CS Page Generator Solution Templates already contain the Item Search Controls and will automatically set the hidden parameters (Form Fields) values as appropriate for the particular manufacture, category, and/or subcategory for the page being generated.

You may note the special markup variable <<search_text>> contained as a value for form field "search_text" in Item Search markup contained in Item Search Results templates. This causes the user entered Search Criteria to be retained in that field when the Item Search Results are generated and displayed.

<input type=text name="search_text"
value="<<search_text>>" size=12 maxlength=40>
	

For static page insertion use the following syntax to "search all departments".

<!-- JHZ-CS Search Template Start -->
<form action="/cgi-bin/se/is.cgi" method=post>
	<input type=hidden name="manufacture" value="">
	<input type=hidden name="cat" value="">
	<input type=hidden name="subcat" value="">
	<input type=hidden name="all_cats" value=1>
	<input type=text name="search_text" value="" size=12 maxlength=40>
	<input type=submit value="Search">
</form>
<!-- JHZ-CS Search Template End --> 
	

The Special Directives "<!-- JHZ-CS Search Template Start -->" and "<!-- JHZ-CS Search Template End -->" identify Item Search variables to the JHZ-CS Page Generators for variable replacement of the hidden parameters; "cat", "subcat" and "manufacture". They must be present to cause the variables to be properly set duing the dynamic page generation process.

In Category, Subcategory and Manufacture specific static pages you may restrict the search by putting values into the hidden input fields value parameters. Specify valid values contained in the IID. To allow the user to optionally search all departments, change the "all_cats" hidden input field to a checkbox and label it with text. Example:

<input type=checkbox name="all_cats" value=1> Search All Departments