TWiki Formatted Search

Inline search feature allows flexible formatting of search result

The default output format of a %SEARCH{...}% is a table consisting of topic names and topic summaries. Use the format="..." parameter to customize the search result. The format parameter typically defines a bullet or a table row containing variables, such as %SEARCH{ "food" format="| $topic | $summary |" }%. See %SEARCH{...}% for other search parameters, such as separator="".

Syntax

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

1. header="..." parameter

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

Variables that can be used in the header string:

2. format="..." parameter

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

Variables that can be used in the format string:

Examples

Here are some samples of formatted searches. The SearchPatternCookbook has other examples, such as creating a picklist of usernames, searching for topic children and more.

Bullet list showing topic name and summary

Write this:

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

To get this:

• Topic: Summary:
• NatSkinFAQ: NatSkinFAQ The documentation of NatSkin is crap. I'm lost! If you need help there are a couple of options: Create a support request on TWiki:Support/WebHome ...
• TWikiFAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About TWiki This is a real FAQ, and also a demo of an easily implemented knowledge base solution. To see how it's done, view the source ...
• TWikiFaqTemplate: FAQ: Answer: Back to: TWikiFAQ
• TextFormattingFAQ: Text Formatting FAQ The most frequently asked questions about text formatting are answered. Also, TextFormattingRules contains the complete TWiki shorthand system ...

Table showing form field values of topics with a form

In a web where there is a form that contains a TopicClassification field, an OperatingSystem field and an OsVersion field we could write:

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

To get this:

Extract some text from a topic using regular expression

Write this:

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

To get this:

TWiki FAQs:

• How can I create a simple TWiki Form based application? Answer...
• How do I delete or rename a topic? Answer...
• How do I delete or rename a file attachment? Answer...
• Why does the topic revision not increase when I edit a topic? Answer...
• TWiki has a GPL (GNU General Public License). What is GPL? Answer...
• I've problems with the WebSearch. There is no Search Result on any inquiry. By clicking the Index topic it's the same problem. Answer...
• What happens if two of us try to edit the same topic simultaneously? Answer...
• I would like to install TWiki on my server. Can I get the source? Answer...
• What does the "T" in TWiki stand for? Answer...
• So what is this WikiWiki thing exactly? Answer...
• Everybody can edit any page, this is scary. Doesn't that lead to chaos? Answer...

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. Let's search for all topics that contain the word "culture" (first search), and let's find out where each topic found is linked from (second search).

• First search:
  • %SEARCH{ "culture" format="   * $topic is referenced by: (list all references)" nosearch="on" nototal="on" }%
• Second search. For each hit we want this search:
  • %SEARCH{ "(topic found in first search)" format="$topic" nosearch="on" nototal="on" separator=", " }%
• Now let's nest the two. We need to escape the second search, e.g. the first search will build a valid second search string. Note that we escape the second search so that it does not get evaluated prematurely by the first search:
  • Use $percnt to escape the leading percent of the second search
  • Use \" to escape the double quotes
  • Use $dollar to escape the $ of $topic
  • Use $nop to escape the }% sequence

Write this:

%SEARCH{ "culture" format="   * $topic is referenced by:$n      * $percntSEARCH{ \"$topic\" format=\"$dollartopic\" nosearch=\"on\" nototal=\"on\" separator=\", \" }$nop%" nosearch="on" nototal="on" }%

To get this:

• ATasteOfTWiki is referenced by:
  • ATasteOfTWiki, NewUserTemplate, TWikiUsersGuide, WebLeftBar, WelcomeGuest
• FormattedSearch is referenced by:
  • BreadCrumbsPlugin, EditTablePlugin, EmptyPlugin, FilterPlugin, FlexWebListPlugin, GluePlugin, HeadlinesPlugin, IfDefinedPlugin, InterwikiPlugin, ManagingWebs, MathModePlugin, MySideBarTemplate, NatSkinPlugin, NewsPlugin, PreferencesPlugin, RedDotPlugin, RenderListPlugin, SearchHelp, SearchPatternCookbook, SlideShowPlugin, SmiliesPlugin, SpreadSheetPlugin, TWikiDocumentation, TWikiForms, TWikiHistory, TWikiMetaData, TWikiReferenceManual, TWikiReleaseNotes04x00, TWikiReleaseNotes04x01, TWikiScripts, TWikiSearchDotPm, TWikiSiteTools, TWikiUISearchDotPm, TWikiVariablesQuickStart, VarMETA, VarSEARCH, VarURLPARAM, WebLeftBar, WelcomeGuest
• TWikiAccessControl is referenced by:
  • EditTablePlugin, FileAttachment, MainFeatures, ManagingTopics, ManagingUsers, SitePermissions, SourceCode, TWikiAccessControl, TWikiDocumentation, TWikiForms, TWikiFuncDotPm, TWikiHistory, TWikiPreferences, TWikiReferenceManual, TWikiReleaseNotes04x01, TWikiScripts, TWikiSiteTools, TWikiTopics, TWikiTutorial, TWikiUserAuthentication, TWikiVariables, VarSEARCH, WebPreferences, WebPreferencesHelp, WikiCulture, WikiWord
• TWikiSite is referenced by:
  • AdminToolsCategory, InstantEnhancements, InterwikiPlugin, ManagingWebs, StartingPoints, TWikiDocumentation, TWikiGlossary, TWikiI18NDotPm, TWikiInstallationGuide, TWikiPreferences, TWikiReferenceManual, TWikiScripts, TWikiSite, TWikiTopics, TWikiTutorial, TWikiUserAuthentication, TWikiUsersGuide, WabiSabi, WebLeftBar, WebSiteTools, WelcomeGuest, WhatDoesTWikiStandFor, WhatIsWikiWiki, WikiCulture, WikiReferences
• WabiSabi is referenced by:
  • TWikiSite, WabiSabi, WhatIsWikiWiki, WikiCulture
• WhatIsWikiWiki is referenced by:
  • TWikiReleaseNotes04x00, WikiCulture
• WikiCulture is referenced by:
  • TWikiAccessControl, TWikiSite, WabiSabi, WhatIsWikiWiki

Note: Nested search can be slow, especially if you nest more then 3 times. Nesting is limited to 16 levels. For each new nesting level you need to "escape the escapes", e.g. write $dollarpercntSEARCH{ for level three, $dollardollarpercntSEARCH{ for level four, etc.

Most recently changed pages

Write this:

%SEARCH{ "\.*" scope="topic" type="regex" nosearch="on" nototal="on" order="modified" reverse="on"  format="| [[$topic]] | $wikiusername  | $date |" limit="7" }%

To get this:

Search with conditional output

A regular expression search is flexible, but there are limitations. For example, you cannot show all topics that are up to exactly one week old, or create a report that shows all records with invalid form fields or fields within a certain range, etc. You need some additional logic to format output based on a condition:

1. Specify a search which returns more hits then you need
2. For each search hit apply a spreadsheet formula to determine if the hit is needed
3. If needed, format and output the result
4. Else supress the search hit

This requires the TWiki:Plugins.SpreadSheetPlugin. The following example shows all topics that are up to exactly one week old.

Write this:

%CALC{$SET(weekold, $TIMEADD($TIME(), -7, day))}%
%SEARCH{ "." scope="topic" type="regex" nosearch="on" nototal="on" order="modified" reverse="on" format="$percntCALC{$IF($TIME($date) < $GET(weekold), <nop>, | [[$topic]] | $wikiusername | $date | $rev |)}$percnt" limit="100" }%

• The first line sets the weekold variable to the serialized date of exactly one week ago
• The SEARCH has a deferred CALC. The $percnt makes sure that the CALC gets executed once for each search hit
• The CALC compares the date of the topic with the weekold date
• If topic is older, a <nop> is returned, which gets removed at the end of the TWiki rendering process
• Otherwise, the search hit is formatted and returned

To get this:

Embedding search forms to return a formatted result

Use an HTML form and an embedded formatted search on the same topic. You can link them together with an %URLPARAM{"..."}% variable. Example:

Write this:

<form action="%SCRIPTURLPATH{"view"}%/%WEB%/%TOPIC%">
Find Topics: 
<input type="text" name="q" size="32" value="%URLPARAM{"q"}%" />&nbsp;<input type="submit" class="twikiSubmit" value="Search" />
</form>
Result:
%SEARCH{ search="%URLPARAM{"q"}%" format="   * $web.$topic: %BR% $summary" nosearch="on" }%

To get this:

Related Topics: UserDocumentationCategory, SearchHelp, TWikiVariables#VarSEARCH, SearchPatternCookbook, RegularExpression

-- Contributors: TWiki:Main.PeterThoeny, TWiki:Main.CrawfordCurrie