Will pay for css and search engine configuration help

[blumuze]

I'm looking for someone who knows Zoom and CSS backwards and forwards to help me set up my search engine, search page and results pages to fit my existing DVD based design, and I'm willing to pay the right person a reasonable amount for that help. The problem is that I'm not getting all the information I want in the results, and it doesn't look the way I want it to look.

To better understand what I need, the results pages should look something like this: http://www.globalgraffiti.com/pages/jacques.htm , complete with the play and download buttons/links. This page is an album detail, so the header would be different. The header would look more like the top portion of this page: www.globalgraffiti.com/OPEN_THIS.htm .

Furthermore, the results pages would contain one additional column with the name of the album the particular song comes from (and/or a thumbnail of the album cover), and a link to that album's detail page (as above).

FYI, all mp3 files (both the clips and full versions) are fully tagged, plus I have extensive additional information available in Excel format, and can tailor such database to provide most any kind of information, including paths.

I'll be checking this forum for responses, or I can be reached directly at contact@globalgraffiti.com .

Thanks

[David]

I think more is required than just some CSS.

You can use CSS for styling the page (fonts, colors, spacing, etc..). But you can't use CSS to insert a "Play MP3 button".

The Play button on the example site you referenced, makes use of Javascript and Flash to steam down the MP3 files. And Zoom won't insert arbitary Javascript and Flash code into your search results page.

In short, you are going to need some custom software development, in addition to some CSS work.

If you don't get any other responses then you are welcome to conatct us. But we would want a more detailed specification before we could quote the work. e.g. Is this for DVD only, does it need to be a cross platform DVD, do you have a preference for scripting language (eg. PHP, CGI), what is your time frame, does each of your MP3's also have a web page associated with it, can we get a copy of the entire site before hand, how many MP3s are we talking about, etc..

[blumuze]

Hi. Yes. What you described is exactly what I expected and wanted from CSS, but I was hoping the search engine could help with gathering the objects I wanted to appear in the results; linked images, thumbnails, et cetera. I do see your point, though, about the javascript and the flash player as those links would have to be generated dynamically through some kind of server technology and a database. All way beyond the simple solution I was looking for considering my short time frame. (two weeks)

I would be content at this point to have the CSS I need, let Zoom scan my mp3 files for the results data, and settle for the text hyperlink to play mp3 file in whatever player the user's computer associates with that format. I've already got Zoom to do this (minus the CSS I want). The problem is, in spite of the fact that my mp3s are fully tagged, the only data it seems to pull from them is the song title and keywords (from the comment field). This is almost good enough, but I would also like it to display the artist, genre, CD title and CD Code.

Any ideas?

[David]

You can find a large amount of information about indexing and searching MP3 files here.

If it isn't finding all the information you expect for a particular MP3 file can you post the link to that particular file. The are in fact a variety of slightly different MP3 formats but in most cases Zoom should pick up.
Song Title
Artist
Album
Year
Comment
Genre
Track

Also see this FAQ about adding thumbnails to your search results.

[blumuze]

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Here's a typical example of my tags -- which show up in iTunes as well as a whole host of mp3 tagging programs:

http://www.globalgraffiti.com/01--Beyond_Tasty--30--M_Battaglia--GGM004.mp3

Like I mentioned, the only thing that shows up in the search results is the song title and the contents of the comment field. However, I have checked the top five boxes in the "what to index" under "Indexing Options" (Title of Page through Meta Author)

I'll check out the link you gave me.

thanks

[David]

Zoom finds the following words in your MP3 file.

Album :Odds Ends Promos Bumpers 01 Track :01 Year :GGM004 MPEG :1 Layer :III Bitrate :320kpbs Sampling :48.0kHz Channel :Stereo Emphasis :None FrameSize :1152 FrameLen :960 Duration :00:31 Mid Tempo Urban Hip Hop Inst promo Beyond Tasty

Which seems to correctly match what is in the file in question. Maybe you are getting confused between what is indexed and what is displayed. For example Zoom will index the entire content of a PDF file, but the entire content is not displayed in the search result. Nor do we display all of the above information for each MP3 search result.

[blumuze]

Are you saying that it can't display all this information, or that it simply isn't for some reason? How can I make it display the information it indexes, particularly the the title, album, track, year and comment tags?

Thanks

[David]

The information displayed in search results depends on 4 main factors,
1) What you index, as determined by the "indexing options" tab in the Zoom configuration window and the MP3 extension configuration window.
2) What you select to display for each search result, from the "results layout" tab. (and on the "limits" tab for the description length).
3) The script option you select. (in particular the Javascript script option doesn't display context information)
4) The search term(s) or phrases entered by the user.

All the information indexed has the potential to be displayed. But the search terms entered and the display settings determine what is actually displayed for a particular search. This information is treated like a block of text (similar to the contents of a HTML file, or PDF file). If won't output these fields in columns if that is what you are hoping for.

[blumuze]

I suppose I expected too much from the software. Hope springs eternal, no?! Honestly, I would have stayed with the trial version to this point, but the mp3 plug-in was only available to paid users, so I had no option if I wanted to know the whole story. No matter, I will write it off on my taxes

You are an unusual developer, and a good person, in that you've offered so much of your personal time to help me, and I appreciate that. I think you have a good product, it's just not the right product for me, for this application, at this time.

Regards

[David]

V6 of the software available in a few months, (as a free upgrade to people who have purchased in the 6 months prior to the release).

It has a new feature called "Custom Meta Fields". This upcoming feature might help a bit with what you are trying to do as it will give more control of the fields displayed. To do exactly what I suspect you are after, would still take some custom development however.