Search Page Titles only?

[Eric]

Hello,
I have a site which is a large flower directory. When I run a search for the word Daisy, I don't want every instance of the word Daisy to come up, I only want those page titles (which are each their own category) with the word Daisy in the Page Title itself, to come up in the search results.

Is this possible to do with Zoom?

Eric.

[David]

If I understand your correctly, you don't want to search the content of your pages, but only want to search the page titles?

You can do this by turning off the indexing of the page content from the "indexin options" tab in the Zoom configuration window.

-----
David

[Eric]

Hi David,
Thank you for your help, this is an excellent tool, far more versatile then the other three SE packages I've tested. I've not received a response from my email to the wrensoft sales group that I sent 3 days ago, so I'd like to ask you, is there a limit to how many installs per license or is it unlimited? I would only be using this from one computer.

Thank you again for your help.

Eric.

[David]

We answer all of our E-mail each day. So this probably means we either didn't get your E-Mail or you didn't get out reply. (You might want to check your spam filters).

A summary of the license conditions are here,
http://www.wrensoft.com/zoom/support...s.html#license

-=-=-=-=-

A license is required for each copy of the Zoom Indexer application installed on a computer (Standard and Professional Editions only).

However, each installed copy of the Indexer can be used to create and maintain multiple search engines, for different sites.

So if you manage 5 different websites and index all of these sites from the same computer (with one installation of Zoom Indexer), then you will only need one license.

But if each of these websites will be indexed from different computers (eg. the clients you are designing the websites for will want to be indexing the site from their own computers), then you will need multiple copies of Zoom Indexer for each computer, and a license per Indexer.

You can also distribute the search files generated by the Indexer on an unlimited number of CDs and DVDs. There are no royalty fees for distributing the search files generated. However, you must retain the copyright information within the search scripts.
-=-=-=-=-

David

[Eric]

Thanks again for your help David. have a good weekend.

Eric.

[totalhosting]

Actually, what I would like is a "titles-only" option in my search form. I still want people to be able to search everything if they want, but I would like the option to search only an indexable option (search descrip, search keywords, search title, etc) from an advanced search form.

Also, if I am using this for a SQL based site, can I set the search form to search specific DB fields (product code, product name, category, company, etc)?

I am using the cgi engine for my form.

Thanks

Pete Stoermer
www.TotalHosting.com

[David]

There is no option in Zoom to allow the end user to select a 'titles only' search.

The only way to do this would be to create two sets of index files. A full set and a titles only set of files. Then allow the user to switch between the sets of index files via some custom scripting or via having two search forms.

Doing direct searching of SQL databases and merging results just doesn't make any practical sense.

A more sensible and practical solution to database searching is described here,
http://www.wrensoft.com/zoom/support/faq_howto.html#sql

---
David

[totalhosting]

Ok, Thanks.

What I am after is a search interface like this:
http://www.kultur.com/page/Kultur/SRCHM which is driven by a module for Miva Merchant shopping cart.

Instead of having two search forms and complex custom scripting, why not just use a "select" list (or check box, or whatever) to choose which search script is to be used, based on the search that is to be performed (titles only, descript only, full site search, etc).

How do I do a "titles only" index?

Regards,

Pete

[David]

I know what you want. But multi-criteria field based searches are inherently suitable for relation database systems. But Zoom isn't a relation database system and doesn't allow this.

> Instead of ... complex custom scripting, why not
> just use a "select" list to choose which search
> script is to be used

And how do you choose which search scipt to use without a custom script? (Note that I didn't say it had to be complex, just customised).

> How do I do a "titles only" index?

See my initial reply above.

------
David

[totalhosting]

Hi David,

Thanks for the replies.

I went back and found the Titles Only option in What to Index. Thanks.

I was thinking of something like this to manage the multiple searches:
http://www.javascriptkit.com/script/...e_search.shtml Or is there a way to add a HIDDEN value to tell search.cgi which index to search? Or would I need to have a search.cgi and a search1.cgi to pull it off?

Something custom, but not overly complex

Is there a way to "emulate" a RDBS? What about adding additional ZOOMWORDS? Such as ZOOMWORDS1, ZOOMWORDS2 ... ZOOMEWORDSn, whereby a user can define the number from within the Zoom config? Then one could "map" the extra ZOOMWORDS to whatever fields they have or need in the DB and then when the page builder generates the actual web pages, just pull the value into the approriate meta tag.

Then in your search form, you would need to be able to limit the search to a particular ZOOMWORD (or combination (via form widgets, perhaps)).

This could be a very powerful feature, if financially feasible. Please feel free to contact me directly if it's of interest to you. Or if you can think of another way, I would love to know how. I am looking for a way to "searchandize" properly, giving the end user more precise control over what they get back in the results, as well as ways to cross and upsell product. Ordinarily, I would do it within the native application creating the pages (such as Miva Merchant). But not in this case.

If you need more than one search index file generated (such as for a "titles-only" index or the extra n ZOOMWORDS-only indices needed), is there a way to run them all in sequence or is manual intervention required after each indexing is completed? Of course, sequentially would be the preferred method.

Actually, another need would be then have a form in the search results page to let the customer "compare products." Probably via a checkbox next to each result. If you have any ideas on that, I would like to discuss that as well.

One last question. Is there a way to make the "page skip list" per index, as well? Since the site I am using Zoom on has a lot of "category" pages that you winnow through to get to their products, I would actually like to exclude them all from what would then become a "product" search versus a "site" search. But I would like to have a "site" search option, as well.

Thanks again.

Pete
Total Hosting

[David]

Yes you would need a script like the multi_site_search.shtml script to switch between sets of index files.

> Or is there a way to add a HIDDEN value
> to tell search.cgi which index to search?

search.cgi always uses files from its current directory. There is no switch.

> Or would I need to have a search.cgi
> and a search1.cgi to pull it off?

The easiest solution would be to have 2 sets of files in different directories.
e.g. /searchfull and /searchtitle

> Is there a way to "emulate" a RDBS?

Everything is possible if you have enough money and time to throw at the problem. But at some point it becomes cheaper to develop a new solution rather than trying to shoehorn an application to do something it wasn't designed for.

Yes, the custom meta tags idea is something that could be implemented. It is probably still several days of custom development work however.

> is there a way to run them all in sequence

You could schedule them at different times or write a DOS style script.

> let the customer "compare products."

Again this is function a database is good add. Each product would have a product ID, product title & product description, etc.. in the database. Which makes it easy to display, compare, select & categorize products. Zoom doesn't have any concept of a product. To Zoom it all looks like text, becuase Zoom is a text search engine. (not a product search engine).

> a way to make the "page skip list" per index, as well

Yes, just make multiple Zoom configuration files.

You might also want to have a look at the categories feature in Zoom.

-----
David

[totalhosting]

Hi David,

Thanks.

I appreciate your support in this.

Feel free to email me your contact information and we can discuss this off forum.

This is the site we implemented Zoom on: www.tequipment.net. Their pages rank very well, so they do not want to make any structural changes to the website.

The ecommerce engine is Monster Commerce. Not all the page information is stored within Monster and their search system is not very flexible, anyway.

If you have other ideas, other than trying to "shoe horn" Zoom, I would be very interested to hear what they are.

Otherwise, let me know what sort of estimate we are talking to add the multi-ZOOMWORDS functionality, as this might be the best way to go.

As far as the compare products system, I was not expecting it to be a "Zoom-based" solution. I just wanted to know if you have any thoughts on how to pull it off.

The site is a hybrid of Dynamic page generation and static HTML. Which is both a boon to search spidering, but a pain when trying to make it ecommerce-friendly. I am trying to find the "best-fit" solution.

At some point they will need to extend the product records to include a multitude of attributes/extra product fields, so that a comparison system can be implemented.

Again, feel free to contact me direct at pete [at] totalhosting.com.

Thanks.

Pete