Here are a few tips on zoom setup

[come_in_girl_number_5]

Hi,
Used zoom v6 for the first time yesterday - just thought i add my tuppence-worth of advice for new users. Here are two points i came unstuck on and figured out (easy as they may be to some) :

Problem 1.
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Most users like me want to use zoom search in an existing website which probably already has a search form (uncoded) and a search page - so how do you search from an existing search input-box?

Solution
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I had to dig around in the help file to find out that the 'input' box for entering your search criteria should be named 'zoom_query' ( i.e. name="zoom_query" ) other wise, simply pointing to the search.php (in the case of php) file in the 'form action' attribute simply sends you to the search template.html file without the search query.

Initially i spend 40 minutes looking at the example websites of users using zoom and noticed in the address bar after a search the query-string '?zoom_query=blahblah'& ....

Wrensoft:
Most users of your script will want to use the search script in this manner (especially if they're using a website template, pre-built but filled with 'lorum ipsum bumf) - could you make it more obvious what values are required for the most crucial part of the zoom functionality???


Problem 2. (specific to php users)
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Kept recieving a php error after 'including' the search.php script in my custom search page. The error stated that cannot send headers since they've been sent already - this, as an experienced php dev, i figured immediately and
commented out the lines (starting on line 99 of the search.php script):

if (isset($Charset) && $NoCharset == 0)
  header("Content-Type: text/html; charset=" . $Charset); 

Not needed if you php 'include' the search.php file in you custom search page with headers already loaded. Since the
search.php script needs to be embedded 'inline' the page has already fully loaded (header, body and all) by the time you attempt to 'include' search.php. This again is only a problem if you wish to create your own search page (instead of the search_template.html page) because you want to add your own headers footers and custom php.

Again not mentioned anywhere in the help docs - so less experienced php's may find this useful

thanks

[David]

Both issues are actually covered near the top of the FAQ page.

Problem #1
Q. How do I add search boxes to my web pages?
Q. How do I put search forms on pages besides the search page? (Or define my own search form?)


Problem #2
Q. How can I add server-side scripting (eg. PHP, ASP) to the search template?

In particular for the 2nd problem don't edit our script. It will only cause problems later on when we patch the script. Instead follow the instructions in the FAQ, regarding the "Disable charset enforcing on search script" option.

[come_in_girl_number_5]

point 1

Hi,
thanks for the reply
Ok, got issue 2, i totally missed that setting in the config tab. Regarding issue 1 the point i was making is if the 'zoom_query' value was made clear in the wizard during initial set-up then there would be no need to delve into the help files and zoom search would work directly out of the box for both instances:
1. zoom search on a new web page and
2. zoom search on an existing web page form.

The help file (as excellent as it is) only need be investigated when anything beyond the basic usage is required as with all good help systems.

That aside, now familiar with it i will not venture elsewhere as its the best search solution I've found in years. I will use the full version for large-scale projects both on and offline.

many thanks,