**Formatted Search Using <code>**%SEARCH\{... format="..."\}%**</code> Variable**

%TOC%

## <a name="Preface"> Preface </a>

By default, the format for displaying a search result is fixed, e.g. a table with rows of topic name and topic summary. Use the `format="..."` parameter to specify a customized format of the search result. The string of the format parameter is typically a bullet list or table row containing variables (i.e. <code>%SEARCH\{ "food" format="| $topic | $summary |" \}%</code>).

## <a name="Syntax"> Syntax </a>

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

1. `header="..."` parameter

Use the header paramter to specify the header of a search result. It should correspond to the format of the format parameter. This parameter is optional. I.e. <code>header="| \*Topic:\* | \*Summary:\* |"</code>

2. `format="..."` parameter

Use the format paramter to specify the format of one search hit. I.e. `format="| $topic | $summary |"`

Variables that can be used in the format string:

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0">
  <tr>
    <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"><strong>Name:</strong></th>
    <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"><strong>Expands To:</strong></th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$web</code></td>
    <td> Name of the web </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$topic</code></td>
    <td> Topic name </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$locked</code></td>
    <td> LOCKED flag (if any) </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$date</code></td>
    <td> Time stamp of last topic update </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$rev</code></td>
    <td> Number of last topic revision, i.e. <code>1.4</code></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$wikiusername</code></td>
    <td> Wiki user name of last topic update, i.e. <code>%MAINWEB%.<nop>JohnSmith</nop></code></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$summary</code></td>
    <td> Topic summary </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$formfield(name)</code></td>
    <td> The field value of a form field, i.e. <code>$formfield(<span style="background:"><font color="">Topic Classification</font></span><a href="http://LOCATION/TopicClassification">?</a>)</code> would get expanded to <code>PublicFAQ</code>. This applies only to topics that have a <span style="background:"><font color="">TWiki Form</font></span><a href="http://LOCATION/TWikiForms">?</a></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><code>$pattern(reg-exp)</code></td>
    <td> A regular expression pattern to extract some text from a topic, i.e. <code>$pattern(.*?\*.*?Email\:\s*([^\n\r]+).*)</code> extracts the email address from a bullet of format <code>* Email: ...</code>. </td>
  </tr>
</table>

**_Note:_** For `$pattern(reg-exp)`, specify a [[RegularExpression]] that scans from start to end and contains the text you want to keep in parenthesis, i.e. `$pattern(.*?(from here.*?to here).*)`. You need to make sure that the integrity of a web page is not compromised, i.e. if you include a table make sure to include everything including the table end tag.

## <a name="Examples"> Examples </a>

### <a name="Bullet_list_showing_topic_name_a"> Bullet list showing topic name and summary </a>

Write this:

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

To get this:

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

### <a name="Table_showing_form_field_values_"> Table showing form field values of topics with a form </a>

Write this in the Know web:

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

To get this:

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0">
  <tr>
    <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"><strong>Topic:</strong></th>
    <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"><strong>OperatingSystem:</strong></th>
    <th bgcolor="#99CCCC"><strong>OsVersion:</strong></th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/IncorrectDllVersionW32PTH10DLL">IncorrectDllVersionW32PTH10DLL</a></td>
    <td><a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/OsWin">OsWin</a></td>
    <td> 95/98 </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/WinDoze95Crash">WinDoze95Crash</a></td>
    <td><a href="%SCRIPTURLPATH%/view%SCRIPTSUFFIX%/Know/OsWin">OsWin</a></td>
    <td> 95 </td>
  </tr>
</table>

### <a name="Extract_some_text_from_a_topic_u"> Extract some text from a topic using regular expression </a>

Write this:

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

To get this:

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

-- [[Main/PeterThoeny]] - 24 Oct 2001 <br />