Thunderstone Search Appliance Manual

Integrating Search with your Site

There are four main techniques to integrate the Parametric Search Appliance with your site. The techniques are categorized as follows:

• Link to the Appliance

• Embed a search box

• Request XML search results

• Invoke the search SOAP API

The first two are simple to implement. They involve only static HTML content, and can be used in situations where no dynamic scripting is available.

The latter two are more powerful and can be used in dynamically generated web sites. You'll create a "search page" for your site (search.php, search.aspx, etc) which accepts a query from the search user. Your search page makes a search query (HTTP request) to the Parametric Search Appliance, and receives result data. Your search page then displays the data in whatever manner you wish to the search user.

The advantage of the latter two methods is your site controls all interaction with the search user, making it easy for your search results page to "inherit" the look and feel of your site. They never contact the Parametric Search Appliance directly.