What is the code for this form

[edbarton]

I want a form that can do a search on either my search engine or my directory. I believe one uses post and the other get as the form code so is this a challenge or not. Is it possible?

I want something similar to the search thing on www.tiscali.co.uk

[JuggoPop]

you probably want something running from your domain more than this ... but what about google's free site search options? they are customizable... and I think could endup looking like that.

[edbarton]

No I got that. Sorry mistake up there. I have a search engine that runs of Google and I have a search on my directory. I want a search form on my main site that in the same text entry box can do a search of either one or the other based on a drop down selection box.

[JuggoPop]

oh... gotcha... I thought you didn't have any search code yet but wanted to be able to search your site or the web... which on "google free" they have a customizable search that will do just that...

maybe someone else will have a better answer.

[dave conz]

Does your site search use a query string appended to the URL for its searches? EG www . domain . com/search.cgi?term=whatever

If so, a fairly simple javascript function would do this. If you let me know the URL I might be able to whip something up (no promises).

[edbarton]

I have got the two searches on my site at the moment but they are seperate. www.blueuniverse.co.uk

The form for my search engine is

<form method="get" action="http://www.blueuniverse.co.uk/search/index.php">
<input name="REQ" type="text" size="20" />
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Web Search" />
</form>

The form for my directory is

<form method="get" action="http://www.blueuniverse.co.uk/dir/search.php">
<input name="q" type="text" size="20" />
<input type="submit" name="submitsearch" value="Directory Search" />
</form>

[dave conz]

I have to go out for a few hours but I'll try to have a look at this when I get back (unless someone else beats me to it).

[sim]

use a php script, use the POST then redirect it to either of those url's

[dave conz]

If you're happy to use javascript, try this....

Put the following code in your head:
[code:1:2c0b3867d4]<script language="JavaScript">
function dosearch() {
var sf=document.searchform;
var srchstring = escape(sf.searchterms.value);
var srcheng = sf.sengines.options[sf.sengines.selectedIndex].val ue;
var websearch1 = "http://www.blueuniverse.co.uk/search/index.php?REQ=";
var websearch2 = "&submit=Web+Search";
var dirsearch1 = "http://www.blueuniverse.co.uk/dir/search.php?q=";
var dirsearch2 = "&submitsearch=Directory+Search";
if (srcheng == "websearch") {
var submitto = websearch1 + srchstring + websearch2;
} else {
var submitto = dirsearch1 + srchstring + dirsearch2;
}
window.location.href = submitto;
return false;
}
</script>[/code:1:2c0b3867d4]
Then use this for your form:[code:1:2c0b3867d4]<form name="searchform" onSubmit="return dosearch();">
Search:
<select name="sengines">
<option value="websearch" selected>Web Search</option>
<option value="dirsearch">Directory Search</option>
</select>
For:
<input type="text" name="searchterms">
<input type="submit" name="SearchSubmit" value="Search">
</form>
[/code:1:2c0b3867d4]

[edbarton]

Thanks dave.

[edbarton]

Now when adding this I have come across this problem. (Related to forms in general). For some reason it is throwing things off.

The code for the form bit is

[code:1:9c3e51bbfd]
<td colspan="6" align="center" valign="middle" nowrap="nowrap" class="lightgrey"><form name="searchform" onsubmit="return dosearch();">
<input type="text" name="searchterms" />
<input type="submit" name="SearchSubmit" value="Search" />
<select name="sengines">
<option value="websearch" selected>Web Search</option>
<option value="dirsearch">Directory Search</option>
</select>
</form></td>
[/code:1:9c3e51bbfd]

The css styles for lightgrey and form are

[code:1:9c3e51bbfd]
form {
text-align: center;
vertical-align: middle;
}
.lightgrey {
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 9px;
color: #FFFFFF;
line-height: 8px;
background-color: #cccccc;
}
[/code:1:9c3e51bbfd]

Any idea why this is happening. The grey box should be inline with the image.

[edbarton]

Also it doesn't seem to be aligning to the middle

[edbarton]

Funnily enough it seems to be better in Mozilla, the grey box is aligned with the image. However the form still isn't aligning to the middle of the box.

Have a look at it here http://www.blueuniverse.co.uk/new/

[JuggoPop]

couldn't you put the form in a DIV tag and adding style padding to the top, forcing it to move down?

[dave conz]

JuggoPop's suggestion sounds good.

[edbarton]

I had a go with your suggestions and I managed to get it aligned to the middle. Unfortunately the table decided to double in height when I did this though.

It is actually only supposed to be 37px tall.

[JuggoPop]

take the cellpadding off the table (if there is any) ...

[edbarton]

There isn't any. I just have padding on the layer.

[JuggoPop]

hmmm... I don't know if this will make a difference, but try changing it from valign=middle to top, then put in the padding needed.

that may be off, I looked at you css and source, I don't see the problem off hand...

[edbarton]

Well, I think I've done my best with it now. The box looks fine in Mozilla size wise but IE seems to want to bloat it a bit. I guess I will have to live with it though. Thanks for the help with it Dave and Juggo. Much appreciated.