The following table lists all available search parameters, including required syntax, a description of their default values, and examples. Each of these parameters can be used to extend or enhance the functionality of the search page templates or to create new search page templates from scratch. For more information about how to implement parameters in an HTML document, see Customizing Your Search Solutions.
HINT: If you use a parameter but leave its value blank, the default value for that parameter will be used.
Table 16. Search Parameters
| Parameter Name | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
server |
String |
Specifies the name of the virtual search server which is to receive this request. This query parameter is optional if the domain name of the request matches the name or alias of a registered virtual search server. Syntax: server=virtual_search_server_name Example: server=digitalairlines Default: domain name portion of search request |
querynumber |
String |
The actual search criteria that is passed to the Web Search Server. The next six parameters below are combined with this parameter and are identified by adding the unique number to them. Syntax: querynumber=searchcriteria Example: query0=novell+AND+groupwise |
filternumber |
String |
The &filter#= query parameter is used to send additional query details not specified by the user to help limit the scope of a search. Normally, these would be included as hidden fields on an HTML form. This parameter supports all of the same features and functionality as the &query= parameter. However, unlike the &query= parameter, this parameter can be sent multiple times for a single query item. The individual filters associated with a single query item are joined using the value of the filteroperator parameter. The set of filters is logically joined with the rest of the query item using the boolean AND operator. Syntax: filternumber=searchcriteria Example: filter0=/product=Groupwise See also filteroperatornumber. |
filteroperatornumber |
Number |
This parameter identifies the boolean conjunction to be used between multiple filters (several filters can be associated with a single query item). The complete set of filters is always associated with the corresponding query item using the boolean AND operator.
Syntax: filteroperatornumber=number Example: filteroperator0=1 Default: None See also the query parameters operatornumber and filternumber. |
idnumber |
String |
A document ID that is used to narrow a search. You can specify more than one ID by using the same field name more than once. Syntax: idnumber=documentID Example: &id0=z1.0010.&id0=z1.0020 Default: None |
operatornumber |
Integer |
Indicates which operator to use between two or more words in a search.
Syntax: operatornumber=number Example: operator0=1 |
weightnumber |
Integer |
Lets you assign a level of importance to the current query item as far as it relates to the other query items that are part of the search query. Web Search Server uses this number along with the relevance number to determine a search results' final relevance and then orders the results accordingly. Range: 0 to 100 Syntax: weightnumber=number Example: weight0=75 |
typenumber |
Integer |
Indicates the type of search. Options include:
Syntax: typenumber=number Example: type0=2 Default: 0 (zero) |
date |
Integer |
Lets you specify a date range to be searched in milliseconds. The example shows the number of milliseconds spanning a three-month time frame. The minus sign (-) before the number indicates three months back in time. If you pass a positive number such as 940457147873, then Web Search creates a date and time based on the number of milliseconds elapsed since January 1, 1970; 12:00 a.m. The example number 940457147873 produces the search start date of October 20, 1999, at 4:05:47 p.m. Syntax: date=number Example: date=-7905600000 |
filefilter |
String |
Use this query parameter to filter search results based on their path, domain, filename, or extension. This parameter uses the same query syntax as the &query= parameter. Syntax: filefilter=value Example: filefilter=www.novell.com Example: filefilter=pdf Default: None |
index |
String |
Lets you restrict a search to one or more specified indexes. The index name you specify using this parameter must exactly match the name of an index defined at the server. You can specify more than one index by either sending this parameter more than once or by separating the list of indexes with a semi-colon. Syntax: index=index_name1[;index_name2] Example: index=GroupWise&index=NetWare Example: index=GroupWise;NetWare |
numhits |
Integer |
Indicates the number of hits you want returned at one time in the search results page. Syntax: numhits=number Example: numhits=25 Default: 25 |
starthit |
Integer |
Indicates the hit number you want Web Search to begin searching from. If you entered 35 as the STARTHIT parameter value, Web Search would return hits beginning with hit number 35. Syntax: starthit=number Example: starthit=35 Default: 1 |
lang |
String |
Lets you specify a language using the two-character, lowercase language value derived from ISO6391. Syntax: lang=language_code Example: lang=ja Default: browser language preference |
country |
String |
Lets you specify your country using the two-character, uppercase country value derived from ISO3166. Syntax: country=country code Example: country=TW Default: browser language preference |
template |
String |
Lets you specify the specific results template you want your search results returned in. The following list of templates are the default templates included with the Web Search Server. However, your Web Search Server administrator might have created custom templates using different names. Check with your administrator if these templates do not work for you. You must type the names of these templates exactly as they appear in this list:
Localized versions for multiple languages can also be used. See Working with Multiple Languages. Syntax: template=filename Example: template=ResultList.html |
theme |
String |
The name of the theme, or directory within the templates directory, where a complete set of search and print templates are stored. Syntax: theme=theme_name Example: theme=Intranet |
showfirsthit |
Boolean |
If true, rather than displaying the search results page, this parameter automatically goes to the URL of the first hit on the current page. Syntax: showfirsthit=value Example: showfirsthit=True Default: False |
retfield |
String |
Lets you determine the level of detail given about each result item. The fewer the details, the faster a search is returned to a user. Field names include title, author, URL, changedate, language, summary, relevance, index, format, and filelength. NOTE: Type these fields exactly as they appear. To specify more than one field, use the RETFIELD parameter and value, separated by an ampersand (&) as in the following: retfield=title&retfield=author Syntax: retfield=field_name Example: retfield=title |
buttonpressed |
String |
A button pressed by the user. If this value is part of the query, then a response message should not be sent to the client. Options include Yes, No, OK, Cancel, Continue, Ignore, Retry, Prev, Next, and Help. Syntax: buttonpressed=button_name Example: buttonpressed=Cancel |
gettotalhits |
Boolean |
Lets you enable or disable the total number of hits calculation. For example, if you set the GETTOTALHITS parameter to FALSE, the Total Number of Hits label on the results page will display 0 (zero). Setting this parameter to TRUE will show the total number of hits found during the search. In some complex situations this can save valuable processing time. Syntax: gettotalhits=value Example: gettotalhits=false Default: True |
encoding |
String |
Specifies the character set encoding used to encode the search request itself. Syntax: encoding=value Example: encoding=Shift_JIS Default: UTF-8 |
retencoding |
String |
Lets you specify the character set encoding to be used by the next results page returned to the user. Syntax: retencoding=character_set_encoding Example: retencoding=iso-8859-1 Default: UTF8 |
sortbydate |
String |
Sorts the Total Search Results list by date, ignoring the normal relevance ordering. Syntax: sortbydate=value Example: sortbydate=true Default: True |
relevance |
String |
Tells Web Search whether or not to sort the search results by relevance. Turning this feature off is a potential speed gain since the sort algorithm will then not run. Syntax: relevance=value Example: relevance=false Default: true |
sortkeys |
Integer |
Lets you specify the number of sort fields that should be used to sort the search results. Syntax: sortkeys=number Example: sortkeys=1 |
sortfieldnumber |
String |
Allows you to specify the fields on which to sort the search results returned in a results page. Grouped together with the sortorder query parameter by adding a number to the end of the parameter name. Field names include title, author, URL, changedate, language, summary, relevance, index, format, and filelength. IMPORTANT: Type these fields exactly as they appear above. Syntax: sortfieldnumber=field_name Example: sortfield1=title |
sortordernumber |
Integer |
Lets you specify the alphanumeric ordering of search result items (hits). Grouped together with the sortfield query parameter by adding a number to the end of the parameter name. Options include the following:
Syntax: sortordernumber=number Example: sortorder1=0 |