How to host this search engine (different website) on my website?

[cy182]

I would like to host a borrowed search engine on my website. I am currently using FrontPage. This is the search engine code:

<form action="http://mp3.example.com/cgi-bin/search" method="GET">
<table border="0" width="293">
<tr>
<td align="center" width="283" colspan="3">
<b><font color="#FF0000">Mp3 Search:</font></b></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="88" valign="baseline">
<a href="http://mp3.example.com">
<img src="http://example.com/images/forums.gif" border="0" width="60" height="31"></a>
</td>
<td align="right" width="195" colspan="2">
<input type="text" size="27" name="searchstring" style="background: #CCCCCC url('http://example.com/images/journal.gif')
no-repeat bottom right;border: 1px solid #FF6600">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" width="88">
<b><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Search by:</font></b>
</td>
<td align="right" width="122">
<input type="radio" name="searchby" value="song"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Song</font>
<input type="radio" name="searchby" value="artist" CHECKED><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Artist</font>
</td>
<td align="right" valign="top" width="69">
<input type="submit" value="Search" style="border: 1px solid #FF6600;background: #CCCCCC;">
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>

Please help me as I know little about this. Thank you.

[edited by: tedster at 3:57 am (utc) on July 3, 2007]
[edit reason] switch actual domain to example.com [/edit]

[tedster]

Hello cy182, and welcome to the forums.

If the search engine involved gave you the code and therefore permission to do this (it looks like they must have) then it should be a simple as placing this code on your HTML page. Have you experimented with that and had a problem?

[cy182]

Yes, I have permission to use the search engine on my website and the search engine works perfectly on my webiste, but I would like to have the results shown on my site, not the original website. How can i do this? Thanks

[tedster]

I think you must use it the way the search engine has set it up. Some of my clients use a paid service for their site search, and even that paid service gives results on their domain, not the client's.

[Marshall]

The only possible solution is, dare I say, a frames page or iframe. Of course, the resultes will still be on the outside search engine, but look as if it is your site.

If I may was, if you are using FP, why the outside search engine?

Marshall

[cy182]

Yeah that's what I was thinking Marshall, using an inline frame. What is so bad about that? I have never heard anything bad about iframes.

The reason I want to use this outside search engine is because it searches for MP3s on the internet and organizes them in a very appealing manner.

[Marshall]

The reason I was asking about FP's search was if you are having problems with it, I have a solution. But that's not the case.

In this instance, putting the search in a frame or iframe would probably not be bad. I was thinking along the lines of SE's and the affects there. And though I am sure you are aware of this, make sure you are allowed to frame their seach results. You don't want to get in trouble.

The other option is have the results open in a new window. Put target="_blank" in the <form action="get".... target="_blank">

Marshall

[cy182]

First of all, thank you VERY much Marshall! My cuurent web host does support Frontpage's search feature so that is not really an issue.

I decided I want to do both: have the seach results open in a new browser and frame the results. I am 100% positive that I am allowed to frame the search results; this was taken right off of their website:

"You can even IFRAME the search engine results into your own site to prevent your users from being leaving your site."

I know how to make iframes using Fronpage, but I have no clue how to do so with search engines. Could you please help me with this Marshall? Also, thanks for the code for the seach results to open in a new window. But alas, I cannot try it because my web host is down and has been down for almost 24 hours (now you know why I want to switch to a new web host).

Thank you!

[edited by: tedster at 7:11 pm (utc) on July 4, 2007]

[londrum]

be careful though... what happens if you click on a link in the search results? does it open up in a new window or does it open in the same page. if it opens up in the same page then you will be framing other people's sites. they might not like that.

[Marshall]

I hate to admit it, but I have no clue how you would target an iframe. It isn't something I ever considered and I am not sure if it's possible. The only other thing I can think of is iframe the original search page, the one form the site you are talking about:

<iframe src="http://www.theothersite.com" height="as-needed" width="as-needed" border="0"></iframe>

The other option that may work is put YOUR search box on a separate page, say page search_box.htm, but DON”T have the results open in a new window. Then, iframe that page:
<iframe src="http://www.yoursite.com/search_box.htm" height="as-needed" width="as-needed" border="0"></iframe>

Since the results would open in the same window as the search box, it may appear in the iframe. If you’re host is still down, I could try to test it on my server. Let me know. In the mean time, if someone has a better solution, I’m all ears.

Londrum has a good point which should be carefully considered.

Marshall

[edited by: tedster at 3:40 am (utc) on July 5, 2007]

[Marshall]

I got curious and tried this test

The other option that may work is put YOUR search box on a separate page, say page search_box.htm, but DON”T have the results open in a new window. Then, iframe that page:
<iframe src="http://www.yoursite.com/search_box.htm" height="as-needed" width="as-needed" border="0"></iframe>

Worked like a charm.

Marshall

[cy182]

Thanks for the tip londrum, but the search engine only searches one website's database; and I do have permission to frame the results.

Marshall, thanks again for the help, and I'll try the code tommorrow morning; my server is acting funny and is "having difficulty with Frontpage Server Extensions at the time".

[Marshall]

You shouldn't need the FP extensions to run the test I mentioned, or test the page I mentioned, unless of course you need them to publish. If you don't have one, you should get a separate FTP program in the event FP isn't working. And depending on the FP version you're using, it might have FTP built in. Is always good to have an alternate method.

Regardless, glad I could help.

Marshall

[cy182]

MARSHALL, YOU ARE A GENIUS!

The code did work perfectly! Plus, now there is no need to have the results open in a new window! Thank you very much kind sir!

My version of Frontpage has FTP built in, but I have never thought of using it.. . . . thanks for reminding me!