This document discusses how to replicate search scopes in SharePoint 2013 using result sources. It provides steps to create result sources in the search service application, create new search result pages for each result source, apply the custom result source to the results pages, add navigation links to the site search settings, and discusses some gotchas to be aware of when working with result sources in SharePoint 2013. The presentation is given by Josh Noble and discusses Ontolica products that can be used to enhance search experiences.
How to Troubleshoot Apps for the Modern Connected Worker
Configuring and Managing Results Sources in SharePoint 2013
1. How to Replicate Search Scopes in
SP2013 with Result Sources
Presented by: Josh Noble
This is a brief summary to support the full recorded webcast
2. Agenda
1. Create a Result Source in the SSA
2. Create a new Search Results Page for
each Result Source
3. Apply the custom Result Source to the
Results Pages
4. Add Navigation Links to the Site Search
Settings
5. Gotchas!
11. Add Navigation Links to
Site Search Settings
Small Search Box with Engineering Result Source
12. Gotchas!
There are a few tricks to keep in mind when working with Result Sources in SP2013.
• Search results pages need to be in the same Site Collection as the source search
box or you will get an error when trying to save Search Settings.
• Use the Search Settings link under Search category. The Search Settings link under
Site Collection administration does not allow you to configure the navigation
dropdown.
• Custom search navigation links do not inherit from parent sites.
• There are 3 levels of Search Settings (service Application, Site Collection, and Site).
• You must turn on the drop-down search navigation menus on every search box web
part.
• You need to add the navigation links to each search page.
13. Ontolica Suite for SharePoint
• INTEGRATE with Ontolica Fusion
• FIND with Ontolica Enterprise Search
• VISUALIZE with Ontolica Preview
15. Agenda
1. Create a Result Source in the SSA
2. Create a new Search Results Page for
each Result Source
3. Apply the custom Result Source to the
Results Pages
4. Add Navigation Links to the Site Search
Settings
5. Gotchas!
16. Q/A & Contact Details
Josh Noble
Director of Sales, Americas & Oceania
Author: Pro SharePoint 2010 Search
jno@surfray.com
Robert Piddocke
Senior Technical Lead, Americas & Oceania
Author: Pro SharePoint 2010 Search
Working with FS4SP
rcp@surfray.com
Notes de l'éditeur
This is a brief summary. Please read the full whitepaper on configuring and managing result sources or watch the corresponding webcast for full instructions.
If you have done any configuration of SharePoint search prior to SP2013 then you are likely familiar with search scopes. Scopes were pre-defined rules that allow users to refine a search by a URL, property, or content source. A combination of rules could be strung together in order to included and exclude necessary parameters. Scopes allowed users to potentially skip several clicks that would be necessary to refiner searches through faceted search or advanced queries. The “scopes” terminology has been deprecated in SharePoint 2013 and replaced with Result Sources. Federated Locations have also been rolled into the concept of Result Sources. In a Result Source, you can restrict queries to a subset of content by using a query transform which is similar to a query restriction in SP2010. Result Sources can ben displayed within a search box through the Search Navigation Drop-down. The Navigation Drop-down is configured very differently than scopes.
In this example we will add a basic Result Source to only return items from my Engineering demo site. Open Central AdministrationClick Manage Service ApplicationsClick Search Service ApplicationClick Result Sources (on the left navigation)Click New Result SourceEnter a Result Source nameClickLaunch Query Builder
In this figure,you will see that I have used the “Path” property and specified that results must contain the URL for my Engineering site. {searchTerms} will be replaced by the user’s keyword query when the Result Type is triggered. Once finished, click OK, and Save the Result Type. The new Result Type will be immediately available for use after saving.
In 2013 the search dropdown can only display hyperlinks. Each result source consequently requires its own search results page. To use the drop down navigation, you must direct users to a specific result page that is hardwired to display a custom Result Source.
Open the Windows Server 2012 Start MenuRight Click ComputerClick All AppsClick SharePoint Designer 2013Click Open SiteEnter a your search center URL. (Mine is http://sp2013/BasicSearch)Click OpenClick All FilesRight click results.aspxClick CopyRename the copied results.aspx to something appropriate, which in our case is EngineeringResults.aspx. The resulting URL in my scenario is http://sp2013/BasicSearch/EngineeringResults.aspx. Copy and rename a new results.aspx page for each custom Result Source you want to build. You will use this new page URL for you navigation link.
Now that you have your new search result landing pages, they need to be modified to use the new Result Sources. Navigate to your first new search results page. Mine is http://sp2013/BasicSearch/EngineeringResults.aspx. Click the cog in the top right of your screen Click Edit page as shown in the screen below. On the Search Results Web Part, Click Edit Web Part Under the Search Criteria section, click Change query to open the query builder.Now, edit the Search Result web part on the result page to only use the desired Result Source. If you have already built your custom Result Source higher in the site taxonomy then it will be available through the Select Query dropdown on the web part’s query builder.
On the Search Box web part, Click Edit Web Part Under the Properties for this Search Box, check the radio button to Turn on the drop-down search navigation.Click ApplyClick Check InYou need to toggle the drop-down search navigation menu on every page where you want it to appear. In my scenario, it needs to be enabled on the following pages: http://sp2013/BasicSearch/default.aspxhttp://sp2013/BasicSearch/results.aspxhttp://sp2013/BasicSearch/results.aspxhttp://sp2013/BasicSearch/EngineeringResults.aspx
The search navigation dropdown can be added to any search box as long as the target custom results pages are within the same site collection. The standard All Sites, People, and Conversation result pages do not need to be in the same site collection as the search box. The navigation links will not inherit properly in the current release of SharePoint 2013. You will need to make the following configuration to each level of your hierarchy in which you want the dropdown displayed. To modify the dropdown on your SharePoint front end:Click the cog in the top right of your screen (Site Actions)Click Site SettingsClick Search Settings (in the Search Category)Check the Turn on the drop-down menu inside the search box…. radio buttonClick Add Link…Give the link a title and a direct path including the “.aspx”. Mine is http://sp2013/BasicSearch/EngineeringResults.aspxIf you add any navigation links then inherited links are lost (losing them is apparently a bug). I am not using People or Conversations search in this site so I have only added links for All Sites and Engineering.
Save the new Search Settings and you are finally live! Follow this process for each of the pages where you want the new navigation drop-down to appear. http://sp2013/BasicSearch/default.aspxhttp://sp2013/BasicSearch/results.aspxhttp://sp2013/BasicSearch/results.aspxhttp://sp2013/BasicSearch/EngineeringResults.aspxhttp://sp2013/_layouts/15/start.aspx#/SitePages/Home.aspxThe last of these URLS is the home page for my intranet. Enabling navigation on this page will affect the small search box. On the Search Settings page where I enable the dropdown, I have set the Search Center URL to http://sp2013/BasicSearch. Since I only applied links to the All Sites an Engineering Result Sources, I get this output.
Ontolica Enterprise Search vastly extend the basic capabilities of SharePoint search and transforms them into a true enterprise search platform, with radically improved efficiency, faster information access, and end-user satisfaction. See here for more details: http://www.surfray.com/product/ontolica-enterprise-searchOntolica Preview extends Office Web Apps Preview support to over 500 file types, regardless of their location, and adds quick hit targeting through relevant page suggestions, query highlights, and inDocument search. See here for more details: http://www.surfray.com/product/ontolica-search-previewOntolica Fusion is a new breed of integration software for SharePoint. Integrate & synchronize content across file shares, legacy CMS, Office 365, and on-premise SharePoint. Create, update, copy, move, and migrate files across multiple farms for hybrid scenarios. Clean, transform, and stage content through high fidelity Master Data Management. See here for more details: http://www.surfray.com/product/ontolicafusion
Easily create advanced SharePoint search experiencesConnect users to critical content through rich navigation, sorting, grouping, advanced refinement, and actionable results by extending SharePoint search with Ontolica. Personalized configuration and multiple result views empower users to customize the search experience to match individual needs. Expedite deployment schedules and evolve environments through Ontolica’s simple administration interface.The image in the side shows the dynamic range of integrations for Ontolica Preview. This is a Search Based Application (SBA) created with Ontolica Enterprise Search and Ontolica Search Preview on SharePoint 2013. Several additional features of this SBA can be seen around the snapshot. Every search based application needs specialize advice, so please don’t hesitate to contact sales@surfray.com to connect with the SharePoint search expert in your region.