Protopage

Posted by: Dignan

Protopage - 06/01/2006 19:31

I've been trying out this site called Protopage, which is essentially a web-based desktop written in Ajax. I like it, and I'm playing around with it to determine if I want to switch from Google IG.

One of the appealing bits to me is the "Quick Search" panel, but there aren't any instructions as to how to add your own searches. You can edit it and all it really is is a bunch of HTML forms designed to search various websites. Could someone give me some help in figuring out how to do this?

For example, the one for Google looks like this:
Code:
<form action="http://www.google.com/search" method="get" target="_NEW">
<input style="width: 120px;" name="q">
<input style="width: 100px;" value="Google" type="submit">
</form>

I have a feeling that this really depends on how the web site in question operates its search function. If I knew what I was looking for, though, I might be able to figure out how to incorporate the sites that I'd like.
Posted by: ricin

Re: Protopage - 06/01/2006 20:03

What are some sites you'd like to have a quick search for?
Posted by: tman

Re: Protopage - 06/01/2006 20:11

Find the search box on the site you want and then copy that bit of HTML. You'll most probably need to tweak the URL it uses but thats pretty much it. After that you just need to make it look pretty. Oh and add the target="_new" bit otherwise it won't open a new window.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Protopage - 06/01/2006 20:23

Quote:
Find the search box on the site you want and then copy that bit of HTML. You'll most probably need to tweak the URL it uses but thats pretty much it. After that you just need to make it look pretty. Oh and add the target="_new" bit otherwise it won't open a new window.

I'll give that a try. Most of these sites have an insane amount of HTML around that portion, though.

Sites I'd like:
AllMusic (might be tricky)
IMDB
TV.com
Amazon
Pricegrabber
Newegg
Posted by: tman

Re: Protopage - 06/01/2006 20:47

Code:
  <form method="post" action="http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll">
  <input type="text" name="SQL" />
  <select name="OPT1">
  <option value="1" selected="selected">Name</option>
  <option value="2">Album</option>
  <option value="3">Song</option> 
  <option value="55">Classical Work</option>
  </select>
  <input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Go" id="BasicGo" />
  <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&amp;sql=60:">
  <input type="button" onclick="location.href='http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&amp;sql=60:'" value="Advanced Search" /></a> 
  <input type="hidden" name="P" value="amg" />
  </form>
Posted by: tman

Re: Protopage - 06/01/2006 20:53

Hmm. You can take the id="BasicGo" out from the AllMusic one above. Must have missed that.

Anyway...

IMDB

Code:
<form action="http://www.imdb.com/Find" method="get">
<input type="text" name="for" size="14">
<select name="select">
<option selected="on">All</option>
<option>Titles</option>
<option>My Movies</option>
<option>Names</option>
<option>Companies</option>
<option>Keywords</option>  
<option>Characters</option>
<option>Quotes</option>
<option>Bios</option>  
<option>Plots</option> 
</select>
<input type="submit" name="Search" value="Go" />
</form>


You get the idea?
Posted by: ricin

Re: Protopage - 06/01/2006 21:01

Yeah, pretty simple. I was just going to paste all of them, but since Trev already pasted a few examples, I won't. You might want to add target="_NEW" to the <form> tags too.
Posted by: Dignan

Re: Protopage - 06/01/2006 22:30

Thanks a bunch, fellas. I did clean them up a whole lot, and now I have them just like I want them. Then I went over to Newegg and chiseled that one away myself until I had what I wanted.

Here's the IMDb one again, but I removed the option box so it would just search everything and make the form look cleaner:

Code:
<form action="http://www.imdb.com/Find" method="get" target="_NEW">
  <input style="width: 120px;" name="for" type="text">
  <input name="select" value="All" type="hidden">
  <input style="width: 100px;" value="IMDb" name="Search" type="submit">
</form>

Then I made one for Newegg:

Code:
<form action="http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp" method="get" name="UISearch" target="_NEW">
  <input name="Submit" value="Go" type="hidden">
  <input name="DEPA" value="0" type="hidden">
  <input name="type" value="" type="hidden">
  <input style="width: 120px;" id="Search-1" name="description" tabindex="1" title="search site" maxlength="50" type="text">
  <input value="0" name="Category" type="hidden">
  <input id="Search-3" name="minPrice" tabindex="2" title="min price" maxlength="6" value="" type="hidden">
  <input id="Search-4" name="maxPrice" tabindex="3" title="max price" maxlength="6" value="" type="hidden">
  <input style="width: 100px;" value="Newegg" title="Go" name="Go" type="submit">
</form>

Thanks again for your help! I think I'll be able to figure out the other sites now.