Adding A Search Page

Although we are not going to do this in class, you should know about this method.  You may recall, when we used the Form Page Wizard, I pointed out the Search Page template.

If you want a separate search page for your site, this would be the method to use. 

Click on File, New and select More page templates from the New Task Pane.  Then select Search Page.

Once the page is created, you would have to save it, title it, and drag  it into your web hierarchy as with any new page.

For this exercise we are going to add a Search form to our Home Page.  This is a good way to let visitors to your site search for the content they are looking for.

I placed a Search form on the Home Page of this web site, to make it easier for students to come back and find solutions to their questions.

• Open your Home Page.

• Position your insertion point at the top of the main body area.

• Follow the instructions in the illustration.

You can use the defaults, or make whatever changes you wish.

• Label for input:  This is the text that appears before the search term text box.

• Width in characters determines the size of the search term text box.

• You can also change the text labels for the Search and Reset buttons.

Take a look at the Search Results tab.  The settings here affect how the displayed results will look for the visitor.  i have found the defaults are acceptable, by feel free to experiment with these if you wish.

• When you are done reviewing this dialog, click OK.

Adding Internet Search

Now we are going to add an MSN Internet Search Form.  This form is sized to fit inside the left shared border, if you would want to position it there.  For the sake of this exercise, we will place it below the other Search Form.

• Place your insertion point below the new Search Form.

• Click on Insert, Web Component.

• Scroll down the list on the left and select MSN Components.

• Select Search the Web with MSN on the right.

• Click Finish.

Your MSN Search Form will look like the illustration to the right.

The MSN Components selection also provides a way to put a stock quote box on your site, if that would be valuable to you or your site visitors.