HELP: What do you use for Website Search?

[bdw]

I have a client who does not fancy using Google site search on his website because it is displaying competitor's ads. He wants something else.

Can anyone suggest an easily implemented website search tool that is available without a subscription? I am willing to pay for a good solution.

.

 

[Chunkford]

I thought if you paid for it then no ads show?

 

[bdw]

That's right but it is a subscription. I would rather have a stand alone solution.

.

 

[Faevilangel]

Depends on the size of your clients site, but sphinx search is a good starting point, open source and pretty easy for someone with a faint idea on programming to use.

 

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

Write your own in php?

A little weekend project!

 

[bdw]

Write your own in php?

OK, but do you honestly think that if I had the skills to do this I would have been asking the question?

.

 

[bdw]

Any more suggestions?

.

 

[DotNetWebs]

I started down the road of writing by own full-text search solution. This is no mean-feat to do correctly!

I then discovered Lucene:

http://lucene.apache.org/java/docs/index.html

You would still need a good programmer to integrate and make best use of it but I honestly don't think you would find a more powerful solution.

Incidentally, being [primarily] a .net developer I actually use the C# port but the index produced is identical to the Java version so can be used interchangeably:

http://incubator.apache.org/lucene.net/

Regards

Dotty

 

[bdw]

Thanks but Google suggess that there are many solutions available that look as though they would be easier to integrate. It's really just a basic website text search tool I need.

.

 

[Optegris]

Is the text on the site static or dynamically generated i.e. stored in a database or hard coded?

 

[bdw]

It's static. It only changes infrequently and I do the changes myself. Even something with manual indexing would do.

.

 

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

How many pages?
All in same directory(s)?
Do you need to exclude any files in those directories?

The solutions mentioned seem to be server applications so you would need a dedicated server to run them? Sounds like you want something you can simply upload with the site?

 

[DotNetWebs]

...The solutions mentioned seem to be server applications so you would need a dedicated server to run them? Sounds like you want something you can simply upload with the site?...

I mentioned Lucene which is a server component (Java/.net DLL or Zend

 etc.) 

You don't necessarily need a dedicated server but you would need the required permissions etc. 

I guess it may be over the top for some uses but the question was "What do you use for website search?" - and after a LOT of research and attempting to code my own I haven't found anything better!

Regards

Dotty

 

[bdw]

How many pages?

About 250

All in same directory(s)?

No

Do you need to exclude any files in those directories?

No.

.

 

[UKSBD]

If they can wait 10 weeks, and youve got the inclination to learn
this may interest you.

http://www.udacity.com/

 

[bdw]

I can wait, the client can't.

.

 

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

About 250


No


No.

.

That might be too many for what I was thinking, a simple PHP script type system.

If they can wait 10 weeks, and youve got the inclination to learn
this may interest you.

http://www.udacity.com/

That looks interesting, i've 'enrolled' doesn't start until the end of Feb though, shame you can't just watch the videos.

You said there were a lot of options coming up in Google but you still seem to be looking?

 

[bdw]

Yes I am. I was actually hoping that a user could give me a firm recommendation for something that ticks all the boxes and that I could see in action.

.

 

[UKSBD]

That looks interesting, i've 'enrolled' doesn't start until the end of Feb though, shame you can't just watch the videos.

Yeah 20th Feb it starts, did you find any mention of costs anywhere? can't imagine it being free.

 

[DotNetWebs]

Yes I am. I was actually hoping that a user could give me a firm recommendation for something that ticks all the boxes and that I could see in action.

.

IMO an effective and efficient search system for 250+ plus pages requires an analyser, tokeniser and index running server-side.

I don't think it's going to be that simple to bolt-on something to a static site that requires no scripting / programming etc.

Have you consider perhaps switching to a CMS that already had these features built in?

Regards

Dotty

 

[bdw]

Have you consider perhaps switching to a CMS that already had these features built in?

I doubt that the client would be happy with that. It has just be redesigned.

.

 

[Chunkford]

This site is a little over my head but can it help at all? - http://www.elasticsearch.org/

 

[Chunkford]

While i'm at it, here's a few more. I've only had a quick glance so apologies if they aren't suitable, but hopefully it will offer a starting point for you?

http://www.searchblox.com/ (uses Lucene that DotNetWebs talks about)
http://sikbox.com/
http://www.wrensoft.com/zoom/index.html
http://www.nextopia.com/ecommerce-site-search.html
http://www.dtsearch.com/
http://www.braveapps.com/search2/
http://www.sitelevel.com/
http://www.jrank.org/
http://getwebsitesearch.com/

 

[bdw]

Thanks. I'll have a look at these but I have already tried Googling. As I said earlier ...

Yes I am. I was actually hoping that a user could give me a firm recommendation for something that ticks all the boxes and that I could see in action.

.

 

[Chunkford]

Thanks. I'll have a look at these but I have already tried Googling. As I said earlier ....

Ok, no probs. Hopefully I may have unearthed one which you haven't come across then.
Good luck. Hope you sort it.

 

[Siteopia Domains]

Have you decided on which tool to go for? Currently looking myself, so your recommendation/ findings would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[DotNetWebs]

...http://www.searchblox.com/ (uses Lucene that DotNetWebs talks about) ...

Yes and...

This site is a little over my head but can it help at all? - http://www.elasticsearch.org/

Elastic search is built on top of Lucene as well.

As I indicated earlier a "search function" for a large website is not a trival problem if you want to do it right.

I went some way down the path of writing my own before I came across Lucene and then I realised that I would be daft to try and "reinvent the wheel".

I have a policy of only using 3rd party components in my project if I can have access to the source code so I have complete control.

Luckily Lucene is open source and and was originally writted by Doug Cutting - one of the brightest minds in search technology:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Cutting

Lucene is also a top-level Apache Software Foundation project so it has pretty good credentials!

Regards

Dotty

 

[bdw]

Have you decided on which tool to go for? Currently looking myself, so your recommendation/ findings would be appreciated.

I bought the Pro version of Zoom Search at $99. It works a treat. Thank you for the suggestions - very flexible. http://www.wrensoft.com/zoom/index.html


.