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Hello, this is my first post on the forum and ive just recently started using EE and I love it 😊 I do have one question with regards to searching. The site im working on is like a small search engine. There are multiple channels with multiple categories in each. Im looking for a way to search inside a specific category or have EE remember what category I just came from when i search.  Say im in a channel called News and i click on the Sports category, I can search that Sports category once just fine but when it takes me to my search/results template all subsequent searches give results for the entire News channel.

Since im on the search/results channel now i cant use {segment_x} to nab the category from the url. Is there some way of telling a results page what category I just came from or left so I can continue to just search that category? Or does each category have to have their own results template hard coded?

Thanks so much 😊

Or does each category have to have their own results template hard coded?

I think so, yes.

I have wanted to do this in the past, so would be interested if anyone knows how to do it.  Or if it’s a feature request, I second it!

Hi tmask,
Welcome to ExpressionEngine and the Forums! We’re happy you’re here!

Are you using the simple search form or the advanced search form from your news->sports page?

I have an idea using a hidden form input and the plugin Server Variable, but I would love to see your search and results templates.

Cheers,

Thanks for the welcome 😊 here is what i got so far:

here is my form code:

{exp:search:advanced_form channel="News" result_page="index/results" search_in="everywhere"}

<input type=“text” name=“keywords” id=“keywords”/>
<input type=“hidden” name=“catid” value=“1”>
<input type=“submit” value=“search”/>

{/exp:search:advanced_form}

I just cant seem to get that hidden variable to post to my results page
and my results template:

{exp:search:total_results} Result(s) for {exp:search:keywords}</h2>
<ul>
{exp:search:search_results}
<li>{title}<br>{excerpt}<br></li>
{/exp:search:search_results}
</ul>
<hr size=“1”>

{exp:server_var:post}
{exp:server_var:get}

Im assuming my hidden form entry should be pulled by one of the above server_var calls, but it just outputs an empty array. Ive also tried another similar module “evopost” which should do the same thing as Server Variable but i still get no returns.

Hi tmask,

I know that evopost won’t work for you as you need to have access to the action url for your form and with the search module you don’t get that. I suspect that it’s the same for the add-on that Dan linked to above. have you considered a third party search module such as Low Search or Super Search?

Sean

Nice, ill look into those 😊 thanks so much

tmask,

Is there anything else I can do to help?

Sean

Nope that answers all my questions, thanks so much

Hey tmask,

I am glad this is all sorted for you now.

Have a great rest of the week!

Cheers,