Working with Search Pages

This topic discusses setting up search pages for fluid components.

For a fluid component, you have these options for providing search when a user accesses the component:

Fluid Component Search Option

Description

Real-time

Based on a pivot grid that builds a query against the component search record.

See Setting up Real-Time Search for Fluid Components.

Keyword

Based on a search index created using the Search Framework and mapped to the fluid component.

See Setting up Keyword Search for Fluid Components.

For any custom fluid component that you create, Oracle recommends that as part of the normal page and component development, you also create:

  • A component-based pivot grid (for real-time component search).

  • A search definition in the Search Framework for indexing the underlying application data (for keyword search).

A custom fluid component must employ at least one of the search options. You can employ both options. If neither search option is configured, you will need to bypass search completely using some other mechanism (for example, using SearchInit PeopleCode). Otherwise, the system displays an error, preventing access to the component.

When comparing one search option over the other, consider that the real-time search runs a search on all the data that is currently stored in the database while the keyword search may contain less current data. How current the data provided by the keyword search depends on how frequently the search indexes are updated. If you intend to employ only one of these search options, to ensure the best user experience, Oracle recommends employing the real-time search so the system reflects real-time data for end users.

For classic components, the system automatically builds the component search page displayed to a user, with no additional effort required by the application developer. The system uses built-in logic to create the component search page on the fly based on the search keys defined on the search record for the component.

In the fluid user interface, the real-time component search page is not populated automatically by the system. For any custom fluid component that requires real-time, component search capabilities, the application developer must create a pivot grid, using the component as the data source. The pivot grid generates the underlying query using the search keys defined on the records in the component and populates the search page. See Creating a Component Pivot Grid Model Using the Pivot Grid Wizard for creating a component-based pivot grid for use with implementing real-time search for a fluid component.

Creating a Pivot Grid for Real-Time Search

When creating a pivot grid for real-time fluid component search, keep these items in mind while using the Pivot Grid Wizard:

  • Make sure the pivot grid Data Source Type is set to Component and the Component Name under Data Source reflects your fluid component on Step 1 of the wizard.

  • Make sure the Default View is set to Chart Only under View Options on Step 4 of the wizard.

  • Under Fluid Mode, Viewer Options on Step 4 of the wizard, select either Grid and List or List for Result View if you intend to use the Master - Detail search page type or you intend for the search results to be displayed on a small form factor. Selecting Grid is a valid option for the Standard search page type and if the fluid component would not be accessed by small form factor devices.

Setting Search Defaults for Real-Time Search

In a fluid component when search is enabled and an end user accesses the component, the system displays search results on the search page using the default search criteria provided by the application developer. If you do not provide default search criteria, the system displays an empty page, which may detract from the user experience.

When creating a pivot grid for real-time component search, you can provide default search criteria using these options:

  • In the Pivot Grid Wizard, enter the desired values under Select Query Prompt Values in Step 3.

  • In Application Designer on the Record Field > Use tab, set a Default Value for a search key in the search record.

  • Use SearchInit PeopleCode to set a search record value to a particular value (record_name.field_name=value;).

Note: If you are using multiple options for setting default search criteria, the system imposes this order of precedence: SearchInit PeopleCode takes precedence over Record Field Default Value settings, and Record Field Default Value settings take precedence over any Query Prompt Values set in the pivot grid definition.

The keyword search for a fluid component is similar to the keyword search for a classic component. The keyword search runs against a search index built using the PeopleSoft Search Framework and deployed to the search engine, such as Oracle SES. The keyword search is more free-form and more “Google-like.” You implement keyword search for a fluid component using the same steps as you would complete for a classic component.

Task

Documentation Cross Reference

Create a query for the search definition.

See Understanding Search Definition Queries.

Create a search definition.

See Creating Search Definitions.

Map the search definition to your fluid component.

See Mapping Components to Search Definitions.

Create a search category.

See Understanding Search Categories.

Deploy and build your search index.

See Administering Search Definitions and Search Categories.

When accessing a component with keyword search enabled, the search category mapped to that component appears selected in the Global Search box. Running a search on that category returns results only from the indexes in that category and displays them in PTS_NUI_SEARCH. If the user selects All or another search category and runs a search, the system treats the search as a global search, and the global search page (PTS_NUI_GBLSRCH) is used to display results.

This section discusses setting component properties as they relate to setting up search for a fluid component.

Setting Internet Properties

You can set the default search mode for the fluid component using the Primary Action property in the Search Page group box on the Component Properties > Internet tab:

  • New: Add mode.

  • Search: Real time component search.

  • Keyword Search: Search Framework-based search on the search category associated with the component.

Note: If a fluid component is designed to provide both real-time component search and keyword search, then real-time component search should be used as the default search option. That is, the Primary Action setting on Component Properties > Internet tab: should set to Search.

Setting Fluid Properties

When setting properties on the Component Properties > Fluid tab, the properties in the following table relate to implementing search for a fluid component:

Property

Description

Search Type

  • None: Disables a search page from appearing for a fluid component. If selected, you need to ensure you have bypassed the search requirement sufficiently, such as by using SearchInit PeopleCode.

  • Standard: Select to display the “standard” search page, derived from the search page definition: PTS_NUI_SEARCH. Using the page, the end users view the search results, and drill into the component.

  • Master/Detail: Select to display the “standard” search page, derived from the search page definition: PTS_NUI_SEARCH_S. Using the page, the end users view the search results, and drill into the component. With the Master/Detail option, the search results remain displayed in the left side panel while the component displays in the right panel.

Note: Standard or Master/Detail search types may be used for both real-time or keyword search options.

Next/Previous in List

Select to display features for end users to use for navigating through the search results. The Next/Previous icons will appear in the fluid banner after drilling into a component search result.

The search pages the system displays for classic applications are not displayed for fluid applications. For each type of fluid search, component search or Search Framework-based keyword search, PeopleTools delivers a default search page. The delivered search page definitions must be the base for any custom or system search page as they contain the basic framework and structures to use as a reference. If you decide you need a custom search page for a specific fluid component, you can clone the delivered search page and add or remove elements as needed. The following table lists the delivered default search pages:

Definition Name

Description

PTS_NUI_SEARCH

Standard search page.

PTS_NUI_SEARCH_S

Master - Detail search page.

PTS_NUI_GBLSRCH

Fluid global search page.

Global search is available if at least one search group has been deployed and indexed and the current user has access to that search group. Global search is not dependent on a component and can be accessed throughout the system. Users access this search type using the Global Search icon in the banner.

For more information on global search, see Working with Global Search.

The default system-wide search, PTS_NUI_SEARCH, is set on the PeopleTools Options page in the Fluid Mode Properties group box. It is not recommended to override the system-wide search page on PeopleTools options, as this would affect every fluid component. If you need a custom search page for your fluid application, set the Search Type to None on the Fluid tab of the Component Properties dialog box, and insert your custom search page within your fluid component so that it loads at runtime when the component is accessed.

For more information on the Fluid Mode Properties, see Configuring PeopleTools Options for Fluid Applications.

The page design of PTS_NUI_SEARCH uses the two-panel layout template, and contains numerous group box containers and subpages. If creating a custom seach page based on this template, you can remove the subpage for the feature you don't want to include on your search page. For example, if you don’t want to include charts or facets, remove the PTS_NUI_FACETS and PTS_NUI_CHARTAREA subpages.

Due to the differences between classic applications and fluid applications, not every search feature that is available for classic applications is available for a fluid application, and vice versa. Likewise, within a fluid application, not every search feature is available on every device type. For example, a search option used on a tablet or laptop, may not be available for use on a smartphone.

The following table lists the feature differences between classic applications and the fluid applications.

Feature

Classic Applications

Fluid Applications

Persistent Search

Yes

No

Images in results

No

Yes

Related Actions in component search results

No

Yes

Related Actions in keyword search results

Only in List View

Yes

Bulk Related Actions

No

Yes

Conditional Global Search

Yes

Yes

Facets in component search results

No

Yes

List view in component search results

No

Yes

Chart view in component search results

No

Yes

Add a New Value

Yes

Yes

The following table lists the feature differences between various devices when accessing the fluid user interface.

Feature

Desktop/Laptop

Tablet

Phone

Related Actions

Yes

Yes

No

Bulk Related Actions

Yes

Yes

No

Chart interaction in component search

Yes

Yes

No

Note: The features by device table contains only those features where differences occur on one or more devices. For any feature not appearing, it can be assumed that feature is available on all supported devices.