Adding hints to search field

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Fiona
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 117
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2015 7:44 am
Location: U.K.

Adding hints to search field

Post by Fiona »

I would like to include a little "info" icon for the HTML5 output's search bar that has a pop-up with search hints and tips in it. I know how to add a pop-up within a topic, but am not being successful in my attempts to translate this to the search field. I don't want to change the default text that is displayed in that field, just add an "info" icon and pop-up.

I know that I can set the tooltip property for the search icon (not the whole field as far as I'm aware), but that can't include any formatting and won't help when viewing on a tablet, hence I'm hoping an icon and pop-up is feasible. A drop-down from the icon could be the way to go, but again I'd need some advice on implementing this by the search bar rather than within a topic.

There was a webinar on this a while ago but it didn't cover how to do it, just that it was possible (https://www.madcapsoftware.com/webinars ... experience). My search of these forums has been fruitless – my apologies if this is already discussed elsewhere and I missed it.

Any help appreciated. Thanks. Fiona
Nita Beck
Senior Propellus Maximus
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Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
Location: Pittsford, NY

Re: Adding hints to search field

Post by Nita Beck »

I don’t think you can add hints directly to the search bar, as you envision.

Rather, you can create a custom Search Results page and then add the hints to that page, probably at the top of the page. I’m pretty sure that this is what MadCap themselves do for their Search Results page in the Flare Help system.

I’m not on Flare at the moment, else I’d dig into some old projects. Meantime, Flare’s Help covers how to set up a custom Search Results page: https://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare20 ... esults.htm

HTH
Nita
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RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
Fiona
Sr. Propeller Head
Posts: 117
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2015 7:44 am
Location: U.K.

Re: Adding hints to search field

Post by Fiona »

Thanks Nita. I have already done that, I was just hoping it would be possible to make the tips visible prior to performing a search, for example, by having an information icon next to the search bar.
Nita Beck
Senior Propellus Maximus
Posts: 3667
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:57 am
Location: Pittsford, NY

Re: Adding hints to search field

Post by Nita Beck »

I see. I think that you can accomplish this with a custom solution involving a script (and maybe some CSS, too?) that would supply and position the popup. This would be totally out of the Flare box. I don't readily have anything to share, but I'm reminded of a popup that I had to maintain for a client once, one that another consultant had invented a few years earlier. I had to make it accessibility compliant, so had to dig into how it worked. Can't share it as it's proprietary, but I mention it to say that, yes, you can likely achieve what you're after with a custom solution.

Regarding offering user instructions for searching, many of the Help systems I've designed include a "How to use the Help system" topic in which searching and navigation are discussed. Maybe that's something you could add?
Nita
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RETIRED, but still fond of all the Flare friends I've made. See you around now and then!
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