Customizing and Extending
Microsoft Office SharePoint Search
Tom Rizzo
Director, SharePoint
thomriz@microsoft.com
Session Objectives
Session Objectives:
Modify the SharePoint Server search UI
Consume SharePoint Search within external applications
Extend the reach of SharePoint search
Build a custom security trimmer
Learn more about Microsoft Search Server and Federation
Agenda
Customizing the built in user experience
Extending the OOB experience
Search Center
Statistics
Search
Search
TabsBox
Pagination
Action
Links High
Confidence
Core
Results
Matching
Keywords
and
Best Bets
Sources, Scopes and Tabs
All Sites and People tabs provided OOB
Add your own Search Tabs
Tabs can be added for additional scopes
Specific site address
Specific property
Specific content source
Include/Exclude
Consists of a layout page and a results page
Search Web Parts
9 OOB web parts
Search Box
Core Results
High Confidence
Statistics
Pagination
Action Links
Matching Keywords and Best Bets
Search Summary (Did you mean?)
Advanced Search
2 New ones for MSS – Federated Results and Top Federated Results
Web part properties such as
Formatting
Turning stemming on/off
Number of results returned
XSL
Customize Thesaurus and Noise Words
Located in drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Office
Servers\12.0\Data\Config
tsxxx.xml and noisexxx.txt where xxx is the language code
Thesaurus supports Replacement or Expansion sets
Substitution weights and stemming are supported
Thesaurus Example
<replacement>
<pat>WinNT</pat>
_{Windows Server}
</replacement>
<expansion>
<sub weight="1.0">Office SharePoint Server</sub>
<sub weight="0.6">SharePoint</sub>
<sub weight="0.8">MOSS</sub>
</expansion>
Best bets
Setup best bets at the site collection level
Simple things you can do for relevance
Authoritative pages
Demoted sites
Exclude specific items
Managed Properties
Add your own
Add them to Advanced Search
Change weighting of properties (via the OM, requires a bit of
code)
Create a custom look and feel or results layout
Modified through web part properties
Leverage the power of XSLT
Formatting
Logic
Math
Parameter Section
Parameters passed by results, web part properties
No Keyword Section
You didn’t enter a keyword
No Results Section
No results were returned
Customize with your own message to help users
Main Body Result Section
Where it all happens
Results Template Section
Matches results in XML
Selected column matching – Title, URL, etc.
Hit Highlighting, Auto definition
demo
CUSTOMIZING THE SEARCH UI
Recap of Options
Add/Remove/Change Tabs
Add/Remove OOB Web Parts
Add custom web parts
Tune results
Change Web Part Properties
Change XSL
Agenda
Customizing the built in user experience
Extending the OOB experience
Extending Search
Customizing the Query and Results
Query Object Model
Customizing the Index
Index custom data - Protocol Handlers, IFilters, BDC
Custom Query Time Security Trimmer
Query Syntax
URL Syntax
Use Case
Launching a URL from a custom application
Windows Desktop Search
Save searches
Keywords
results.aspx?k=fish
Scopes
results.aspx?k=fish&s=BDC
Sort/View
results.aspx?v=date
results.aspx?v=relevance
Page
results.aspx?start=21
Property matching
results.aspx?k=“author:Tom –site:http://tom.com”
Query Object Model
Use query OM
To build custom search UI web parts
To have direct access to query and results properties
To invoke custom queries
2 types of query syntaxes
Keyword
SQL
Query Syntax
Keyword Syntax
Use Case
Business user
Simple and easy to use
Required and excluded term support
Bike –fitness
SharePoint search -author:”Tom Rizzo”
Filter by any string or integer property
Author:Tom Rizzo
Employees:30
Implicit “AND” behavior
Consistent property:value syntax across Office,
Windows and Live search
gallery hinges –brass site:http//supportdesk scope:Products
Query Syntax
SQL Syntax
Use Case
Advanced search solutions
Complex queries
Consistent SQL across enterprise and desktop
SELECT URL, Title, Description
FROM portal..SCOPE()
WHERE FREETEXT(‘gallery hinges’)
AND SITE = “http://supportdesk”
AND SCOPE = “Products”
AND NOT CONTAINS(‘brass’)
Query Syntax
SQL Syntax
Full strength, complete coverage
FREETEXT()
Arbitrary groupings for AND, OR, NOT
CONTAINS()
LIKE
ORDER BY ASC | DESC
Removed in MOSS 2007
UNION ALL
MATCHES
SELECT *
COALESCE TABLE
Query Object Model
Features
Managed code API
Single request – multiple results
Result Types
• Relevant results
• High confidence
results
• Special terms
• Definitions
Optional parameters
• # of Sentences in
Summary
• Implicit - AND/OR
• Number of results
• Ignore noise words
• Enable stemming
• Language
Query Object Path
Input
Query OM
Keyword
Query
Result Table Collection
Optional
Parameters
Site UI
Relevant
results
SQL
Query
Execute()
ResultTable:
IDataReader
Output
Query
Engine
Definitions
High
confidence
Special
terms
Custom
Client
Local
However…
Adding Custom Web Parts
OOB Web Parts use sealed hidden object
You’ll need your own query object to share with other Web Parts
You *can* use URL request parameters we pass between pages
Query Web Service
Use Case
Office Research Pane
Windows Desktop Search
Remote application
ASP.Net 2.0, Win Forms, Java apps
Similar features to query object model
Results in XML or data table formats
http://o12server/_vti_bin/search.asmx
Query Web Service
Methods
Query – returns results as XML format
Research and Reference Servicecompatible XML
Used in the Office Research pane
QueryEx –
Returns .NET DataSet
Different result types, features
GetSearchMetaData – Retrieve available properties and scopes
Registration
Status
demo
QUERY WEB SERVICE
Finding People
Refine results using
various properties
View by
relevance or
social distance
Finding People
People Search
Implements the core results
Customizes the search experience
Refine by Job Title/ Department
Sort by social distance
Display results differently
Indexing Custom Data
Protocol Handler
MOSS ships with support for
Web Content, NTFS File Shares, Exchange Public Folders, Lotus
Notes DBs, SharePoint Content, SharePoint Profiles, Business
Data Catalog
Develop a Protocol Handler to gather data from custom
repositories
e.g. Vorsite for Documentum
Connects to a content source and enumerates the documents
Interfaces are the same as in SPS 2003
New registry path:
Register PH under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Office
Server\12.0\Search\Setup\ProtocolHandlers
Indexing Custom Data
IFilter
Install OneNote IFilter (requires OneNote on the server )
Install PDF IFilter (64 bit now available)
Develop IFilter for custom file formats
Reads a document and extracts the plain text content and
properties for the indexer to index
Support reading from streams
Indexing Custom Data
Business Data Search
Integration without writing code
Information in LOB systems is often hard to
access
MOSS 2007 can bring that data to your users
Data is accessed through the Business Data Catalog
Exposed through Search, Meta Data, BDC web parts
Once a web service or a relational data source is
registered with the BDC, search can easily index
the data
No need to write code
Highly customizable results
Integrated with scopes and search center
Security
Built-in Query-time security trimming (Same as
SPS 2003)
File shares, WSS/SPS 2003, Exchange, Lotus Notes
(via mapping)
New! Support for result time custom security
trimming
ISecurityTrimmer interface
(Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Query namespace)
Implement Initialize() and CheckAccess()
Add the custom security trimmer assembly to the GAC
Register the security trimmer using stsadm command
New Federation Capability
Federation Overview
Enables the display of results from other search engines or
applications to be displayed alongside local results
Search Server will
Send a query to other search engines or applications
Format and render the results
Work out of the box or with minimal effort with many existing search
engines and applications
Search Server will not
Aggregate multiple result sets into a single result set
Relevance rank results from other search engines or applications
Federated Locations
Each search engine or application must be configured as
a Federated Search Location
Each Federated Search Location
Defines how and when queries will be federated to the location
Controls the formatting of results
Defines authentication settings
Can be connected to one or more Federation Web Parts to render
results
Is easily imported and exported as a Federated Location Definition
file (.FLD)
Supported Location Types
OpenSearch 1.0/1.1
Query is sent in a parameterized URL
http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q={searchTerms}
{searchTerms} is replaced with query terms
Results must be returned as XML
Local Search Index
Query is sent through the search object model
{searchTerms} scope:customers
{searchTerms} is replaced with query terms
Results are returned as XML
A Note On OpenSearch
Standard created by Amazon A9 for search syndication and
aggregation
An exported Federated Location Definition file is >= an OpenSearch
Description Document
Search Server extends the OpenSearch schema to include properties
such as;
Triggers
XSL
Location Type
More Results Link…
See www.opensearch.org for more info
Location Triggers
Control when to send query terms to a location based on
the terms submitted
Always - Will always send all the query terms to the location
Prefix - If the prefix matches will only send the query terms after
the prefix to the location
Pattern - Will send some or all of the query terms based on the
regular expression match. A pattern trigger can be used to build
complex triggers including “OR” statements
Federation Web Parts
Federated Results Web Part
Connected to a single Federated Location
Displays the top X results returned from the location
Top Federated Results Web Part
Connected to multiple Federated locations
Displays the top X results from the first location to return a result in the
order of the configured locations
Neither Web Part will render if the location is triggered but it returns
zero results
Rendering Results
Built in XSL for
OpenSearch Locations that return results as RSS or ATOM
Local Search Index results
Built in XSL can be customized or replaced
Configured in the Location Definition and can be
overridden on individual Web Parts
Separate XSL definition for both of the Federated Results
Web Parts
“More Results” Link Template available for click through to
HTML results
Authentication
Three modes of authenticating to a location
Anonymous – No credentials required
Corporate – Shared credentials for every user
User – Per user credentials
Per user credentials requires custom work
Code to capture credentials in the UI
Code to store credentials if required
Code to retrieve stored credentials if required
Sample code will be available on MSDN by RTM
Exception is Kerberos which does work OOB
Per user credentials are sent to the location in the correct format
automatically
An Example: www.live.com
How to connect Search Server to Live Search
Query Template
http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q={searchTerms}&format=rss
“More Results” Link Template
http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q={searchTerms}
Works without any extra effort because live.com can
Process a query in a URL
Return results formatted as XML (RSS)
Be accessed anonymously
There are many other search engines and applications that provide the
same connectivity
Federated Search Connectors
Develop or purchase if the location does not support one
or both of the following
Process a query in a URL parameter
Return results as XML
Federated Search Connectors do one or both of the
following
Accept a query as a URL parameter and convert it to a format
compatible with the location
Convert and render results in XML
Developed as a web page (aspx)
Packaged and deployed as a Solution Deployment
Package
An Example: SQL Server
Connect Search Server to the full text search engine in
SQL Server
Cannot send a query to SQL in a URL
Build an ASPX page that
Provides a URL for the Query Template
Extracts the {searchTerms}
Contains code to run the query against SQL
Formats and renders the results as XML (RSS)
If required include code to leverage either corporate or per
user authentication
Packaged up and installed as a Solution Deployment
Package
Connector Gallery
Federated Location Definition Gallery
Linked from within the admin UI
Selection of FLD’s to download and import from Microsoft and Community
submissions
Quick, easy and free
Federated Search Connector Gallery
Partner built Federated Search Connectors
Primarily for LOB applications and services
Available for purchase
Summary
The user interface is easily customized to achieve a different
look and feel
It’s easy to extend search to develop custom applications, local
or remote
You can plug in any data source and search it securely
Resources
1.
Creating custom XSL - http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb428855.aspx
2.
Adding managed properties to Advanced Search http://www.codeproject.com/spoint/MOSS_Advanced_Search.asp
3.
Querying Enterprise Search and Custom Security Trimming http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa981100.aspx
4.
MOSS Query Tool
http://www.gotdotnet.com/Community/UserSamples/Details.aspx?SampleGuid=89b3cda
7-aad9-4919-8faf-34ef9b28c57b
5.
BDC Tool – In the August SDK!
6.
Ontolica Wildcard Search - http://www.ontolica.com
7.
PDF IFilter
32 bit from Adobe - http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=2611
64 bit from Foxit - http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/ifilter/
8.
OneNote IFilter
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Office/en-us/library/2e715e42-c09b-4b4f-a082b19e1cad96031033.mspx?mfr=true
9.
Add MOSS to Windows Desktop Search or Vista Instant Search Provider
http://blogs.msdn.com/joelo/archive/2006/12/08/tips-to-enable-sharepoint-intranetsearch-using-windows-desktop-search-3-0-rtw.aspx
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