StartGen 3.0 - Search Form Link Maintenance Screen Help

Search Form Link Maintenance Screen Help

This dialog shows you all search forms that are defined for a given search form link on your start page. Most search form links will contain only one search engine form. There are cases where it is useful to have more than one and several such examples are included with the sample start page included with StartGen. The most notable is the "PowerSearch" link in the left most column of the start page. After clicking this link, enter a search screen in the upper left form and press ENTER. The search string will automatically be submitted to all four search engines. StartGen makes it fairly easy to define your own "powersearch" forms and even email them to others or publish them on your Web site so that others can use them.

When you add a search form, a wizard guides you through the process. Use this form to modify the resulting settings. Selecting a form in the list and clicking the "Edit" button loads the Search Form HTML Definition Screen where you can update the FORM tags that define each form behind a form link.

You can change the forms appear in the list by dragging and dropping them (single click on the form to be moved and while holding down the left mouse button, drag the pointer to the forms new location. Release the mouse button to complete the move). Keep in mind that the first form in the list must have valid "Short Form" definitions on the Search Form HTML Definition Screen if you have the "Add small form after link" box checked.

Fields

Link Title This is what you see on your start page. It is the short description you will click on to open the link. The date field next to the Link Title is used mainly for directory page links.

Add small form after link Tells StartGen to create a small form next to the Link Title on your start page to make simple searches more convenient. While the small form may appear only 9 characters wide, you can usually type in much more depending on how the original form (from which the short form definition was extracted) was defined.
The first form in the list must have valid information in the "short form fields" for the first form in the list. If you see a message indicating that this information is missing, select the first form in the list by doubleclicking it or single-click it and click the 'Edit' button.

Include full forms Tells StartGen to add the full size form to the bottom of your start page.

Place forms in a framed powersearch window PowerSearch windows allow you to enter a search criteria once and have it sent to several search engines simultaneously. Click on the "PowerSearch" link in the leftmost subject (General) on the sample start page included with StartGen. You will see that it opens a page divided into four frames. You enter the search criteria in the upper left form and it will be copied to all the rest and each form will be submitted automatically. Javascript was used for this feature so that it can be used with most browsers.

Buttons
Changes made to individual forms will be saved as soon as you complete them even if you select the "Cancel" button on this form. Your start page will be regenerated when you click the "OK" button.

Troubleshooting
If you are trying to add a search form from a Web page that uses frames, open the frame containing the search form in a new window (right click the frame and select the "open frame in new window' option) in order to get the URL needed by the Add form wizard.

if you have trouble adding a form, send the url to sgen@BrainDance.com and we'll do our best to take a look at it and get back to you.

Contents Readme Register BD Online About StartGen

Link Title	This is what you see on your start page. It is the short description you will click on to open the link. The date field next to the Link Title is used mainly for directory page links.
Add small form after link	Tells StartGen to create a small form next to the Link Title on your start page to make simple searches more convenient. While the small form may appear only 9 characters wide, you can usually type in much more depending on how the original form (from which the short form definition was extracted) was defined. The first form in the list must have valid information in the "short form fields" for the first form in the list. If you see a message indicating that this information is missing, select the first form in the list by doubleclicking it or single-click it and click the 'Edit' button.
Include full forms	Tells StartGen to add the full size form to the bottom of your start page.
Place forms in a framed powersearch window	PowerSearch windows allow you to enter a search criteria once and have it sent to several search engines simultaneously. Click on the "PowerSearch" link in the leftmost subject (General) on the sample start page included with StartGen. You will see that it opens a page divided into four frames. You enter the search criteria in the upper left form and it will be copied to all the rest and each form will be submitted automatically. Javascript was used for this feature so that it can be used with most browsers.