Problem with FP 2003 and Web Search component

[Eric G]

Windows XPP SP2

FrontPage 2003









Hello,



I've a problem with web site search form, as provided in FrontPage through the Web Search component.

To illustrate the problem I've created a tiny test site, where I've put up some sample text on the index page, and a simple search form on a second page. Searching for any word on the site e.g. "Lorem", returns a result of "The page cannot be found".

I've spoken to my host, who says that the file "norbots.htm" is missing. I don't personally know what this file represents, but I presume that it is, or should be, the search result page.

Now, being a good boy, I own a copy of Jim Buyens' excellent book FrontPage 2003 Inside Out, where he, on pages 740-742, goes through, step-by-step, how to troubleshoot Search component problems. Consequently, I installed the suggested asp-script to check that the Indexing service was installed and running. But, as far as I can tell, the service is installed, but not running, as, in Jims words, "If Indexing Service is installed, not running, and the noindexserver registry entry is absent or equal to anything but 1, the Web Search component will try to use Indexing Service and fail."

My link to the test site is http://northerncruiser.com .

My question: Is it me, or my host, that fails? What can I do to get this little search component working?

My host admits to not being very knowledgeable about FrontPage, and says that he finds it "very buggy". I won't argue the latter (as he seems to a nice and friendly person) even though I find it rather unfair, but then again, it probably boils down to lack of insight and understanding, and possibly also, of not having enough time to dig into it.

Best regards,

Eric C
Stockholm, Sweden

 

[Ronx]

Your search form is looking for nortbots.htm.
nortbots.htm is an error page, which is only used in one or more of the
following conditions:

1) The server does not have FP server extensions installed or working

2) The page was FTPd to the server - it MUST be published using FrontPage
HTTP mode.

3) The page is being tested on a Disc Based web

4) There is a bug associated with FrontPage 98.

--
Ron Symonds (Microsoft MVP - FrontPage)
Reply only to group - emails will be deleted unread.


Windows XPP SP2

FrontPage 2003









Hello,



I've a problem with web site search form, as provided in FrontPage through
the Web Search component.

To illustrate the problem I've created a tiny test site, where I've put up
some sample text on the index page, and a simple search form on a second
page. Searching for any word on the site e.g. "Lorem", returns a result of
"The page cannot be found".

I've spoken to my host, who says that the file "norbots.htm" is missing. I
don't personally know what this file represents, but I presume that it is,
or should be, the search result page.

Now, being a good boy, I own a copy of Jim Buyens' excellent book FrontPage
2003 Inside Out, where he, on pages 740-742, goes through, step-by-step, how
to troubleshoot Search component problems. Consequently, I installed the
suggested asp-script to check that the Indexing service was installed and
running. But, as far as I can tell, the service is installed, but not
running, as, in Jims words, "If Indexing Service is installed, not running,
and the noindexserver registry entry is absent or equal to anything but 1,
the Web Search component will try to use Indexing Service and fail."

My link to the test site is http://northerncruiser.com .

My question: Is it me, or my host, that fails? What can I do to get this
little search component working?

My host admits to not being very knowledgeable about FrontPage, and says
that he finds it "very buggy". I won't argue the latter (as he seems to a
nice and friendly person) even though I find it rather unfair, but then
again, it probably boils down to lack of insight and understanding, and
possibly also, of not having enough time to dig into it.

Best regards,

Eric C
Stockholm, Sweden

 

[Eric G]

Hello Ron,

Since neither of the alternatives 2, 3 or 4 are applicable, I (must) deduct
that alternative 1 is, and that's what counts.

Thanks Ron for confirming my thoughts, I really appreciate your help.

Best regards,

Eric G
Stockholm, Sweden

 

[Ronx]

The site does have server extensions installed, and if you published using
HTTP mode, they were working when you published. I doubt that 4 is
applicable.

Open your site (File->Open Site and in the dialogue select Network Places
in the Look in bar, then choose or type in http://northerncruiser.com and
Open.

Log in, then Tools->recalculate hyperlinks.

This might fix it. Otherwise a check or re-install of the extensions is
required.

 

[Eric G]

Ron,

Thanks again for looking into the problem.

I followed the steps you suggested, but the situation is still the same (The
page cannot be found). I've asked the host to check and/or reinstall FPSE,
but I guess it will take a little while before they have executed the
request, as it is 06:19 over here. I'll get back to the thread when I know
more.

Best regards


Eric G
Stockholm, Sweden

 

[Eric G]

Hi again Ron,

I doubt that you're reading this old thread, but I promised to get back to
you when I had more information, so I'll try anyway.

I received this message from our host in the weekend where they explained
that mapping was missing for "some .idq-files" that are used when performing
a search. As far as I have managed find out, .idq files refers to Internet
Data Query and/or is a component of Index Server. Admittedly, I know nothing
about these internal technical details. But, as far as I can tell, the
search now works technically, with one caveat:

On the pages I've constructed in FP 2003, I frequently use the Included
content / Page function. That is, I use Dynamic Web Templates and then
include the content I require from pages that just contain plain text. For
me it works rather well. I was also under the impression that when a site is
published, the included content is "merged" into template page, which
obviously can't be, since, when I do a search on the site with the search
function, page results are displayed that emanate from the plain text pages.
The hyperlink on the search results page do not point back to complete page
(based on the DWG), but the text page. I've obviously missed something here.

Is there a way of either excluding the plain text pages (or other specific
pages) from the search and only search the "complete/amalgamated" pages?

Best regards,




Eric G,
Stockholm, Sweden

 

[Ronx]

If you are using the FrontPage included page component then the search
should find all pages that contain the included content - that content is
indeed merged into your page when the page is saved, and on subsequent
updates of either the page or the included material. If you are using
Server Side Includes (SSI) or ASP includes, then the search will not find
the content in the pages, since it is not there until the page is browsed.

If the "plain text files" (which should be HTML documents for FP Includes)
are placed in a folder with a name commencing an underline (example
_includes) then these should be excluded from the search - however this may
require your host to adjust the Index Server catalogue settings, or an edit
of the .idq files.

 

[Eric G]

Hello Ron,

Thank you for replying back to me after such a long time .

Yes, I'm using the FP Include Content / Page (no SSI or ASP includes), and
the "text files" are htm documents. However, I never knew of prefixing the
folder name with an underscore. I tried the prefixing this morning and it
worked wondefully.

Once again, many thanks for helping me solving this little problem. I'm much
obliged.

Best regards,



Eric G
Stockholm, Sweden