Passing (pre-populating) advanced keyword search page

[Karl Fattig <kfattig@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I thought some of you on this list might be interested in seeing this -- 
it's also what we came up with as an answer to something we posted on 
the list a while back.

When we recently redesigned our library home page, we wanted to improve 
upon our "quick search" script that offered the basic Innopac catalog 
searches via dropdown selection of index/ search input box... (similar 
to what is available in the WebPac itself).

Our problem was with the "Word" search dropdown option. Before we 
installed AVS, it didn't matter that whatever was input was searched 
immediately, since no pre-limiting was available. Once we installed AVS, 
we realized that most of our patrons who would be doing word searches 
from the very conveniently located quick search box, would miss out on 
the added pre-modification/limit capabilities of the AVS search.

So with a little bit of javascript we stole from oreillynet, we were 
able to pass the values input into the search box along to a "modified" 
AVS word search help screen that is generated on the fly... which 
inherently forces users to go through the AVS search help screen, giving 
them a chance to modify their search (or not)... our Reference 
Librarians like it a lot. One caveat... the interm page is STATIC and 
NOT built using the tokens, so if those values change on the webpac they 
have to be manually changed on the static page.	

Go to library.bowdoin.edu and input a "Word" search in the library 
catalog search box.

We are happy to share it... but make no offers to support it/help you 
get it going... ;-)

_______________________________________________________________________
Karl Fattig, Technical Services Manager / Catalog Librarian  | __ Cheap
Hawthorne-Longfellow Library              207.725.3027 (vox) | __ Fast
Bowdoin College                           207.725.3083 (fax) | __ Good
3000 College Station                         151164662 (icq) |
Brunswick, ME 04011-8421          mailto:kfattig@xxxxxxxxxx | Pick two