I have been trying to modify the Search.asp so that I can search by Topic_ID, but I keep failing to get it working. I was able to modify the forum.asp to show the TOPIC_ID so that user can use that ID as a ticket number. With that ticket number, they can use that number instead of the keywords. Any help is appreciated.
I am actually editing the search_form_enhancem-34-0004a.zip version, but just renamed it to Search.asp. However I don't think that would really matter.

The link to that file is http://www.snitzbitz.com/mods/download.asp?mid=65&fid=57<

Ehm...perhaps I'm a bit daft, but what's the point in searching by Topic_id ? If you know the topic_id, you know the topic....<

It is true that people should know the topic, but however, not everybody else would be able to remember the whole string. Even when they search for a keyword for the subject, it may show alot of results, which will make it harder for them to find the correct topic that they are looking for. On the other, if you search by the TOPIC_ID, it will not show as much as the keyword itself, just the numbers itself will show.
We are a technical staff team and we want to be able to assist the people by the order of the TOPIC_ID. The order of the TOPIC_ID will determine the priorities of our replies. It is really hard to explain, but we believe that the TOPIC_ID would be a useful tool for us. Thanks<

there is no point in searching for a topic_id, if you know the topic id you can just open the topic by using /topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=TOPICNUMBER<

Huw, I think that's what L3recher meant when he said:

not everybody else would be able to remember the whole string

An alternative method, L3reacher, that would save you the headache of editing search.asp would be to add a small form to inc_header.asp with a single text input where members could enter the TOPIC_ID of the topic they were looking for and you could then, upon submission, use javascript to construct and redirect to the relevant URL.
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It could even be a small form, probably easier to do...<

Hmmm... how much of a coding will this little form take, since I am not a programmer. Will the textbox on the header act as a topic search field?? I can try to go online and get some help tutorials on creating this form.<

No, not much. You'd need to add code to display the form and to handle form submission.<

In fact, the easiest way to do it would be to use get as the form's method, topic.asp as it's action and TOPIC_ID as the name of the text input. Doing it this way, the form will submit to topic.asp with TOPIC_ID in the querystring, no need for an additional handler to process the form and redirect to the appropriate topic.
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Originally posted by Shaggy
In fact, the easiest way to do it would be to use get as the form's method, topic.asp as it's action and TOPIC_ID as the name of the text input. Doing it this way, the form will submit to topic.asp with TOPIC_ID in the querystring, no need for an additional handler to process the form and redirect to the appropriate topic.

Good suggestion.<

Would it be something like this for the form?
<form action="topic.asp" method="get">
<input name="TOPIC_ID" />
<input type="submit" />
</form><

Great! I tested it and it works great. Thanks alot all, espeically ruirib and shaggy for the guidance.<

You're welcome, glad to be of service Have you got a link 'til we have a look at it?
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not yet, it is still in development, but will post it up when i do have it done.<

This is pretty cool. I've been trying to do something similar, and could not figure out what to do. Thanks.

Originally posted by l3reacher
I was able to modify the forum.asp to show the TOPIC_ID so that user can use that ID as a ticket number.

l3reacher,

can you tell me what you did to show the TOPIC_ID.<

In the forum.asp Search for code below , which is around line 595 for mine. Yours may be different.


Response.Write "</a></td>" & vbNewLine & _
" <td bgcolor=""" & strForumCellColor & """ valign=""middle"" align=""left"">" & vbNewLine & _
" <font face=""" & strDefaultFontFace & """ size=""" & strDefaultFontSize & """ color=""" & strForumFontColor & """>"
if Topic_Sticky and strStickyTopic = "1" then Response.Write("Answered: ")
Response.Write "<span class=""spnMessageText""><a href=""topic.asp?" & ArchiveLink & "TOPIC_ID=" & Topic_ID & """>" & ChkString(Topic_Subject,"title") & "</a></span> </font>" & vbNewLine
if strShowPaging = "1" then
Call TopicPaging()
end if


Add the following code below right on top of the code above

Response.Write "</a></td>" & vbNewLine & _
" <td bgcolor=""" & strForumCellColor & """ valign=""middle"" align=""center"">" & vbNewLine & _
" <font face=""" & strDefaultFontFace & """ size=""" & strDefaultFontSize & """ color=""" & strForumFontColor & """>"
Response.Write "<span class=""spnMessageText""><a href=""topic.asp?" & ArchiveLink & "TOPIC_ID=" & Topic_ID & """>" & ChkString(Topic_ID,"topicID") & "</a></span> </font>" & vbNewLine

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l3reacher, glad that you managed to do it :).<

Thanks l3reacher.<

no problem..<

No problem rpainter.. I'm glad I managed to get through it also ruirib.<