Search multiple search engines

[forumnz]

Does anyone know how it may be possible to write some code to search multiple search engines?

 

Please help.

 

Sam.

[chigley]

This isn't very difficult. What do you plan to do with the search results after you obtain them?

[forumnz]

Display them on a single page

 

What would it take?

[forumnz]

Or multiple pages - depend how many results

[chigley]

If I was doing it I'd do something like this:

 

<?php

$links = array("http://www.google.co.uk/search?q={QUERY}", "http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q={QUERY}");

$query = $_GET['query']; // Contains the value of what you want to search for

foreach($links as $url) {
$url = str_replace("{QUERY}", $query, $url);
$content = file_get_contents($url);
echo "$content\n\n";
}

?>

 

You'd then go on to parse $content reading the bits of data you want.

 

[forumnz]

Gulp... so i need to make a form that sends data to {query} or something and i also need an output page?

[chigley]

Well at the moment that code takes the query (what you want to search for) and searches for it in each search engine found in the $links array.

 

In the $links array, you need to insert all the search engine urls, placing {QUERY} where the search query goes. I worked out the links for Google and Live already. So you may do this:

 

index.php:

<form action="search.php" method="post">Search for: <input type="text" name="query" /></form>

 

and alter the PHP code to:

 

search.php:

<?php

$links = array("http://www.google.co.uk/search?q={QUERY}", "http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q={QUERY}");

$query = $_POST['query']; // Contains the value of what you want to search for

foreach($links as $url) {
$url = str_replace("{QUERY}", $query, $url);
$content = file_get_contents($url);
echo "$content\n\n";
}

?>

[forumnz]

Thanks, it kinda worked, but not as I hoped - this is what happend - result

[chigley]

Well now you have the variable, $content, containing the source code of the result page of each search engine. Now you need to start parsing the HTML output of the page to fish out the bits of info you want.

 

Also, instead of going to http://www.designervision.co.nz/search/search.php, go to http://www.designervision.co.nz/search/index.php and type in your query and hit the return key.

 

Look up HTML parsing and see what you can find!

[forumnz]

Ok thanks a lot, will do!

 

Sam.

[forumnz]

Oh dear, this seems a just a little bit to advanced for me - only a little (you could say im an advanced noob in php).

 

Would I need to make a new page to display the results?

[chigley]

If I were doing it I'd start with Live search because its results are easier to parse. I don't want to tell you all the code because it doesn't help you learn at all. This function is useful:

 

<?php


function textbetweenarray($s1,$s2,$s){
  $myarray=array();
  $s1=strtolower($s1);
  $s2=strtolower($s2);
  $L1=strlen($s1);
  $L2=strlen($s2);
  $scheck=strtolower($s);

  do{
  $pos1 = strpos($scheck,$s1);
  if($pos1!==false){
$pos2 = strpos(substr($scheck,$pos1+$L1),$s2);
if($pos2!==false){
  $myarray[]=substr($s,$pos1+$L1,$pos2);
  $s=substr($s,$pos1+$L1+$pos2+$L2);
  $scheck=strtolower($s);
  }
	}
  } while (($pos1!==false)and($pos2!==false));
return $myarray;
}

?>

 

Usage:

 

<?php

$uls = textbetweenarray("<ul class=\"metaData\">", "</ul>", $content);

?>

 

Then break each <ul> into smaller chunks!

 

 

[edit] Remember that the first <ul> has a class attatched to it! [/edit]

[forumnz]

Ok, I understand most of the code there - thanks.

 

But, I don't know what to do with it. Help?

 

Sorry and thanks.

[forumnz]

Can someone plese help me?

[john010117]

Please wait at least an hour before double posting. Also, I suggest you look up read about some of the functions (that's been included in the custom functions) on php.net

[chigley]

Yeah I think you have enough to work with now. textbetweenarray() simply makes an array with everything between two points. The Live search results are done in list format, which is easier to parse as in my example above.

 

Have a go at doing it yourself