Prefetch Results and...

[JCF1976]

Is there any way that the Zoom online search engine (I happen to use the PHP based version) could "prefetch" the results, send back a message to the page and then initiate the page to go to the search.php page with the results already achieved? What would be awesome too is if there was some kind of progress bar on the page that was giving an indication of how long the results will take.

Perhaps I am not using the exact terms that would be proper. Forgive me for that, but, I am sure you have the basic idea of what I am looking for. Does V5 have this ability at all? If not, is there something that could be created as a plugin or something?

The reason I ask is that sometimes, when I perform a search with my Zoom search engines, the page collapses and then uncollapses. Everything in the sidebar scrunches up and to the right until the search is complete and then it kind of "bounces" back into place. I believe this is because Zoom is memory intensive on the server. Even an increased memory allowance still doesn't resolve it completely.

Or, is there a piece of code that I could wrap around the <!--ZOOMSEARCH--> to get it to stop doing that?

I think you are probably somewhat aware of this issue. So, I am curious about your response. I look forward to your answer, ASAP.

[wrensoft]

Zoom is not memory intensive on the server. Progress bars don't make sense when an operation is expected to take only 1 or 2 seconds.

If it is taking longer than 3 sec, your server is either overloaded and / or your index is large (>10,000 pages) and you should consider switching to the CGI option.

The 'collapse' and 'bouncing' of your pages is nothing to do with Zoom and nothing to do with RAM usage. It is most likely just the way you have done your HTML layout. The browser probably doesn't know the size of sections of your page until after they have downloaded. e.g. you didn't include width & height attributes for your images or aren't using fixed with tables. So as sections of the page download, the browser must re-arrange elements to make them fit on the page.

[AG!]

Is there any way that the Zoom online search engine (I happen to use the PHP based version) could "prefetch" the results, send back a message to the page and then initiate the page to go to the search.php page with the results already achieved? What would be awesome too is if there was some kind of progress bar on the page that was giving an indication of how long the results will take.

Perhaps I am not using the exact terms that would be proper. Forgive me for that, but, I am sure you have the basic idea of what I am looking for. Does V5 have this ability at all? If not, is there something that could be created as a plugin or something?

The reason I ask is that sometimes, when I perform a search with my Zoom search engines, the page collapses and then uncollapses. Everything in the sidebar scrunches up and to the right until the search is complete and then it kind of "bounces" back into place. I believe this is because Zoom is memory intensive on the server. Even an increased memory allowance still doesn't resolve it completely.

Or, is there a piece of code that I could wrap around the <!--ZOOMSEARCH--> to get it to stop doing that?

I think you are probably somewhat aware of this issue. So, I am curious about your response. I look forward to your answer, ASAP.

Hello JCF1976,

It seems to me as your talking about how your browser page reloads on each search request. What you might be looking for is only updating the results area of the page without reloading the rest.

I'm short of time at the moment, however, I can point you in the right direction.

If you're familiar with PHP & Javascript then the following will be of use to you.

What you are looking for is AJAX (do a google search).

What you'll find is that its easier if the results are displayed in xml -> try the cgi option and in the address bar, add zoom_xml=1 to get xml results.

To handle cross browser AJAX, there is a very easy to use library out their which is still pre-release called spry -> http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/spry/

Using this, you could have your zoom scripts seperate from your page layout i.e. in the cgi-bin dir and have your 'template' (not the generated template that zoom outputs, but you own php one) and you can 'grab' the results using spry and insert them in to your page. With some simple scripting, you can add page numbers etc. If done correctly, along with some url manipulation and javascript, you can have the results update without having the rest of the page update.

Also, Im doing something very similar, so watch this space for more info.

[JCF1976]

Originally Posted by wrensoft

Zoom is not memory intensive on the server. Progress bars don't make sense when an operation is expected to take only 1 or 2 seconds.

If it is taking longer than 3 sec, your server is either overloaded and / or your index is large (>10,000 pages) and you should consider switching to the CGI option.

The 'collapse' and 'bouncing' of your pages is nothing to do with Zoom and nothing to do with RAM usage. It is most likely just the way you have done your HTML layout. The browser probably doesn't know the size of sections of your page until after they have downloaded. e.g. you didn't include width & height attributes for your images or aren't using fixed with tables. So as sections of the page download, the browser must re-arrange elements to make them fit on the page.

You were not helpful or honest at all.

#1, the largest number of pages indexed on my site, for Zoom to search is 1200 pages. So, the CGI version doesn't make sense at all.

First of all, it is not acceptable to use height attributes for regular sections. That's called poor design. Secondly, there are fixed widths. As for the images, they do have height and width attributes. That's the reason this is so irritating with the Zoom search.

Finally, Zoom is memory intensive on the server. My hosting company, and I agree, says that 15 MB or more are required to run your search engine and that is not reasonable.

[JCF1976]

Originally Posted by AG!

Hello JCF1976,

It seems to me as your talking about how your browser page reloads on each search request. What you might be looking for is only updating the results area of the page without reloading the rest.

I'm short of time at the moment, however, I can point you in the right direction.

If you're familiar with PHP & Javascript then the following will be of use to you.

What you are looking for is AJAX (do a google search).

What you'll find is that its easier if the results are displayed in xml -> try the cgi option and in the address bar, add zoom_xml=1 to get xml results.

To handle cross browser AJAX, there is a very easy to use library out their which is still pre-release called spry -> http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/spry/

Using this, you could have your zoom scripts seperate from your page layout i.e. in the cgi-bin dir and have your 'template' (not the generated template that zoom outputs, but you own php one) and you can 'grab' the results using spry and insert them in to your page. With some simple scripting, you can add page numbers etc. If done correctly, along with some url manipulation and javascript, you can have the results update without having the rest of the page update.

Also, Im doing something very similar, so watch this space for more info.

AG, thank you. Your post was most interesting and useful. I am aware of Ajax and thought about this option. I guess I was hoping that Wrensoft would either build something into their search engine software to accomplish this for me, or would add a plugin. As noted previously in this thread, Wrensoft says that the CGI version is only used for 10,000 pages and above. The largest number of pages I have indexed at any time is 1200 pages. So, in this situation, would you still recommend the method that you outlined?

[wrensoft]

AJAX can be a good thing for some applications. But my feeling is that if people are having trouble getting standard HTML layouts working, then AJAX coding is going to be a whole world of unnecessary pain & frustration.

Even as an experienced programmer I shy away from AJAX. At the moment it is really only a technology for the hardest of hard core web programmers, in my opinion. And I don't think it is required to solve the layout problems of JCF1976. Plain old HTML or CSS should work fine.

[wrensoft]

You were not helpful or honest at all

You might not like the advice, but that doesn't mean it isn't factual.

So, the CGI version doesn't make sense at all.

If you have a slow server, then it makes sense to use the fastest option available. The CGI is 5 to 10 times faster than PHP.

..it is not acceptable to use height attributes for regular sections

If you read my post, I never suggested this. And my suggestions were only based on your limited description of the problem.

My hosting company, and I agree

You have been brain washed by your hosting company into accepting bad service. Using 16MB out of an available 2000MB for 2 sec is not intensive in any way on current server hardware. But this is your choice what you want to believe. The facts speak for themselves.

[JCF1976]

Originally Posted by wrensoft

You might not like the advice, but that doesn't mean it isn't factual.

If you have a slow server, then it makes sense to use the fastest option available. The CGI is 5 to 10 times faster than PHP.

If you read my post, I never suggested this. And my suggestions were only based on your limited description of the problem.

You have been brain washed by your hosting company into accepting bad service. Using 16MB out of an available 2000MB for 2 sec is not intensive in any way on current server hardware. But this is your choice what you want to believe. The facts speak for themselves.

Thank you for your response. Please be assured that I did not intend to offend you. As far as I am concerned, you have an awesome product. No other company out there can compare to what you offer for how much money you offer it. That's a fact. I have done my research. ...I am hoping to get V5. I'll continue to discuss this with my hosting company.

[AG!]

Originally Posted by JCF1976

AG, thank you. Your post was most interesting and useful. I am aware of Ajax and thought about this option. I guess I was hoping that Wrensoft would either build something into their search engine software to accomplish this for me, or would add a plugin. As noted previously in this thread, Wrensoft says that the CGI version is only used for 10,000 pages and above. The largest number of pages I have indexed at any time is 1200 pages. So, in this situation, would you still recommend the method that you outlined?

After reading your posts, you seem to clarify your issue further. I personally suggest you follow Davids advice in that you first try the cgi option. If that is still slow, it might really be an issue with your service provider. I run 10000+ files with the cgi option and it is surprisingly fast. The whiteness between pageloads sounds like a cache problem. Try enabling / increasing your browser cache.

The reason I'm going the Ajax way is not because of annoying page loads but to actually add further functionality to the page and in my case, Ajax turns out to be a by-product rather than a must-have feature.

In your case, Ajax would take about the same time to load the search page only you won't get a full browser-wide white screen. Alternatively, to try to increase the speed, you might want to give another host a try.
Let us know how you get on.