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addSearchEngine method (sidebar)

Browser support:

Installs a Sherlock formatted search engine plugin into the browser application.

This method allows adding your custom search engine to the user search provider list.

Note that the Sherlock formatted search engine plugins are only supported by Firefox, while the OpenSearch description format are widely supported. Use the AddSearchProvider method instead of the addSearchEngine method.

Syntax:

object.addSearchEngine (engineURL, iconURL, message, suggestedCategory);

You can find the related objects in the Supported by objects section below.

Parameters:

engineURL

Required. String that specifies the URL of the search engine plugin (.src).

iconURL

Required. String that specifies the URL of the icon associated with the plugin.

message

Required. String that specifies the message to show when prompting the user for permission to install the plugin.

suggestedCategory

Required. Not used. Set to null.

Return value:

This method has no return value.

Example HTML code 1:

This example illustrates the use of the addSearchEngine method.

<head>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        function AddSearch () {
            if (window.sidebar) {        // Firefox
                window.sidebar.addSearchEngine ('http://example.com/searchEngine.src', 'http://example.com/searchEngine.ico', 'Example Search Engine', null);
            }
        }
   </script>
</head>
<body>
    <button onclick="AddSearch ()">Add search engine</button>
</body>

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Example HTML code 2:

This example illustrates the use of the AddSearchProvider method.

Code

searchProvider.xml

<head>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        function AddSearch () {
            if (window.external && ('AddSearchProvider' in window.external)) {
                window.external.AddSearchProvider ("/external/examples/common/xml/searchProvider.xml");
            }
            else {
                alert ("Your browser does not support the AddSearchProvider method!");
            }
        }
   </script>
</head>
<body>
    <button onclick="AddSearch ()">Add search engine</button>
    <br /><br />
    To manage search engines, open the drop-down menu of your browser's Search Box (Firefox and Internet Explorer)
    or select Options/Basics/Default Search/Manage (Google Chrome).
</body>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<OpenSearchDescription xmlns="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/" xmlns:moz="http://www.mozilla.org/2006/browser/search/">

        <!-- a brief human-readable title that identifies the search engine -->
    <ShortName>Dottoro</ShortName>

        <!-- a brief human-readable title that identifies the search engine -->
    <LongName>Dottoro Search Engine</LongName>

        <!-- description of the search engine -->
    <Description>Use Dottoro to search on dottoro.com</Description>

        <!-- an URL where the search requests can be handled -->
    <Url type="text/html" method="get" template="http://www.dottoro.com/search.php?query={searchTerms}" />

        <!-- the image that is associated with the search engine -->
    <Image height="16" width="16" type="image/x-icon">http://www.dottoro.com/favicon.ico</Image>

        <!-- character encoding of the search -->
    <InputEncoding>UTF-8</InputEncoding>
    <OutputEncoding>UTF-8</OutputEncoding>


        <!-- the URL of the Search Home Page -->
    <moz:SearchForm>http://www.dottoro.com/search.php</moz:SearchForm>
</OpenSearchDescription>