Result Page Web Parts

Each result page includes several different Search & Preview Web Parts, each of which provides a specific type of search functionality. A typical result page includes the following Web Parts:

• Search & Preview Search Manager
This is required for all pages. It establishes the foundation needed by the other Search & Preview Web Parts and also provides a few global settings for the page, including a setting that can cause the page to inherit its search-tab settings from the referring site rather than from the standard SharePoint hierarchy that leads to the Search Center.

• Search & Preview Search Tabs
This creates a set of buttons (tabs) for switching between various sets of search settings (also known as “search tab configurations”). Usually, each tab maps to a different ASPX page in the Search Center. Even if your result page does not include a Search Tab Web Part, the page will still have a search-tab configuration that is active, thereby supplying the page with search settings (this is established by the Search Manager Web Part). This part is recommended for all result pages but is not strictly required.

• Search & Preview Search Summary
This creates a summary display of results and provides controls for paging, sorting, drilling down and grouping the results in various ways. Sometimes, you might include several Web parts of this type, each configured to supply a different type of the available features. Although we recommend you use this part on all result pages, it is not strictly required.

• Search & Preview SharePoint Search Results
This is the central Web part for nearly all result pages. It is responsible for submitting the incoming query to the database and then formatting and displaying results.

• Search & Preview Search Hint
This Web part can display various types of help text for when the search does not return any results. This part is recommended for all result pages but is not strictly required.

• Search & Preview Search Dialog
This web part creates a search form. Often you will also include a simple form on all result pages so that users can search again if their first search produced unsatisfying results. This part is recommended for all result pages but is not strictly required.

• Search & Preview Best Bets
This Web part creates a special display that highlights “best bet” results whenever they are included in a result list. Usually, you will position this Web part at the top of the result list and use an XSLT template that creates an eye-catching display (such as an alternative background color).

• Search & Preview High Confidence
This Web part creates a special display for result lists in which a single result appears to be an “exact match” for the submitted query. Usually, you will position this Web part at the top of the result list and use an XSLT template that includes additional property displays and/or creates an eye-catching display (such as an alternative background color).
Each Web Part has its own set of configuration options, which control the behavior of that Web Part on the page. As usual in SharePoint, you can access these settings by editing a given result page.

Usually, the settings you make to individual Web Parts will overrule inherited settings, such as those supplied by the active search-tab configuration. However, it is also possible to make some search-tab settings that will affect the way the various Web Parts function in a given situation (see below).