Killer Tip : How to add seach bar to your ning 3.0 network ?

[Bernard Lama]

Hi NCs,

As you know Ning 3.0 doesn't have search bar like ning 2.0 yet. May be some people are desperately looking for a solution. So today I'm gonna show you few simple steps to add  google custom search bar to your ning 3.0 network (Ning 2.0 has search bar at the top right corner within ning bar) and it works as good as default ning 2.0 search bar. So here we go.

Step one: Click on this lick http://www.google.com/cse/manage/all and sign in to your Google or Gmail account, or create one if you don’t already have one. Once you’ve done that, head over to the Google Custom Search management page. Click on ADD button> Enter your network link under "Sites to search" and hit CREATE button> now go to step two.

Step Two: Copy and paste the following code into notepad. Go back to the google page you just created google custom search bar code and Click on GET CODE and copy the code. Now go back to the notepad and paste the google custom search bar code within <p style="text-align:left;"> and </p>. 

<!--CUSTOM GOOGLE SEARCH BAR by [e-mail]-->
<div id="BL_search_bar" style="display:none;">
<p style="text-align:left;">

YOUR GOOGLE CUSTOM SEARCH BAR CODE GOES HERE

</p>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
if (typeof(x$) != 'undefined') {
x$(".ningbar").prepend('<div id="inside_header"></div>');
var within_headerCode = document.getElementById('BL_search_bar');
var insideheaderCode = document.getElementById('inside_header');
insideheaderCode.innerHTML = within_headerCode.innerHTML;
}
</script>
<style>
input.gsc-search-button-v2 {
padding: 6px 20px 7px 20px;
}
.gsc-search-box-tools .gsc-search-box .gsc-input {
padding-right: 0px;
}
.gsc-control-cse {
background-color: hsla(0, 100%, 100%, 0);
border-color: transparent;
height: 33px;
padding: 0px 3px;
}
#inside_header {
width: 300px;
float:right;
}
</style>
<!--CUSTOM GOOGLE SEARCH BAR by [e-mail]-->

Step Three: Now copy and paste the entire code into custom code (End of Page Code) and save the page. You are done.

Live preview here

 

If you are looking for more than this tip or want to hire me for any kind of Ning custom job or ning re-designing jobs, you can directly contact me @ [e-mail]

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[Illona Haus]

yes, Bernard ... well aware of this.  which is why i've had to go to Groupsite for my newest network.  ....although i was willing to wait for NING 3.0 Developers to get the Search up and running ... i wasn't able to wait for a potential "email notifications for new forum topics/discussions" ... and was told by Support that it might not even be implemented.  that's when i ditched 3.0 for good.

[Willerie Razote]

Thanks, Illona.  Those features are important for my site (in 3.0) as well...integral to any community site, I'd say.   So, sucks to hear we have to wait much longer for them.  I'll double check with Support Group to see when we can expect them in 3.0.  I'll post back on what Support has to say.

[vordo]

Illona and I are in the same boat - there is so much about 3.0 that is not working that my site is pretty much crippled.  I have to say that we were not a good candidates to move so quickly to 3.0, but here we are in the brave new world.  

I started a discussion about our issues.  feel free to chime in:

https://creators.ning.com/forum/topics/ning-3-0-not-ready-for-prime-...

[Willerie Razote]

Thanks for confirming, Bernard. 

[Noémi Ketterer]

Yes, private page is not working

[doone]

Thanks, it does work great for a public network.

[Sergio Úbeda]

I'm also looking for alternatives to Ning just for the native search...when a community grows in users and content it's unaceptable to dont have a native search engine.

I currently have 4 networks...

[OMGEDSON]

This is actually really really cool, is there any way to center it like on facebook btw?? Also the magnifying glass icon seems to be chopped in half on my site

[Gwynnyth]

I've been looking fir a search bar for almost a year. This google bar has been around for that long . What I have been asking for is a site search bar like on ning 2. I'm really done with ning. It's been disappointing from the get go. I'm not renewing.

[Gwynnyth]

What I want is for my members to be able to find the information that I provide on my site. The google search provides info from all sites. What's the point of having my members find the info from other sites on mine. For that, let them go straight to google and ignore my site altogether.