Search​Pane Search​Pane Search​Pane Class

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) language tag (BCP 47 standard) that identifies the language currently associated with the user's text input device.

public PlatForm::String Language { get; }public string Language { get; }Public ReadOnly Property Language As string

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

See Also

Quickstart: Adding search

Search contract sample

Object class

The placeholder text in the search box when the user hasn't entered any characters.

public PlatForm::String PlaceholderText { get; set; }public string PlaceholderText { get; set; }Public ReadWrite Property PlaceholderText As string

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

You can use the placeholder text to give the user an indication about what he or she can search for.

If the placeholder text is too long to fit in the search box, the system truncates the text without raising an exception.

The current text in the search box of the search pane.

public PlatForm::String QueryText { get; }public string QueryText { get; }Public ReadOnly Property QueryText As string

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

You can get the query text at any time, even if the search pane isn't open.

A string that identifies the context of the search and is used to store the user's search history with the app.

public PlatForm::String SearchHistoryContext { get; set; }public string SearchHistoryContext { get; set; }Public ReadWrite Property SearchHistoryContext As string

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

The search history context string is used as a secondary key for storing search history. (The primary key is the AppId.

) An app can use the search history context string to store different search histories based on the context of the application.

If you don't set this property, Windows assumes that all searches in your app occur in the same context. If you update this property while the search pane is open with suggestions showing, the changes won't take effect until the user enters the next character.

Indicates whether the user's previous searches with the app are automatically tracked and used to provide suggestions.

public PlatForm::Boolean SearchHistoryEnabled { get; set; }public bool SearchHistoryEnabled { get; set; }Public ReadWrite Property SearchHistoryEnabled As bool

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

You can set this property to false to opt out of automatic suggestions; your app can optionally provide its own suggestions to users instead. If you decide to have your app track its own search history, you should also give the user some control over their history through the Settings charm, like the ability to clear the history.

If you set this property while the search pane is open, the change won't take effect until the user enters the next character of their query.

See Also

Guidelines and checklist for search

Gets or sets whether the user can open the search pane by typing.

public PlatForm::Boolean ShowOnKeyboardInput { get; set; }public bool ShowOnKeyboardInput { get; set; }Public ReadWrite Property ShowOnKeyboardInput As bool

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

To learn more about when you should let users type to search, see Guidelines and checklist for search.

Indicates whether the search pane is open.

public PlatForm::Boolean Visible { get; }public bool Visible { get; }Public ReadOnly Property Visible As bool

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

Retrieves an instance of the search pane from which users can search within the app.

public static SearchPane GetForCurrentView()public static SearchPane GetForCurrentView()Public Static Function GetForCurrentView() As SearchPane

Attributes

DeprecatedAttribute

Remarks

Examples

For C#/C++/VB: This example demonstrates how to ensure that your app can respond to user queries at any time by overriding OnWindowCreated in App.xaml.cs/App.xaml.cpp/App.xaml.vb to access the SearchPane object and register handlers for SearchPane events (like QuerySubmitted ).

protected override void OnWindowCreated(WindowCreatedEventArgs args)
{
    // At window creation time, access the SearchPane object and register SearchPane events
    // (like QuerySubmitted, SuggestionsRequested, and ResultSuggestionChosen) so that the app
    // can respond to the user's search queries at any time.

    // Get search pane
    Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane searchPane = SearchSearchPane.GetForCurrentView();

    // Register event handlers for SearchPane events

    // Register QuerySubmitted event handler
    searchPane.QuerySubmitted += new TypedEventHandler<SearchPane, SearchPaneQuerySubmittedEventArgs>(OnQuerySubmitted);

    // Register a SuggestionsRequested if your app displays its own suggestions in the search pane (like from a web service)
    // Register a ResultSuggestionChosen if your app uses result suggestions in the search pane    
}

For JavaScript: This example demonstrates how to access the searchPane to register a querysubmitted event handler.

// Register event handler for QuerySubmitted
Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane.getForCurrentView().onquerysubmitted = function (eventObject) {
    // Respond to query and perform search
};

Hides the current app's UI.

public static void HideThisApplication()public static void HideThisApplication()Public Static Function HideThisApplication() As void

Attributes

DeprecatedAttribute

Remarks

Specifies whether suggestions based on local files are automatically displayed in the search pane, and defines the criteria that Windows uses to locate and filter these suggestions.

public void SetLocalContentSuggestionSettings(LocalContentSuggestionSettings settings)public void SetLocalContentSuggestionSettings(LocalContentSuggestionSettings settings)Public Function SetLocalContentSuggestionSettings(settings As LocalContentSuggestionSettings) As void

Attributes

DeprecatedAttribute

Remarks

When local content suggestions are enabled, Windows will provide search suggestions from the user's local files as the user enters query text. For example, a picture application can configure local content suggestions so that search suggestions come only from a particular kind of image file that is stored in the user's picture library.

Examples

The Search contract sample demonstrates how to customize local suggestions by restricting the locations and kinds of files that the suggestions are based on.

// Have Windows provide suggestions from local files.
// This code should be placed in your apps global scope and run as soon as your app is launched.
var settings = new LocalContentSuggestionSettings();
settings.Enabled = true;
if (isLocal)
{
    settings.Locations.Add(KnownFolders.MusicLibrary);
    settings.AqsFilter = "kind:Music";
}
SearchPane.GetForCurrentView().SetLocalContentSuggestionSettings(settings);

var settings = new Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.LocalContentSuggestionSettings();
settings.enabled = true;
settings.locations.append(Windows.Storage.KnownFolders.musicLibrary);
settings.aqsFilter = "kind:=music";

Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane.getForCurrentView().setLocalContentSuggestionSettings(settings);

In the example, suggestions are restricted to one kind of file, music files, using an Advanced Query Syntax (AQS) string. Two of the most common Advanced Query Syntax (AQS) filters restrict based on file kind, like "kind:=.music" in the example; and based on file name extension, like "ext:=.mp3". You can learn more about AQS in Advanced Query Syntax (AQS).

See Also

Quickstart: Adding search

Search contract sample

Shows the search pane.

public void Show()public void Show()Public Function Show() As void

Attributes

DeprecatedAttribute OverloadAttribute

Remarks

If the search pane is already being shown, this function gives focus to the search pane.

Shows the search pane with the specified initial query string.

public void Show(String query)public void Show(String query)Public Function Show(query As String) As void

Attributes

DeprecatedAttribute OverloadAttribute

Remarks

If the search pane is already being shown, this function gives focus to the search pane.

Attempts to set the text in the search box of the search pane.

public PlatForm::Boolean TrySetQueryText(String query)public bool TrySetQueryText(String query)Public Function TrySetQueryText(query As String) As bool

Attributes

DeprecatedAttribute

Remarks

If you have an in-app search box, use this method to maintain consistency between the search pane and your search box. Most apps should reply on the search pane instead of using in-app search UI. To learn more, see Guidelines and checklist for search.

Fires when the user changes the text in the search box.

public event TypedEventHandler QueryChangedpublic event TypedEventHandler QueryChangedPublic Event QueryChanged

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

Register to be notified when this event fires by adding an event listener to the searchPane and assigning a handler function for the event. You can access information about the event with the searchPaneQueryChangedEventArgs object that is passed to your event handler.

Fires when the user submits the text in the search box and the app needs to display search results.

public event TypedEventHandler QuerySubmittedpublic event TypedEventHandler QuerySubmittedPublic Event QuerySubmitted

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

If your app participates in the Search contract, register an event handler to respond when this event fires. In your QuerySubmitted event handler, respond by taking the user to your search results page and populating it with results based on the SearchPaneQuerySubmittedEventArgs.@Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPaneQuerySubmittedEventArgs.QueryText?text=QueryText.

Examples

For C#/C++/VB: This example demonstrates how to ensure that your app can respond to user queries at any time by overriding OnWindowCreated in App.xaml.cs/App.xaml.cpp/App.xaml.vb to access the SearchPane object and register handlers for SearchPane events (like QuerySubmitted ).

protected override void OnWindowCreated(WindowCreatedEventArgs args)
{
    // At window creation time, access the SearchPane object and register SearchPane events
    // (like QuerySubmitted, SuggestionsRequested, and ResultSuggestionChosen) so that the app
    // can respond to the user's search queries at any time.

    // Get search pane
    Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane searchPane = SearchPane.GetForCurrentView();

    // Register event handlers for SearchPane events

    // Register QuerySubmitted event handler
    searchPane.QuerySubmitted += new TypedEventHandler<SearchPane, SearchPaneQuerySubmittedEventArgs>(OnQuerySubmitted);

    // Register a SuggestionsRequested if your app displays its own suggestions in the search pane (like from a web service)
    // Register a ResultSuggestionChosen if your app uses result suggestions in the search pane    
}

For JavaScript: This example demonstrates how to access the searchPane to register a querysubmitted event handler.

// Register event handler for QuerySubmitted
Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane.getForCurrentView().onquerysubmitted = function (eventObject) {
    // Respond to query and perform search
};

See Also

Search contract sample

Fires when the user selects one of the suggested results that was provided by the app and displayed in the search pane.

public event TypedEventHandler ResultSuggestionChosenpublic event TypedEventHandler ResultSuggestionChosenPublic Event ResultSuggestionChosen

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

If your app participates in the Search contract and displays suggestions for possible results in the search pane, you should register an event handler to respond when this event fires. In your ResultSuggestionChosen event handler, respond by getting the SearchPaneResultSuggestionChosenEventArgs.@Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPaneResultSuggestionChosenEventArgs.Tag?text=Tag of the chosen result and using it to take the user to the result in your app UI.

Examples

For C#/C++/VB: This example demonstrates how to ensure that your app can respond to user queries at any time by overriding OnWindowCreated in App.xaml.cs/App.xaml.cpp/App.xaml.vb to access the SearchPane object and register handlers for SearchPane events (like QuerySubmitted and ResultSuggestionChosen ).

protected override void OnWindowCreated(WindowCreatedEventArgs args)
{
    // At window creation time, access the SearchPane object and register SearchPane events
    // (like QuerySubmitted, SuggestionsRequested, and ResultSuggestionChosen) so that the app
    // can respond to the user's search queries at any time.

    // Get search pane
    Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane searchPane = SearchSearchPane.GetForCurrentView();

    // Register event handlers for SearchPane events

    // Register QuerySubmitted event handler
    searchPane.QuerySubmitted += new TypedEventHandler<SearchPane, SearchPaneQuerySubmittedEventArgs>(OnQuerySubmitted);

    // Register a SuggestionsRequested if your app displays its own suggestions in the search pane (like from a web service)
    searchPane.SuggestionsRequested += new TypedEventHandler<SearchPane, SearchPaneSuggestionsRequestedEventArgs>(OnSuggestionsRequested);

    // Register a ResultSuggestionChosen if your app displays result suggestions in the search pane
    searchPane.ResultSuggestionChosen += new TypedEventHandler<SearchPane, SearchPaneResultSuggestionChosenEventArgs>(OnResultSuggestionChosen);

}

For JavaScript: This example demonstrates how to access the searchPane to register a resultsuggestionchosen event handler.

// Register event handler for ResultSuggestionChosen
Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane.getForCurrentView().onresultsuggestionchosen = function (eventObject) {
    // Respond when user chooses a result suggestion
};

See Also

Search contract sample

Object class

Fires when the user's query text changes and the app needs to provide new suggestions to display in the search pane.

public event TypedEventHandler SuggestionsRequestedpublic event TypedEventHandler SuggestionsRequestedPublic Event SuggestionsRequested

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

Suggestions can come from three sources: search history, local files, or from a source specified by the app. Suggestions are grouped by their source and display in the following order in the search pane: search history, local files, and then app-specified sources.

If your app participates in the Search contract and you want your app to display suggestions from sources that you specify, you must register a handler to respond when this event fires. In your SuggestionsRequested event handler, respond by obtaining suggestions and populating the SearchSuggestionCollection based on the user's SearchPaneSuggestionsRequestedEventArgs.@Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPaneSuggestionsRequestedEventArgs.QueryText?text=QueryText.

Suggestions can't be provided for an empty search box, so this event isn't fired when the user updates the search box to be empty.

Types of search suggestions

There are two types of suggestions your app can display: suggestions that help users refine a query (query suggestions), and suggestions that are actual results of a query (result suggestions). You may choose to display either or both types of suggestions.

If you provide query suggestions and the user selects one, your app should respond by displaying results for the selected, refined query in your app's search results page.

If you provide result suggestions, you must also register a ResultSuggestionChosen event handler so that you can respond when the user selects one of your result suggestions and you can display the result to the user.

Obtaining suggestions

Here are a few examples of sources your app can use to obtain suggestions:

• From an app-defined, static, local list
• From a URL that supports suggestions in OpenSearch format
• From a URL that supports suggestions in XML search suggestions format

Displaying app-provided suggestions in the search pane

After you obtain suggestions, you display them in the search pane by adding them to the Request.@Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchSuggestionCollection?text=SearchSuggestionCollection.

At most, the search pane can display 5 suggestions. If you choose to display both query suggestions and result suggestions, you should group the suggestions by suggestion type (query or result) and separate the groups using AppendSearchSeparator. Each separator takes the place of a suggestion and must be followed by at least one suggestion, decreasing the number of suggestions that you can display.

To learn more about using suggestions to create a good search experience for your users in Guidelines and checklist for search.

Examples

The Search contract sample demonstrates how to access the searchPane to respond to a suggestionsrequested event.

For Javascript To ensure that your app can respond to user queries at any time, make sure your searchPane event handlers are registered in your app's global scope.

private void OnSearchPaneSuggestionsRequested(SearchPane sender, SearchPaneSuggestionsRequestedEventArgs e)
{
    var queryText = e.QueryText;
    if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(queryText))
    {
        MainPage.Current.NotifyUser("Use the search pane to submit a query", NotifyType.StatusMessage);
    }
    else
    {
        var request = e.Request;
        var linguisticDetails = e.LinguisticDetails;
        foreach (string alternative in linguisticDetails.QueryTextAlternatives)
        {
            foreach (string suggestion in suggestionList)
            {
                if (suggestion.StartsWith(alternative, StringComparison.CurrentCultureIgnoreCase))
                {
                    // Add suggestion to Search Pane
                    request.SearchSuggestionCollection.AppendQuerySuggestion(suggestion);

                    // Break since the Search Pane can show at most 5 suggestions
                    if (request.SearchSuggestionCollection.Size >= MainPage.SearchPaneMaxSuggestions)
                    {
                        break;
                    }
                }
            }

            // Break since the Search Pane can show at most 5 suggestions
            if (request.SearchSuggestionCollection.Size >= MainPage.SearchPaneMaxSuggestions)
            {
                break;
            }
        }

        if (request.SearchSuggestionCollection.Size > 0)
        {
            MainPage.Current.NotifyUser("Suggestions provided for query: " + queryText, NotifyType.StatusMessage);
        }
        else
        {
            MainPage.Current.NotifyUser("No suggestions provided for query: " + queryText, NotifyType.StatusMessage);
        }
    }
}

// Register the onsuggestionsrequested event in your apps global scope, for example default.js, so that it is registered as soon as your app is launched.
Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane.getForCurrentView().onsuggestionsrequested = function (eventObject) {
    var queryText = eventObject.queryText, suggestionRequest = eventObject.request, linguisticDetails = eventObject.linguisticDetails;

    var queryAlternatives = linguisticDetails.queryTextAlternatives;
    var maxNumberOfSuggestions = 5;
    for (var i = 0, len = queryAlternatives.length, done = false; i < len && !done; i++) {
        // toLowerCase not necessary for East Asian languages. Preserves compatibility when non East Asian suggestions are mixed in with East Asian suggestions.
        var alternative = queryAlternatives[i].toLowerCase();
        for (var j = 0, suggestionLength = suggestionList.length; j < suggestionLength; j++) {
            if (suggestionList[j].substr(0, alternative.length).toLowerCase() === alternative) {
                suggestionRequest.searchSuggestionCollection.appendQuerySuggestion(suggestionList[j]);
                if (suggestionRequest.searchSuggestionCollection.size === maxNumberOfSuggestions) {
                    done = true;
                    break;
                }
            }
        }
    }

    // Construct list of alternatives so we can output them.
    var alternatives = "";
    for (var k = 0, alternativeCount = queryAlternatives.length; k < alternativeCount; k++) {
        alternatives += queryAlternatives[k];
    }
    if (suggestionRequest.searchSuggestionCollection.size > 0) {
        WinJS.log && WinJS.log("Suggestions provided for query: " + queryText + "\nUsing alternatives: " + alternatives, "sample", "status");
    } else {
        WinJS.log && WinJS.log("No suggestions provided for query: " + queryText + "\nUsing alternatives: " + alternatives, "sample", "status");
    }
};

protected override void OnWindowCreated(WindowCreatedEventArgs args)
{
    // At window creation time, access the SearchPane object and register SearchPane events
    // (like QuerySubmitted, SuggestionsRequested, and ResultSuggestionChosen) so that the app
    // can respond to the user's search queries at any time.

    // Get search pane
    Windows.ApplicationModel.Search.SearchPane searchPane = SearchSearchPane.GetForCurrentView();

    // Register event handlers for SearchPane events

    // Register QuerySubmitted event handler
    searchPane.QuerySubmitted += new TypedEventHandler<SearchPane, SearchPaneQuerySubmittedEventArgs>(OnQuerySubmitted);

    // Register a SuggestionsRequested if your app displays its own suggestions in the search pane (like from a web service)
    searchPane.SuggestionsRequested += new TypedEventHandler<SearchPane, SearchPaneSuggestionsRequestedEventArgs>(OnSuggestionsRequested);

    // Register a ResultSuggestionChosen if your app displays result suggestions in the search pane
}

See Also

Guidelines and checklist for search

Search contract sample

Fires when the user opens or closes the search pane.

public event TypedEventHandler VisibilityChangedpublic event TypedEventHandler VisibilityChangedPublic Event VisibilityChanged

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute DeprecatedAttribute MarshalingBehaviorAttribute MuseAttribute StaticAttribute StaticAttribute

Remarks

Register to be notified when this event fires by adding an event listener to the searchPane and assigning a handler function for the event. You can access information about the event with the searchPaneVisibilityChangedEventArgs object that is passed to your event handler.