Better Know a GeoCommons Feature – OpenSearch

OpenSearch specifies rules for sending and receiving data from websites. GeoCommons supports OpenSearch for querying of both maps and overlays.  For non-programmers the most common use of OpenSearch is adding search providers to your browser. Google Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox all support OpenSearch.

Here is the dropdown of my search providers in Firefox. In order to add an Finder! As an OpenSearch provider you navigate to http://finder.geocommons.com and open the Search Engine dropdown. Select Add “GeoCommons Finder Data” to add overlay search support to Firefox.

Now when you select Finder! as your active Search Engine in Firefox you can search overlays.  To add the ability to search Maker! maps go to http://maker.geocommons.com and perform the same steps. Now you can search Maker! as well.  To search overlays and maps at the same time you can go to http://www.geocommons.com and add GeoCommons as a search provider.

To add GeoCommons as a Search Provider in Google Chrome navigate your browser to both Finder! and Maker! respectively and it will be added.

Chrome additionally allows you to create keywords to various search providers to edit the keyword go to your preferences in Chrome and click the “Manage” button.  Double click on the provider you want to edit and you can then edit the keyword.  I made my keyword for Finder “F!” so I can quickly search for datasets in Finder by typing “F!” and then my search terms.

Adding OpenSearch to Internet Explorer 8 is straight forward as well.  When you navigate to Maker or Finder click arrow in the IE search box and select “Add Search Providers” and select to add Finder Data or Maker Maps as a Search Provider.

Windows 7 supports OpenSearch from within Windows Explorer.  To add Finder download the Finder OpenSearch Specification File and rename the “.xml” file extension to “.osdx.”  Next right click on the file and select “Create Search Connector.”  To search Finder now open “Searches” and select Finder as your Search Connector.

OpenSearch is not only awesome for end users of applications though, it is also great for developers.  FortiusOne’s own Map of the News is built using the GeoCommons OpenSearch API and JavaScript API.  For example in the Afghanistan Election Dashboard the menu where which map to display is chosen a tag is added for each group of maps.  ”2009 Afghanistan Election Results” is all of the maps tagged “afghanresults” on the http://news.geocommons.com GeoIQ server.  The results are returned in json and then displayed in the menu.

For more information on Geocommons Search API please see our documentation and our OpenSearch description document.  More information on OpenSearch is available at OpenSearch.org.