Comparing Index and Source Mods

\SearchWP\Mods are purpose built interactions with SearchWP search queries.

There are two primary types of Mods:

Index-based: Apply modification to the index as a whole
Source-based: Limit the modification to a single Source

The primary way of specifying which type of Mod you’re implementing is to pass in a Source (or Source name) when instantiating a Mod.

Note: this is a comparison of the two instantiations, note that these Mods don’t actually do anything yet.

	<?php

	// @link https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/comparing-index-source-mods/

	// Instantiate an index Mod that applies to the entire index.
	$mod = new \SearchWP\Mod();

	// Instantiate a Source Mod that applies only to Posts.
	$source = \SearchWP\Utils::get_post_type_source_name( 'post' );
	$mod = new \SearchWP\Mod( $source );

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The first Mod has been instantiated in a way that will apply to the Index as a whole when they query runs. By comparison, the second Mod will apply only to a single Source.

Using an Index-based `Mod`

An Index-based Mod has only the SearchWP Index as its context. Index-based Mods should be limited to those that only need that immediate context to perform their job.

While it is certainly possible to perform additional JOINs using an Index-based Mod, doing so may result in increased query times that may not be so prevalent with a Source-based Mod.

For example: an applicable Index-based Mod would be one that adds ‘bonus’ weight to a particular Source that is returned as a result.

All hooks should be added to your custom SearchWP Customizations Plugin.

	<?php

	// @link https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/comparing-index-source-mods/
	// Add relevance weight to a single SearchWP Source (Posts).
	add_filter( 'searchwp\query\mods', function( $mods ) {
	global $wpdb;

	$mod = new \SearchWP\Mod();
	$source = \SearchWP\Utils::get_post_type_source_name( 'post' );
	$mod->weight( $wpdb->prepare( "IF(s.source = %s, 9999999, 0)", $source ) );

	$mods[] = $mod;

	return $mods;
	} );

view raw searchwp-customizations.php hosted with ❤ by GitHub

With this Mod a ‘bonus’ relevance weight of 9999999 will be afforded to all Posts. A use case for a hook like this may be that you want Posts to be (nearly) guaranteed to show up above all other Sources without explicitly forcing Sources to be grouped together.

Using a Source-based `Mod`

Source-based Mods facilitate query modifications that apply only to a single Source. In this case there already exists a JOIN with the database table that defines the Source, which opens new possibilities for modification.

For example: a Source-based Mod can be used to exclude certain Posts from search results if some sort of condition has been met:

All hooks should be added to your custom SearchWP Customizations Plugin.

	<?php
	// @link https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/comparing-index-source-mods/
	add_filter( 'searchwp\query\mods', function( $mods ) {
	if ( ! isset( $_GET['my_mod_trigger'] ) ) {
	return $mods;
	}

	// Exclude Posts 97 and 188 from search results.
	$source = \SearchWP\Utils::get_post_type_source_name( 'post' );
	$mod = new \SearchWP\Mod( $source );

	$mod->set_where( [ [
	'column' => 'ID',
	'value' => ['97', '188'],
	'compare' => 'NOT IN',
	'type' => 'NUMERIC'
	] ] );

	$mods[] = $mod;

	return $mods;
	}, 30, 2 );

view raw searchwp-customizations.php hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Using this Mod Post 97 and 188 are excluded from search results only when $_GET['my_mod_trigger'] has been defined.

Another example: a Source-based Mod can be used to exclude Pages with the word coffee in their Title:

All hooks should be added to your custom SearchWP Customizations Plugin.

	<?php
	// @link https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/comparing-index-source-mods/
	add_filter( 'searchwp\query\mods', function( $mods ) {
	// Exclude Pages with 'coffee' in the Title.
	$source = \SearchWP\Utils::get_post_type_source_name( 'page' );
	$mod = new \SearchWP\Mod( $source );

	$mod->set_where( [ [
	'column' => 'post_title',
	'value' => 'coffee',
	'compare' => 'LIKE',
	] ] );

	$mods[] = $mod;

	return $mods;
	}, 30, 2 );

view raw searchwp-customizations.php hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Source-based Mods are powerful, programmatic ways to modify the way SearchWP performs its searches.

Comparing Index and Source Mods

Using an Index-based Mod

Using a Source-based Mod

Create a Better WordPress Search Experience Today

Using an Index-based `Mod`

Using a Source-based `Mod`