Directory Search Extension

This example demonstrates how to use the Directory Search extension to add new users to your default HCL Verse search directory.

Add the Extension

As described in Loading an Application for Development, you should make these changes in the applications.json file located in the src directory of the downloaded Verse Developer Extension Demo source code.

Note: you can view the extension's source here along with a copy of the complete applications.json file.

[
  {
    "name": "Directory Search Sample",
    "title": "Directory Search Sample",
    "description": "This is a sample of directory search extension",
    "extensions": [
      {
        "type": "com.ibm.verse.ext.directorySearch",
        "payload": {
          "url": "${extensionPath}/custom-directory-search/index.html",
          "enableBuiltinDirectorySearch": true
        }
      }
    ],
    "services": ["Verse"]
  }
]

Extension Properties

Property	Type	Definition
type	string	the extension point (List of Extension Points)
payload	object	JSON object that specifies properties specific to the extension
url	string	The fully-qualified URL of where your application is being served from
enableBuiltinDirectorySearch	Boolean	controls whether the built-in directory search in Verse is also used

Test it Out

How it Works

The Directory Search extension allows you to customize the results of Verse's built-in search directory. In this application, the search sample hcl returns some custom results from the sample web application via cross-document messaging. Selecting Search Directory intiates a ping from Verse to the custom web application which, in return, sends a message that informs Verse it is ready to receive information. Verse will then send another message to the web application with the search string. As always, it is good practice to verify the verseApiData.actionId, in this case it is com.ibm.verse.ext.action.directorySearch.

Once the handshake is complete, the sample web application is responsible for sending relevant search results back to Verse. For the purposes of this demo, there are six hard-coded sample results that are sent in a postMessage to Verse in the format:

var searched_message = {
  verseApiType: 'com.ibm.verse.ext.directorySearch.searchResults',
  returnCode: 0,
  result: searchResult,
};

where searchResult is an array of objects with properties:

emailAddress: // email address (test@hcl.com)
notesAddress: // Notes name (John Smith/UK/HCL)
displayName: // Name to be displayed. Optional
forwardMailAddress: // Forward mail address. Optional

Take a look inside the script.js file in the custom-directory-search folder to get a better understanding of how the sample web application sends and receives data. Additionally, reference the Directory Search extension documentation for more information.