The document discusses an external search plugin called Dave's External Search that was built for a client's trade show portal site. The plugin allows WordPress sites to search external content sources like Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, and blogs. It uses APIs from these services to retrieve content matching search terms and displays results on the site. The plugin caches search results to preserve resources and comply with API limits from services like Twitter.

1. External Search Dave Ross Fox Valley Computing Professionals

2. Dave Ross Lead Developer at Xeno Media WordPress plugin developer davidmichaelross.com

3. Client wanted a portal site for annual trade show

4. Built using

5. Live from the show floor! Twitter Flickr photos YouTube videos Department’s blog Daily blog updates

7. Even had a mobile version

8. Everything was great. Except search.

9. WordPress search only searches WordPress content

10. [gallery]

11. Dave’s External Search

14. How it works:

15. Flickr API $response = file_get_conte nts(“ http://api.flickr.com/services/rest/?method=flickr.photos.search&format=php_serial&api_key=HGS5JH8HDQQJKC3&user_id =1234567@99&text=cat&per_page=6”); $results = unserialize($response) $photos = $results['photos']['photo']; foreach($photos as $index=>$photo)

16. YouTube & Twitter APIs YouTube uses RSS, Twitter uses ATOM Use Magpie RSS (comes with WordPress) $feedURL = “ http://gdata.youtube.com/feeds/api/users/username/uploads?q=cat ” $feedURL = “ http://search.twitter.com/search.atom?q=cat%20from%3Ausername” $feed = fetch_rss($feedURL); foreach($feed->items as $item) Twitter has an API limit

17. Cache searches to preserve resources. Be a good citizen.

18. Available soon http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/daves-external-search/