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Search Options [a Google Experiment]

Keith Chan [PersonRank 10]

Friday, July 4, 2008
15 years ago4,474 views

I saw a new link called "Search options" in the top blue bar. See screenshot:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/album.keith/SG4yQCyHelI/AAAAAAAAEjc/hw6hDLAXMjE/s800/keith%20chan%20-%20Google%20Search.png

The link does not work and nothing would happen if you click on it. Here is the HTML code of the link:

<a href="http ://www.google.com/search?q=keith+chan&amp;tbo=1" onclick="return google.Toolbelt.toggle(this)"><div id="tbp"></div></a></td><td><a href="http ://www.google.com/search?q=keith+chan&amp;tbo=1" onclick="return google.Toolbelt.toggle(this)" class="std q">Search options</a>

Anyone have any idea what this might be?

[added blank after http to prevent autolinking...]

Ionut Alex. Chitu [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

I don't see it, but it's probably an inline advanced search form like the one from YouTube.

Haochi [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

[moved from "Search Options"]

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1741/searchoptionshh8.png
Saw this, just now. The function for "onclick" is "google.Toolbelt.toggle(this)", but it isn't doing anything at the moment*. Hmm, Toolbelt...

The preference value (PREF) this time is (linebreak)
ID=7e62b070eb259f36:TM=1215726771:
LM=1215726774:GM=1:S=3b8EJA4-lJLh2W05

Full screenshot: img294.imageshack.us/img294/1112/searchoptionsfullvf1.png

* According to this JS file, it's supposed to make a XHR request. I am looking into it right now.
http://www.google.com/extern_js/f/CgJlbhICdXMrMAc4ASwrMA44AiwrMBg4ACwrMBk4ACw/cc9rSPpM_V8.js

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

Nice research.

Ben Allen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

I've seen it before, too. I was completely confused on how I couldn't click it and dismissed it totally since I was on a friends Laptop.

Keith Chan [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

Digital Inspiration has spotted the real use of the button. On click, it would open up a list of relevant options in the right sidebar for users to refine their search. See screenshots:

1. Show pages created in the past month
http://labnol.org/assets/images/NewGoogleSearchInterfaceLooksVeryUsefulS_BADD/searchbydate.png

2. Show Search Snippets with Longer Text
http://labnol.org/assets/images/NewGoogleSearchInterfaceLooksVeryUsefulS_BADD/longertext.png

3. Show Dates & Places in Search Results Snippets
http://labnol.org/assets/images/NewGoogleSearchInterfaceLooksVeryUsefulS_BADD/datesplaces.png

4. Show both Images & Text from Web Pages
http://labnol.org/assets/images/NewGoogleSearchInterfaceLooksVeryUsefulS_BADD/showimages.png

[Source: http://www.labnol.org/internet/search/new-google-search-interface-screenshots/3920/]

Amit Agarwal [PersonRank 3]

15 years ago #

[moved from "Some Screenshots of Google's newest interfaces"]

Google is testing a new layout that lets you view longer excerpts and even images in search results. Have some shots here:

http://www.labnol.org/internet/search/new-google-search-interface-screenshots/3920/

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

Can't get Haochi's preference cookie to work anymore using this trick http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-05-26-n73.html

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

I saw the "for each page show" options to the left in Google Experimental (http://www.google.com/experimental/) too, when you join the "Alternate views for search results" and then jump to the "Info view" tab (there it's to the right). However, showing images in results was broken as soon as you tried to combine it with the "site:" operator.

PS: The "Try your search on ..." in Amit's screenshot is an extension AFAIK (this one? http://www.customizegoogle.com).

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